Understanding Worldviews—Our Next AI Avatar Video
Here is our second AI avatar video on “Understanding Worldviews.” It provides a basic introduction to cultural worldviews in less than two minutes. The virtual video company would not let [...]
Here is our second AI avatar video on “Understanding Worldviews.” It provides a basic introduction to cultural worldviews in less than two minutes. The virtual video company would not let [...]
Here is our first attempt at an Artificial Intelligence avatar video, titled: “Taking Responsibility for AI” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Nij_WWDXHQ
Ten years ago today, February 22, 2013, our nonprofit organization was officially founded by Steve McIntosh and Carter Phipps. We’re deeply grateful to all who’ve helped us create a think [...]
I argue that the Biden administration’s push to mandate the inclusion of “traditional indigenous ecological knowledge” in Federal policymaking opens the door for greater respect and inclusion of [...]
The Developmental Alliance is a growing community of people who identify with the emerging developmental perspective on politics and culture. We meet for Zoom conversations every second Wednesday [...]
Just published in the Institute for Cultural Evolution’s online political magazine, The Developmentalist, a substantial new article by me: Does Human Nature Evolve? “The key question [...]
We’re pleased to announce a new article by Institute for Cultural Evolution Senior Fellow Greg Thomas: Considering Deracialization: A Response to Glenn Loury and Clifton Roscoe Read it now [...]
I’m excited to share my latest podcast with Glenn Loury on The Glenn Show. Professor Loury is a courageous thought leader who transcends left and right. In our conversation, we discuss [...]
I’m pleased to share the podcast conversation I recently had with philosopher and spiritual seeker Tim Freke. We discussed evolutionary spirituality and theology. Then beginning at 52:40, we had [...]
We’re pleased to share Carter Phipps' latest article in The Developmentalist: Can We Make Governing Great Again? In it, he suggests that our crisis of expertise is really a crisis of governance, [...]
Institute for Cultural Evolution
743 Pine Street
Boulder, Colorado 80302 USA
The Institute for Cultural Evolution is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, tax-exempt organization.
Our Privacy Promise to you
Since our inception in 2013, ICE has invited our stakeholders to join our email list to receive updates and announcements on our progress as a think tank. Email addresses are securely held by Send-In-Blue email service, which ensures the ability to quickly and permanently unsubscribe from our email list at any time. Character Development Exercise results and Worldview Questionnaire results are stored on our secure server.
We respect your confidentiality
ICE ensures that your email address, as well as the data you enter on our website, is held in strict confidence. We will only use your information for its intended nonprofit purpose. We do not sell or trade your information to other organizations or individuals.
We protect your information
ICE takes every reasonable measure to insure that your information is not compromised in any way. Our privacy promise extends online to our Internet website. Online information is transmitted via a secure server using encryption technology. If you choose to send us email, we may retain the contents of your email message, our reply and your email address as part of our ongoing customer service efforts. We reserve the right to contact you after you have contacted us and may send future email to you about ICE. You may unsubscribe to discontinue electronic communication from us at any time.
We keep accurate records
Upon request in writing we will remove your personal information from our databases, except where legislation or regulation requires our retention of it (for example, charitable giving history tied to income tax receipts.)
If you have any questions about our website or our Privacy Promise, please contact the ICE office by email at info@culturalevolution.org.
What Does “Transcendence” Mean?
“Transcendence” or “the transcendent” generally refers to the people and things that are ultimately more important than yourself or your perceived self-interest. For example, that which is transcendent for you could include: Your family, humanity, your deepest convictions, the environment, God, Oneness, your country, animals, freedom, adventure, art, science, a better world, or anything you consider authentically “higher.” Your personal ideals of transcendence are grounded in the people and things that you’re dedicated to, and might even lay down your life for, if it became necessary. Your ideals of transcendence therefore help define your life’s higher purposes.
The word transcendence is used in this exercise as an umbrella term that is friendly to both spiritual and secular notions of transcendent higher purposes. In other words, you don’t have to be religious to recognize the significance of transcendent ideals. Our attraction to a greater good that lies beyond ourselves—our ceaseless striving to serve something higher and create something better—is a fundamental part of what makes us human.
The connection between your ideals of transcendence, your virtues, and your basic moral obligations—to self, to others, and to the transcendent—is illustrated by the graphic below. The specific virtues shown in this graphic are the 7 fundamental virtues, but the specific 7 virtues you choose in this exercise may differ from these classical 7.
For more on virtues and their relationship with transcendence, see the book Developmental Politics, by this exercise’s author, Steve McIntosh.
