From Thomist Realism to the Omega Point

How does the world work, and what is our place in it? For centuries, humanity has struggled with these questions, questioning whether the material and spiritual realms overlap or remain separate.

And this unresolved mystery has not only fuelled endless speculation but has also opened up the door for those eager to exploit this uncertainty for personal gain.

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Thomas Aquinas had an answer. He came up with what came to be known as Thomistic realism, which says that the world is not random but follows a divine order set by God. Everything in creation has a purpose (telos) and is part of a bigger plan. Aquinas believed that we could decipher this plan through using our minds and reason, because God made the world in a way for humanity to comprehend.

But with time, people started looking at the world in different ways. With the scientific revolution, thinkers like Karl Marx and Paul Carus argued that everything could be explained by studying the material world. This idea, labelled materialist monism, says that only thing which exists is matter, and that we can understand it through the use of the scientific method. And scientific monism takes the next logical step, integrating the scientific method with materialist monism.

Alexander Bogdanov adopted this framework, but objected that the world wasn’t merely a question of empirical fact alone, but also how this translated into collective experience, thus leading to his empiriomonism. However, this translation through experience reflecting a perspective, facilitated the creation of a lever of control, because who’s to say which perspective is ultimately correct?

And Pierre Teilhard de Chardin built on these ideas. He believed that evolution isn’t just about biology—it’s also about human consciousness and spirit. He suggested evolution is moving toward something greater, a point he called the Omega Point, where everything comes together in unity and divine consciousness.

This article will discuss how these ideas connect, showing that both developments ultimately cultimate with the same mechanism, one which enables Barbara Marx Hubbard’s Conscious Evolution — it’s just a matter of justification.

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Thomistic Realism and the Divine Order

Thomas Aquinas, building on Aristotelian philosophy, developed a comprehensive metaphysical system where divine order governs all aspects of reality. His synthesis of faith and reason established a framework in which the natural world reflects the rational structure and purposeful design of its divine creator.

• Immanence and Transcendence: Aquinas asserted that God is both immanent within creation and transcendent beyond it. The world is not separate from God but rather sustained by his continuous presence and causal influence. This dual aspect allows for the material world to be both a reflection of divine wisdom and an independent realm of inquiry. The cosmos, in Thomistic thought, embodies a rational order wherein every element, from the smallest particle to the grandest celestial body, serves a specific purpose aligned with the ultimate good—the divine will. This teleological perspective implies that all of nature is oriented toward the fulfillment of its divinely ordained potential.

• Natural Law and Ethics: Central to Thomistic realism is the concept of natural law. Aquinas believed that humans, endowed with reason, possess the innate capacity to discern the moral order embedded in creation. This natural law is an expression of the eternal law (God's plan) as it applies to human behaviour. By engaging in rational reflection and observation of the natural world, individuals can uncover ethical principles that guide them toward virtuous living. For Aquinas, ethics is not a human construct but a discovery of the inherent moral structure of reality. This alignment between divine order and human reason underscores the compatibility of faith and rational inquiry in the pursuit of truth.

• The Great Chain of Being: Aquinas also contributed to the medieval understanding of the Great Chain of Being, a hierarchical structure that places all entities in a divinely ordained sequence. From inanimate matter to plants, animals, humans, angels, and ultimately God, every level of existence reflects varying degrees of perfection and proximity to the divine source. This hierarchical view reinforces the idea that the universe is an integrated whole, with each part contributing to the harmony and purpose of the entire system.

In this framework, Thomist realism serves as the interpretative lens for understanding both the immanent world and its connection to a higher, divine purpose. It suggests that the pursuit of knowledge—whether through theology, philosophy, or natural science—is a journey toward uncovering the divine order that permeates all of existence.

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Materialist Monism and the Scientific Method

In contrast, materialist monism posits that all reality is fundamentally material, and the scientific method is the primary tool for uncovering the natural order. This perspective emphasises:

• Empirical Investigation: The world can be understood through observation, experimentation, and reason. Natural laws govern the universe, and knowledge is built through systematic inquiry.

