IDP News & Blog

Dear Friends of Developmental Philosophy, Join integral thinker Jeff Salzman to consider the evolving landscape of politics and culture through the lens of Developmental Philosophy. From the dynamics of “post-wokeism” to the mainstreaming of Artificial Intelligence to the impact of figures like Donald Trump and Elon Musk, we’ll explore how arising elements challenge and reshape […]

In this first in a series of constructive critiques of integral philosophy, Steve McIntosh examines the blind spots of developmental psychology. By failing to accurately recognize the influence of intersubjective cultural structures on people’s minds, conventional developmental psychology conflates the evolution of individual consciousness with the evolution of collective culture. As Steve argues, the relative development of […]

Dear Friends of Developmental Philosophy, Last week we hosted philosopher and meditation teacher Jeff Carreira for a rich exploration of real paradigm shifts—what makes them radical, how they actually occur, and why cultivating “a little not-knowing” opens the door to genuine growth. The full video is now live on our YouTube channel: Watch here:  https://youtu.be/YOzqMX3asn4 […]

Steve McIntosh recently hosted award-winning entrepreneur and longtime Institute for Cultural Evolution board member John Street for a wide-ranging conversation. The recording is now available on our Developmental Philosophy YouTube channel. We invite you to watch and join the discussion in the video’s comments. In this talk, John shares: From Peace Corps to Pax8: how […]

aCarter Phipps recently spoke with Steve McIntosh’s monthly Zoom group. His presentation is now available to view on our Developmental Philosophy YouTube channel. We invite you to join the discussion in the video’s comment section. Watch full presentation here: https://youtu.be/N-2qaEFv0h4 In this talk, Carter shows how history advances through “seed cultures”—compact, cross-pollinating circles of innovators whose […]

Excerpted from a dialogue between philosophers Steve McIntosh and Iain McGilchrist, this illustrated video discusses the next steps of humanity’s cultural evolution. According to McIntosh, the values of goodness, truth, and beauty represent the presence of the infinite in the finite. And by recognizing how these intrinsic values pull evolution forward, we can integrate science, philosophy, […]

We’re pleased to share our latest 5-minute illustrated video, which is the first in a series. Excerpted from a dialogue between philosophers Steve McIntosh and Iain McGilchrist, the video explores the vital role that philosophy can play in fostering cultural progress. Drawing on the concept of the “noosphere”—the sphere of human thought—McIntosh argues that philosophy […]

Dear Friends of Developmental Philosophy, We are delighted to announce that the full video dialogue between world-renowned philosopher Iain McGilchrist and developmental philosopher Steve McIntosh is now available on YouTube. The dialogue was hosted by process philosopher Andrew M. Davis, and produced by the Center for Process Studies. In this extended conversation, McGilchrist and McIntosh discuss topics such as: the strong […]

Diane Musho Hamilton gave a great presentation to Steve McIntosh’s monthly Zoom group, which is now available to view on our Developmental Philosophy YouTube channel. We invite you to join the discussion in the video’s comment section. Watch the full presentation and discussion here: https://youtu.be/UTf8GOVzRa8?si=3sj7WEaupaiAPRPd In this conversation, Diane explored the concepts of Enlightenment in […]

Dear Friends of Developmental Philosophy, We invite you to watch our most recent presentation by Annick de Witt, Ph.D.—social scientist, author, and co-creator of the Worldview Test. In her recent insightful article, Annick de Witt reframes our cultural conflict as a “war of worldviews”—shaped as much by underlying lenses on meaning and truth as by policy debates. Annick […]

Andrew Davis presented at Steve McIntosh’s monthly Zoom group, and the presentation is now available for replay. We invite you to join the discussion in the YouTube comments. This presentation aims to foster a discussion about the significance of philosophy and the role philosophers play in addressing interconnected thresholds of discourse, including “existential risk,” the “meaning […]

Dear Friends of Developmental Philosophy, The works of Alfred North Whitehead (1861–1947) and Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (1881–1955) continue to inspire distinctive trajectories in theology, philosophy, and cosmology. Although contemporaries for a time, the two never had the opportunity to engage with each other’s visionary worldviews. Today, they are still largely studied in isolation. But […]

