Menditto, Thomas A
(2009)
Agape (Unconditional Universal Love) as Evolutionary: A Transpersonal Exploration into the Spiritual and Physical Evolution of Humanity.
Undergraduate Thesis, University of Pittsburgh.
(Unpublished)
Abstract
The survival of the human race and all life on planet earth is endangered by the technological advancements of modern civilization such as weapons of mass destruction and the global climate crisis. In the 1960's and 1970's movements began in the academic field of psychology that radically opposed the paradigm believed to have created this dire situation. Tranpersonal Psychology is an integrated field that approaches the future of humanity with hope as it explores the highest evolutionary potentials of our race as conveyed by comparative religious scholarship, psychological literature, scientific investigations, psychosomatic analysis, and case studies. The problem identified in the old paradigm is a disconnected duality of the reductive model that promotes separation, fear, and conflict. Universal unconditional love (agape) is the proposed trait that when implemented into the new paradigm of integration will dissolve the duality into the unity of a spiritual and physical evolution of humanity. The research herein suggests not only a continuity to this proposition that can be found amongst the world's religious and spiritual traditions, but also a physiological exploration into a scientific understanding of extraordinary levels of human functionality. The suggested physiological transformation of the human body, as understood in the Taoist tradition through studies with a Tai Chi Chuan master, renders an individual invincible to any survival threat. The agape trait in conjunction with the transpersonal movement promotes attitudes of selflessness, compassion, and empathy in order to facilitate an initiative to insure collective survival. Universal unconditional love aligns the collective survival interests with the individual survival interests, and may present an opportunity for humanity to evolve spiritually and physically beyond the threats of our modern day.
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Details
| Item Type: |
University of Pittsburgh ETD
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| Status: |
Unpublished |
| Creators/Authors: |
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| ETD Committee: |
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| Date: |
22 May 2009 |
| Date Type: |
Completion |
| Defense Date: |
25 April 2008 |
| Approval Date: |
22 May 2009 |
| Submission Date: |
14 May 2008 |
| Access Restriction: |
No restriction; Release the ETD for access worldwide immediately. |
| Institution: |
University of Pittsburgh |
| Schools and Programs: |
Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences > Religious Studies
David C. Frederick Honors College |
| Degree: |
BPhil - Bachelor of Philosophy |
| Thesis Type: |
Undergraduate Thesis |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
ascension; bio-technology; christian mysticism; diamond body; ecumenical spirituality; extraordinary abilities; human divinity; human potential; humanistic psychology; inner traditions; internal alchemy; ken wilber; omega point; perennial philosophy; Post-human; qigong; siddhis; spirit body; spiritual evolution; spiritual technology; tai chi; taiji quan; taoist alchemy; taoist yoga; the singularity; theosis; trans-human; transcedence; transpersonal evolution; transpersonal psychology; yoga |
| Other ID: |
http://etd.library.pitt.edu/ETD/available/etd-05142008-150244/, etd-05142008-150244 |
| Date Deposited: |
10 Nov 2011 19:44 |
| Last Modified: |
15 Nov 2016 13:43 |
| URI: |
http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/7869 |
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