• Absence of Transcendence: Unlike Thomistic realism, materialist monism does not posit a transcendent dimension beyond the material world.

Building on this, scientific monism extends materialist monism by not only asserting that reality is entirely material but also that the scientific method is the exclusive — or at least the most reliable — means of uncovering all truths about the universe, which further emphasises:

• Methodological Commitment: Scientific monism holds that the natural order, including complex systems like consciousness, can and should be fully explained through empirical observation and scientific reasoning.

• Revealing Natural Order: The scientific method, within this framework, is not just a tool for understanding but a means of uncovering the intrinsic structure and order of the material universe.

Notable thinkers associated with materialist and scientific monism include Karl Marx, who applied a materialist framework to history and society through his concept of historical materialism, and Paul Carus, who sought to harmonise science and religion through a monistic philosophy grounded in scientific rationality.

However, the scientific method — though descriptive — does not inherently provide normative guidance. It uncovers what is but not necessarily what ought to be. The ethical imperative is somehow left behind.

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Bogdanov’s Empiriomonism

Alexander Bogdanov’s empiriomonism represents a significant evolution of materialist thought, merging empirical investigation with a dynamic understanding of knowledge and evolution.

• Collective Empirical Inquiry: Unlike purely individualistic approaches to scientific inquiry, Bogdanov emphasised the collective, subjective experience as fundamental to knowledge creation. He argued that understanding the world is not merely about objective observation but about the interaction between human beings and their environment. Knowledge, in this framework, is inherently social and evolves as communities engage with and interpret empirical data.

• Steering Mechanism and Conscious Evolution: A key aspect of empiriomonism is its inclusion of a perspective, enabling its interpretation to be subtly manipulated, facilitating the creation of a lever of control. This concept suggests that humanity is not a passive participant in evolution but an active agent capable of directing its developmental path. Through scientific understanding and collective action, humans can shape their evolutionary trajectory, moving towards greater complexity and organisation. This notion of conscious evolution aligns closely with ideas found in both Thomistic realism and Teilhard de Chardin’s evolutionary theology, positioning humanity as a co-creator in the unfolding of the cosmos.

In this sense, empiriomonism functions as a material analogue to Thomistic realism. While Thomistic realism interprets the world through the lens of divine order, empiriomonism views the material world as inherently structured yet malleable through human agency and collective effort.

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Panentheism: Integrating the Immanent and Transcendent

Panentheism offers a theological perspective that bridges the gap between immanence and transcendence, proposing that the world exists within God, while God also transcends the world. This nuanced view provides a fertile ground for integrating spiritual and material perspectives.

• Combining Immanence and Divine Order: In panentheism, the material world is not separate from the divine but is an expression of God’s presence. However, God’s reality extends beyond the physical cosmos, embodying a transcendent dimension that surpasses the material universe. This dual aspect allows for a comprehensive understanding of existence where the immanent world is infused with divine purpose, yet that purpose is part of a larger, more profound reality.

• A Spiritual Reflection of the Material: Panentheism resonates with Thomistic realism in its recognition of a divine order governing the universe. Just as the scientific method uncovers the natural laws and structures of the material world, Thomistic realism reveals the moral and teleological dimensions of the divine order. Panentheism integrates these perspectives by suggesting that the material world and its evolution are intrinsically connected to a higher, spiritual purpose. This synthesis allows for a holistic view where science and spirituality are not at odds but are complementary avenues for understanding the universe.

Through this framework, panentheism provides a conceptual bridge between the empirical insights of scientific monism and the theological depth of Thomistic realism, highlighting the interconnectedness of all existence within the divine.

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Teilhard de Chardin and the Omega Point

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin advanced the integration of evolutionary theory with spiritual insights, proposing a vision of the cosmos that is both dynamic and purpose-driven.