Dear Friends of Developmental Philosophy, Last week’s Zoom group featured an intriguing talk by philosopher Steve McIntosh. The talk focused on post-postmodern culture’s emerging social norm of spiritual pluralism. Steve discussed the contemporary meta-categories of spirituality, as well as some of the current barriers to spiritual pluralism. He then considered the elements needed to create […]

Dear Friends of Developmental Philosophy, We’ve recently upgraded DepolarizingGPT—our political chatbot developed by data scientist David Rozado and philosopher Steve McIntosh—with the latest AI technology. Our depolarizing or “integrating” perspective now benefits from the power of the newest ChatGPT-4o model, bringing you an even more insightful, and nuanced perspective on today’s political issues. DepolarizingGPT provides […]

Vice President-elect J.D. Vance is not only the heir apparent to the MAGA movement. He is also the most prominent proponent of “post-liberalism,” a movement typically coded as “right on culture, left on economics”, a combination that scrambles typical categories and, as developmentalists, ought to rivet our attention. In this presentation, David outlines the diverse […]

We’re pleased to share an opportunity for those in our community who are passionate about developmental philosophy and cultural evolution. Andrew Davis, Ph.D., a renowned process philosopher and educator, is offering a thought-provoking course that delves into the intersections of consciousness, evolution, and meaning. Click here for details on how to sign up. Starting January […]

Dear Friends of Developmental Politics and the Institute for Cultural Evolution, It’s been an exciting and productive year for our nonprofit organization. We are continuing to make good progress in building our platform and audience, and advancing our higher purpose, which is to foster the evolution of consciousness and culture in America. This is our invitation to support […]

Where is our global culture today? How did we get here? What steps might we need to take now to shape a future that could become a saving grace for humanity? In this conversation, Aviv Shahar, host of Portals of Perception, and Steve McIntosh, co-founder of the Institute for Cultural Evolution, examine these questions and explore how a […]

We had a fantastic Zoom meeting and discussion with the distinguished scholar and academic Ilia Delio. Watch the full presentation and join the discussion here: https://youtu.be/koYGt9BWe1Y Jesuit scientist Pierre Teilhard de Chardin proposed a cosmic vision of evolution governed by the principle of Omega. Confusion around his use of this symbol has led to speculative ideas, […]

We urge American readers of this blog to participate in our democracy by voting today for the candidate of your choice. Thank you.

The Institute for Cultural Evolution does not officially endorse candidates for public office. But I feel personally obligated to express my political opinion on the upcoming election. In 2016 and 2020 I made similar posts on this blog about America’s forthcoming presidential election. While I acknowledge that there are many people of good sense and good faith who support Donald […]

In this recent talk to our Zoom group, Steve McIntosh discusses the value of philosophy for personal and social well-being. He also talks about his forthcoming philosophy book, as well as the emerging category of philosophy called “developmental philosophy.” Steve then goes over some of the recently published philosophy books he’s been reading, including: David […]

This Wednesday’s Zoom group will be a bit different. Instead of a guest presenter, this time we’ll focus on interactive discussions and breakout groups centered around two thought-provoking questions 1. If you could change one thing about American society, what would it be? 2. Regarding the evolution of culture and consciousness, where do you see that happening? […]

Last week, process philosopher Matthew Segall, PhD spoke with Steve McIntosh’s Zoom group about Rudolf Steiner’s concept of “Social Threefolding.” Steiner’s idea for the threefolding of society suggests that a conscious differentiation (not division) of economic, political, and cultural domains can bring clarity to the healthy impulses seeking expression in each domain. The hope is […]

In his thought-provoking article, Carter Phipps explores the growing movement of legalized psychedelics, examining both the significant opportunities and potential pitfalls. Drawing parallels to Carl Sagan’s warning about the perils of cultural regression in “The Demon-Haunted World,” Phipps highlights how modern society’s rediscovery of psychedelics could unlock new stages of consciousness and foster spiritual growth. […]

What is happening on the political right in America? The old right, the new right, and even the “post-Trump” right? Where is it going? And how can developmental philosophy help us make sense of it? In his talk, Professor David Storey, categorizes the camps and characters that have emerged on the right, from Christian nationalism, […]

During our June gathering this coming Thursday, June 13, Rand Stagen will reveal why the root cause driving America apart today is not about race, class, or politics – it’s about worldviews. Attendees will be invited to map the three largest worldviews (sub-cultures) into “camps” and discover the power of the emerging field of what […]