• Evolution is Directional: Teilhard challenged the notion of evolution as a random, undirected process. Instead, he posited that evolution moves toward greater complexity, consciousness, and unity. This progression is not merely biological but encompasses the development of human society, culture, and spirituality.

• The Omega Point: Central to Teilhard’s thought is the concept of the Omega Point, a final stage of evolution where all individual consciousnesses converge into a unified, divine consciousness. This point represents the culmination of the evolutionary process, where matter and spirit are fully integrated, and the cosmos achieves its ultimate purpose. The Omega Point is both a theological and scientific hypothesis, suggesting that the trajectory of evolution inherently leads toward a higher, transcendent reality.

• Conscious Evolution: Teilhard emphasised the role of human agency in this process. Humanity, through its intellectual and spiritual capacities, plays an active role in steering evolution toward the Omega Point, and the idea of conscious evolution aligns with Bogdanov’s concept of the lever of control and Thomistic realism’s emphasis on aligning human action with divine order. Teilhard’s vision integrates empirical knowledge with spiritual insight, suggesting that scientific understanding and religious faith are both essential in guiding humanity toward its ultimate destiny.

In synthesising these ideas, Teilhard’s evolutionary theology bridges the material and spiritual, offering a comprehensive vision of a cosmos moving inexorably toward unity, complexity, and divine fulfilment.

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Convergence of Spiritual and Material Vectors

Moving from Thomas Aquinas to Teilhard de Chardin, the logical conclusion is that both Thomistic realism and Bogdanov’s empiriomonism facilitate the creation of a lever of control. But while Thomistic realism suggests that a divine plan guides the world, empiriomonism instead proposes that people, through science and cooperation, can guide their own evolution. Ergo, they’re in fundamental agreement on the mechanism itself, the real question is a matter of to whose plan we operate.

But the lever of control creates also paves the road for noteworthy realisations. For instance, if the scientific understanding of the world resulting from empiriomonism aligns perfectly with the divine order that Aquinas described, then the ethical lessons from both perspectives would converge. Consequently, this alignment suggests that science and spirituality — rather than being separate or conflicting — can be considered parallel approaches to understanding the same underlying reality. It all is just a matter of perspective. And that perspective is one which can be manipulated. Whether you consider this approach to be Bogdanov’s empiriomonism or Teilhard’s Omega Point ultimately doesn’t matter. They both facilitate the same mechanism.

Conscious evolution, as outlined by thinkers like Teilhard de Chardin and Barbara Marx Hubbard, highlights that humanity is not merely a passive participant in this process. Instead, humans possess the capability to influence and direct this evolutionary journey — it’s just a matter of defining the lever of control, enabling Conscious Evolution. And this idea of a lever of control further reflects T.H. Huxley’s 1893 Romanes Lecture, where he discussed how human ethics and intellect could intervene in the natural evolutionary process, effectively allowing humanity to redirect or modify evolutionary outcomes.

The configurability of this steering lever means that if scientific knowledge and application were perfectly aligned with the divine order, humanity could theoretically replicate the ethical structure of that divine order through empirical means. This suggests that science, when guided by a moral compass, could mirror the ethical direction proposed by spiritual doctrines. At least in theory.

However, the neutrality of this mechanism also implies potential risks. While the steering lever could be used to foster T.H. Huxley’s ethical evolution, it could equally be used for sakes of potential, exploitative control through manipulation.

And this entire process could hypothetically be implemented in a fully automated manner through Cybernetic Thomism. By integrating Thomistic principles with cybernetic systems, it becomes theoretically possible to design automated frameworks that guide human behaviour and societal evolution according to the divine order... or alternatively, according to those who like to think of themselves as divine. Consequently, the control of this cybernetic lever would hold significant power—capable of consciously controlling evolution and thus, humanity itself.

Cybernetic Thomism - Part I