Steve reflects on the campus protests, observing the interplay between the protestors’ mixed motivations, which include both world-centric morality and ethnocentric morality. He discusses how the protests provide a window into the current state of the progressive postmodern worldview overall. He then concludes by observing that the liberation of the Palestinian people ultimately requires an […]

In next Wednesday’s Zoom group, Andrew Davis will present The Cosmic Call of Value: Five Propositions. Who are we? Why does anything at all exist? What is it that we should be up to in this universe? Through the elaboration of five propositions as “invitations for attention,” Andrew offers a philosophical reflection on value as […]

In Wednesday’s Zoom group, Steve will share a key chapter from the philosophy book he is currently writing. This forthcoming book (as yet untitled) won’t be published until late next year, but Steve will provide a preview by discussing its central themes of noosphere evolution and humanity’s higher purpose. This talk will not be made available […]

We’re broadening our focus and changing the name of our Facebook group and Youtube channel from “Developmental Politics” to “Developmental Philosophy.” We started our Facebook group in 2021 after Steve’s political philosophy book, titled Developmental Politics, was published. Then beginning last year, he started working on his next book, which returns to themes he has […]

This month, during our monthly Zoom group, we had Steve McIntosh, Jeff Salzman, and Carter Phipps as panelists. We asked community members to submit questions, and we were able to address eight of them during the session. Watch the full discussion here: https://youtu.be/55G7u4M5mKY?si=Db2T1hU815OCZnXX Questions from the community 1. Robert Anderson asked: How can America evolve […]

Listen to Ilia Delio’s recent podcast with Steve McIntosh.  Sister Ilia is a renowned Teilhard scholar and Founder of the Center for Christogenesis. Some of the topics they touch on: How the good, the true, and the beautiful evolve The nature of indestructible polarities as perceived by human consciousness Ilia advances her thesis that we […]

Join us Wednesday, March 13 for an “ask us anything integral” panel featuring Steve McIntosh, Jeff Salzman, and Carter Phipps. If you’re not already a member of Steve McIntosh’s monthly Zoom group, click here to access the meetup link and submit your question: https://developmentalist.org/join-steve-mcintoshs-monthly-zoom-group/

In this article, Steve McIntosh reflects on his journey towards integral philosophy, driven by a desire to understand how to make a meaningful impact in the world. Inspired by historical figures like Gandhi and intrigued by periods of cultural evolution, Steve delves into the role of art in societal progress before discovering integral philosophy. Integral […]

During this month’s presentation in Steve McIntosh’s Zoom group, Carter Phipps, who is an author and co-founder of the Institute for Cultural Evolution, delivered a talk on the topic of the trajectory of evolution. He also discussed the challenge of finding the integral signal amidst the postmodern cultural noise. Watch the full presentation here: https://youtu.be/-2kQeo9B60I?si=XC2xP5dY0pm6qGzc […]

Dear Friends of the Developmental Politics Project, We want to let you know about an upcoming conference on integral philosophy and practice, being organized by Paul Bloch and Tom Habib of the new ICON organization. The conference is being held in Denver, Colorado May 16-19th 2024. Steve McIntosh will be giving a Keynote presentation, and […]

At our last Zoom meeting, lead philosopher and founder Steve McIntosh disambiguated the term, distinguishing Ken Wilber’s integral theory from the larger body of integral philosophy. Please check out this 6-minute video excerpt when you have a chance. Learn how to join Steve McIntosh’s Zoom Group here.

This month, we will kick off the New Year with an extended discussion of what we love most about integral philosophy. After starting with breakout conversations, Steve McIntosh will then talk about the road ahead for the Institute for Cultural Evolution, the Developmental Politics Project, and our Developmental Alliance Zoom Group. Before the meeting, please […]

My op-ed on DepolarizingGPT, coauthored with David Rozado, was published today in The Fulcrum. https://thefulcrum.us/Pop-Culture/Technology/unbiased-artificial-intelligence Here’s the text: How Artificial Intelligence Can Be Used to Reduce Polarization By David Rozado and Steve McIntosh In an era dominated by reports of how social media is exacerbating political polarization, many commentators worry that artificial intelligence (AI) will […]

It’s been an exciting and productive year for our nonprofit organization. We are continuing to make good progress toward our higher purpose, which is to advance the evolution of consciousness and culture in America. We invite you to support our work through a small donation. 2023 HIGHLIGHTS ­We launched The Developmental Politics Project—an evolving public platform […]

During this month’s Developmental Alliance meeting, Steve McIntosh unveiled his 3-answer political AI chatbot—DepolarizingGPT. In this half-hour presentation, Steve shares what inspired the idea for the chatbot and how he partnered with data scientist and Heterodox Academy Fellow David Rozado to create it. Steve then demonstrates the chatbot, and takes questions from the group. Watch Steve’s […]

As a follow-up to our recent announcement of DepolarizingGPT, I want to share some of the interesting creative outputs I’m getting from this 3-answer chatbot. I gave DepolarizingGPT, the following prompt: “Write a song about the border wall.” While using an AI to write a song about a divisive political topic might seem goofy, frivolous, and […]

During this month’s meeting of the Developmental Alliance Zoom group, Steve McIntosh will discuss his 3-answer political AI chatbot—DepolarizingGPT. Steve McIntosh will describe how he partnered with data scientist and Heterodox Academy Fellow David Rozado to create the chatbot. He will demonstrate what it can do and discuss its limitations. Steve’s brief presentations will be followed by […]

The Developmental Politics Project has teamed up with Heterodox Academy Fellow, David Rozado to create DepolarizingGPT, a political AI chatbot that gives three answers to every prompt: one from a left-wing perspective, one from a right-wing perspective, and a third answer from a depolarizing or “integrating” perspective. The news is filled with reports of how […]

This month, we had another fantastic meeting with multiple break-out-room discussions! Check out Amiel Handelsman’s presentation: https://youtu.be/yRCmPJm8o9U?si=msdH74kE9bCSdMYQ If you would like to join us for our monthly Zoom meetup and are not an Alliance member yet, we invite you to fill out the form and join in next time: https://developmentalist.org/join-the-developmental-alliance/

We are excited to introduce you to “Straight Ahead,” the Omni American podcast adjacent to our Developmental Politics mission. Greg Thomas, a senior fellow at the Institute for Cultural Evolution, and Aryeh Tepper host the podcast. Together, they are working to counter the illiberal forces on both the left and right by building a critical […]

This month, we had a fantastic meeting with thirty participants and some tremendous break-out group conversation! Check out Jeff Salzman‘s presentation on the unfolding conflict in Israel. Feel free to continue the conversation in the YouTube comments section: https://youtu.be/Mze9dcojnyY?si=YvPJleL7bIek72vj If you would like to join us for our monthly Zoom meetup and are not an Alliance […]

JOIN OUR MONTHLY ZOOM MEETUP ON WEDNESDAY (October 11) AT 5 PM (MT) During this month’s meeting, Jeff Salzman, host of The Daily Evolver podcast, will lead us through a tour of current events and headlines as seen through the lens of developmental theory. There will be time for discussion and opportunities to share your views as well. If you’re […]

During this month’s meetup, Steve McIntosh gave the Developmental Alliance a preview of his presentation for the Whitehead and Teilhard conference at Villanova University. He discusses his paper titled: “Cultivating Noosphere Evolution in the Spirit of Teilhard and Whitehead.” Steve’s paper will be published with the other conference papers in an academic book next year. […]

We're pleased to share a recent podcast interview of Steve McIntosh with our friends at the Mankind Project. Join us as host Boysen Hodgson explores spiritual evolution with philosopher Steve Mcintosh. Boysen and Steve delve into integral philosophy's impact on consciousness, culture, and our collective challenges. This episode explores the roots of integral philosophy in 19th-century [...]

Arizona is on the front lines of the culture war. To help make sense of this conflict, USA TODAY affiliate AZ Republic journalist Mary Jo Pitzl interviews political philosopher Steve McIntosh. Their conversation focuses on transgender issues, including drag queen story hour, and the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. McIntosh goes on to discuss the fundamentalism [...]

In our recent Developmental Alliance meetup, Steve McIntosh presented and expanded on his latest paper, “The Spiritual Significance of the Rise of AI.” He highlighted some of the critical points and then explored the concept of the Philosophy of Mind and how it relates to the rise of AI. Subscribe to our youtube channel to […]

Although the advent of AI will certainly transform our society, in order to facilitate its gifts while constraining its threats, we have to accurately understand what it is and what it’s not. According to Jared Lanier, “the easiest way to mismanage a technology is to misunderstand it.” There is no doubt that AI models will […]

The Institute for Cultural Evolution is pleased to announce the launch of The Developmental Politics Project, our new subsidiary nonprofit organization. The Developmental Politics Project seeks to: Use the insights of integral philosophy to help heal the torn social fabric of American culture. Advance and promote the work of integral philosopher Steve McIntosh. Foster cultural evolution […]

Transform your political practices with our free 9-part video course, “Becoming Part of the Solution: A Course In Developmental Politics,” taught by Institute President Steve McIntosh. This course is for anyone interested in healing our nation’s culture and addressing the challenges of hyper-partisan polarization, we thought you might want to take advantage of this great resource. This […]

The Left wants to honor Indigenous wisdom traditions in the wake of colonialism and scientism. The Right wants to defend America’s moral heritage and traditional social norms. What do both have in common? Respect for tradition. What G.K. Chesterton called “the democracy of the dead.” Both see the spiritual impoverishment of mainstream modernist culture, and both […]

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 us include the details of each worldview in the script, but this short video does describe the basic concept of large-scale value frames. Please check […]

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 tank dedicated to the evolution of culture and consciousness. For those interested in our think tank’s origins, we invite you to watch a video of […]

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 “traditional European social knowledge.” Both kinds of traditional knowledge can be respected and safely included by using a liberal approach. But does acknowledging our nation’s crimes against […]

Steve McIntosh’s Monthly Zoom Group 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 of the month, from 4-5:30pm PT / 5-6:30pm MT / 7-8:30 ET. We’d previously kept the group small, but we’re now opening to all who’d […]

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 surrounding the concept of human nature is whether it is mostly fixed or broadly malleable. We know individual people can change and become better. But what about larger populations […]

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 on the Institute’s online magazine: The Developmentalist.

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 developmental politics and the work of the Institute for Cultural Evolution. This may be the best podcast I’ve ever done, and it represents a significant […]

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 a lively exchange about developmental politics and how it is growing beyond the limitations of previous integral/SD conceptions. Thanks for checking it out: www.youtube.com/watch?v=goGFnrVD1rs

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, and argues that we have lost our faith in experts in part because we have unfairly shifted the burden of decision-making to them. You can read the essay in The Developmentalist

The Institute for Cultural Evolution is pleased to announce the publication of Developmental Politics—How America Can Grow Into a Better Version of Itself  as an audiobook. This acclaimed book of political philosophy was written by Steve McIntosh, the Institute’s President and Co-Founder, and narrated by Josh Innerst. Originally published in print format in 2020, Developmental Politics has had a wide influence, and the book’s success has been instrumental in the growth of the Institute for Cultural Evolution as an organization. 

Institute for Cultural Evolution Senior Fellow, Greg Thomas, was recently interviewed by renowned conservative public intellectual and economist, Glenn Loury, on The Glenn Show! In this wide-ranging discussion, Glenn and Greg discuss Greg’s work leading the Jazz Leadership Project; the important black intellectual lineage that runs from Ralph Ellison and Albert Murray through Stanley Crouch; the Institute for Cultural Evolution; the developmental perspective on the culture war between traditionalism, modernity, and postmodernity; and much more. This stimulating discussion is a great example of how the developmental perspective on politics and culture is finally beginning to break into the mainstream national conversation.

The Institute is now hiring for a newly created executive position in our growing organization: Communications Director.

We’re pleased to announce that our organization’s headquarters website at www.developmentalphilosophy.org has evolved. Please check out our completely rebuilt site. In addition to a fresh look and feel, the new website showcases the innovative programs, activities, and ideas the Institute has developed since its founding in 2013.   Highlights include our many published articles and […]

I’m please to share my latest article, published on The Developmentalist: The Politics of Pride and Shame—Integrating 1776 and 1619. Here’s an excerpt: “As the result of rapid cultural evolution over the last sixty years, American society has become “stretched out” to the point that it no longer coheres as a governable entity. Yet, as […]

In June 2021 the Institute for Cultural Evolution launched its online political magazine called The Post-Progressive Post. We liked the term “post-progressive” because it effectively communicated our cultural and political point of view. That is, we appreciate the best of progressivism and honor its values, but we reject progressivism’s antipathy toward the best of what […]

In this wide-ranging discussion, Steve, Jeff, and Diane talk about integral philosophy, the culture war, the Intellectual Dark Web, conflict over the pandemic, the meaning crisis, and the rise of the progressive worldview: Click Here to Watch This Conversation on YouTube

We are pleased to announce The Post-Progressive Post’s publication of our most recent “win-win-win” policy recommendation on Homelessness in the U.S. https://post-progressive.org/issue-position/homelessness-in-the-u-s/ Please note that while this policy recommendation has already received prepublication comments from our Post-Progressive Alliance members, further input is requested from the public in the paper’s comments section. Your input would be greatly appreciated […]

The Institute for Cultural Evolution is a vibrant and growing nonprofit organization that needs and deserves your support. This year, as #GivingTuesday approaches on November 30th, we ask you to consider “giving upstream.” Giving upstream means donating to organizations that are working on the roots of our society’s problems.

We are excited to announce Steve McIntosh’s most recent Critique of the Week on the Post-Progressive Post. In this article, Steve respectfully critiques Jonathan Haidt’s recent Monomania Is Illiberal and Stupefying article by pointing out the importance of understanding both the dignities and disasters of the progressive worldview.

We are pleased to announce that we have published our most recent Education win-win-win issue position on the Post-Progressive Post.

The Institute for Cultural Evolution is a partner in the Shaping An Omni-American Future online event taking place on October 24th and 25th. This event is being put on by the American Sephardi Federation, the Jazz Leadership Project, and the Combat Antisemitism Movement, and is going to feature artists and thinkers who are inspired to create a more unitive approach to anti-racism based on the teachings of Albert Murray and Ralph Ellison.

Jeff Salzman just posted the latest episode in our “Post-Progressive Inquiries” podcast series. This time Jeff and Steve speak with David Storey, Professor of Philosophy at Boston College and Senior Fellow at the Institute for Cultural Evolution. Here’s the YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJsHj6d6aQc&t=1s

The Institute For Cultural Evolution is pleased to announce that we have added Rand Stagen as our newest member of the Board of Directors. Those of you who listened to Jeff and Steve’s Post-Progressive Inquiries podcast with Rand know just how inspiring a figure Rand is in the integral community. Rand founded the Stagen Leadership Academy in […]

The Institute for Cultural Evolution is pleased to share a new course being offered by Senior Fellow, Greg Thomas, along with his wife, Jewel Kinch-Thomas, and colleague, Amiel Handelsman, called Stepping Up: Wrestling with America’s Past, Reimagining Its Future, Healing Together. Stepping Up is a six-month online course for people committed to healing the racial divide, […]

We are excited to announce that we have brought on David Storey as a new Senior Fellow at the Institute for Cultural Evolution. You can read David’s first contribution to the Post-Progressive Post here: Why We Will Grow Together or Grow Apart David’s article, “Why We Will Grow Together or Grow Apart” is an excellent […]

Overview of the Institute for Cultural Evolution’s Climate Change Policy Proposal The original impetus for the founding of the Institute for Cultural Evolution in 2012 was to help reduce public resistance to meaningful action on the climate crisis. But after working on this issue for our first two years of operation, in 2014 we shifted […]

We are excited to announce that the Institute for Cultural Evolution has brought on a new member of the Board of Directors and a new Fellow. John Mistler (Left) is the newest member of our Board, and we are thrilled to have his leadership and support as we launch the Post-Progressive Project. John is also […]

Polarity number four is MERCY & JUSTICE. Mercy for the individual becomes unjust without concern for the good of the whole. And to be truly virtuous, justice must be balanced with care for each person.

Polarity number three is COMPETITION & COOPERATION. While some progressives disparage competition, and some modernists overemphasize it, competition can be a powerful value creator. However, when it is not moderated by its polar counterpart of cooperation, competition can devolve into a dog-eat-dog condition wherein defensiveness saps productivity. Conversely, cooperation by itself, without the incentive or […]

Polarity number two is REAL & IDEAL. While this pair may at first seem prosaic or obvious, it is highly useful and applicable to many life situations. Without the moderation and challenge of the other, each of these poles can be problematic. Realism without idealism can lead to a cynical acceptance of a dysfunctional status […]

This post begins a new series of my favorite positive-positive interdependent polarities. Each one of these polarities is a kind of philosophical technology for creating value and evolving consciousness. First up: LIBERTY & EQUALITY. These two values need each other to maximize their respective value creating capacity. When brought together in a dynamic relationship of challenge and […]

In this column I offer constructive critiques of public figures I admire by pointing out how they could benefit from a developmental perspective. The Atlantic Magazine recently published a powerful and timely article by journalist George Packer. Entitled “How America Fractured Into Four Parts,” the article is adapted from Packer’s just-released book, Last Best Hope—America […]

We are pleased to announce the official launch of our new content-hub website designed to highlight the emerging post-progressive perspective, the Post-Progressive Post! Visit The Post-Progressive Post It is our sincere hope that this new site, and the perspective it promotes, can help ameliorate the political hyperpolarization that prevents us from solving the mounting challenges […]

Journalist George Packer’s recent article in The Atlantic entitled, How America Fractured Into Four Parts, validates our analysis of the polarities within the left and right. Below are the latest versions of our polarity charts for both sides.

We’re now on week 7 of my 9-week course on Post-Progressive Politics. I’m pleased to say our 50 person group has gelled nicely—they’re asking tough questions and making great progress. It’s an honor to be with these fine folks every Wednesday night!

The Institute for Cultural Evolution will be participating in the Integral European Conference 2021, which will again be held online due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. ICE’s President, Steve McIntosh, will be giving a keynote highlighting the emerging Post-Progressive perspective that you won’t want to miss: The Rise of Post-Progressive Politics Politics in America have been […]

Since our last post, Steve McIntosh and Jeff Salzman have participated in three Post-Progressive Inquiries on the Daily Evolver Podcast. Post-Progressive Inquiries are conversations exploring how post-progressivism’s emerging cultural and political perspective can honor and synthesize the best aspects of America’s three major worldviews: modernism, traditionalism, and progressivism. It is our hope that these conversations, […]

At last we turn the page on an ugly chapter in American history. Now perhaps we can begin to talk about politics in positive terms again. While Joe Biden faces difficult challenges, and while his presidency will inevitably have shortcomings, I am hoping for the best. The post-progressive perspective I advocate is all about finding […]

My new article was recently published in Integral Leadership Review: “Why Centrism Fails and How to Overcome Hyperpolarization.” From the article: “Among the many uses of integral philosophy, its most promising application is in the realm of politics. This is especially true of the hyperpolarized condition of politics in the U.S., where the growing intensity […]

Announcing Post-Progressive Inquiries, a new podcast series coproduced by the Daily Evolver and The Institute for Cultural Evolution. In each episode, ICE President Steve McIntosh and ICE Director Jeff Salzman explore new territories emerging in politics and culture. For Episode 1 of the series, we are happy to have as our inaugural guest Tomas Bjorkman, […]

On Tuesday, November 24, Robert Doar, head of the American Enterprise Institute think tank, welcomed Whole Foods CEO and ICE Director John Mackey for a conversation on our new book: Conscious Leadership: Elevating Humanity Through Business (Penguin 2020), coauthored by Mackey, McIntosh, and Phipps. As described in AEI’s summary of the talk: “Mr. Doar and […]

Recently, I fulfilled a long-held dream and launched a podcast, Thinking Ahead. The weekly show explores the movements, trends, people, and ideas that are shaping our evolving world–a description that’s broad enough to encompass my many eclectic interests. As an unapologetic generalist, I love having the opportunity to interview a diverse range of thinkers, from […]

The Institute for Cultural Evolution is growing and expanding. We’re bringing on new Board Members, new funding, and now we’re recruiting an Executive Director to help run our operations. The job description for this new Executive Director position can be found at this link. If the possibility of working with ICE sounds intriguing, we encourage […]

It looks like Joe Biden has won the election. Yet America remains bitterly divided. Biden has pledged to be a unifier, but restoring the minimum social solidarity necessary for a functional democracy will be a daunting challenge. It now seems as though there’s little common ground left. So rather than searching for common ground, Biden […]

The Institute for Cultural Evolution does not officially endorse candidates for public office. But as the president of this organization I feel obligated to express my personal political opinion on the upcoming election. While I acknowledge that there are many people of good sense and good faith who continue to support Donald Trump, I cannot […]

Race, to all people who use the term correctly, is a matter of a few easily observed physiological characteristics: the color of your skin, the texture of your hair, and the shape of a few extremities . . . But there is no scientific correlation between those physical features and behavior. The only correlation comes […]

I’m excited to announce my upcoming online course titled: Cultural Intelligence: Transcending Race, Embracing Cosmos, presented through the Aligned Center. Here’s a description: Our country’s current racial and cultural crises have invoked a dire need to reexamine our understanding of race and reflect on our own blind spots. I invite you to join me virtually […]

Announcing a new book by ICE principals John Mackey, Steve McIntosh, Carter Phipps: Conscious Leadership—Elevating Humanity Through Business. Mackey is CEO of Whole Foods Market, and McIntosh and Phipps are cofounders of the Institute for Cultural Evolution. Together they explore the vision, virtues, and mindset needed for aspiring conscious leaders, providing a roadmap for innovative, […]

Here’s my latest podcast with Layman Pascal wherein we discuss the idea that value itself can be understood as a form of interior energy that influences consciousness and culture. As described in chapters 5, 6 and 7 of Developmental Politics, value serves as the motivating power that attracts human interest and generates political will. Also […]

USA Today (2.6 million daily readers) published my op-ed today: ‘Mrs. America’ Shows How Art Can Bridge Our Nation’s Cultural, Partisan Divisions In the op-ed I argue that Cate Blanchett’s performance demonstrates “cultural intelligence.”

Ever since I cast my first vote for Jimmy Carter in 1980, I’ve identified politically as a progressive. And while I continue to support many progressive political goals, the political position advocated by my new book, Developmental Politics, is best characterized as post-progressive. This emerging post-progressive perspective is not “anti-progressive,” it seeks to better integrate […]

Steve McIntosh’s new video, “How to Overcome Polarization in 5-Minutes,” explains how an understanding of the dynamic behavior of “value polarities” can help ameliorate hyper-partisan political polarization. As we weather this pandemic, social solidarity is crucial. And one way to shore up our solidarity is by taking a new perspective on polarization, which this video […]

Steve McIntosh’s new book, Developmental Politics—How America Can Grow Into a Better Version of Itself, is now shipping from Amazon. If you want to see a better version of American politics, this is the book for you. Developmental Politics provides the fresh thinking we need to transcend America’s contemporary political impasse. In connection with the […]

In this five minute video I simplify my new book: Developmental Politics—How America Can Grow Into a Better Version of Itself. There is much more to Developmental Politics than what is covered in this brief video. But as I explain, the need to increase our collective “cultural intelligence” is a central theme of the book. […]

The Institute for Cultural Evolution’s character development exercise is the subject of Jeff Salzman’s latest Daily Evolver podcast. Here is Jeff’s description of the podcast: Integral philosopher Steve McIntosh helps us usher in the new year (and decade) with a fresh look at an ancient formula for living a happy, productive and meaningful life. In […]

In anticipation of the publication of my forthcoming book, Developmental Politics, I’ve posted 16 pages of excerpts from the book (close to 9,000 words) on this website. These excerpts include 7 pages from “Part I: Toward a Politics of Culture,” and 9 pages from “Part II: Toward a New Philosophy of Purpose and Progress.” Part […]

2020 is going to be a very significant year in American politics. And with the March 1st publication of my book, Developmental Politics: How America Can Grow Into a Better Version of Itself, it’s going to be a very significant year for me as well. While I won’t be running for office, I will be […]

ICE Press Release, November 18, 2019: NEW ONLINE EXERCISE FOSTERS THE PERSONAL PRACTICE OF VIRTUES Think tank Promotes Character Development and Civic Virtue by Inviting People to Create a Personalized “Portrait of the Good” —a Practice Tool Delivered By Email BOULDER, COLORADO, The Institute for Cultural Evolution think tank is working to overcome hyperpolarization by […]

My new political book, Developmental Politics, is now complete and will be published by Paragon House on March 1. Now that the writing is done, I’m turning back to the work of the Institute for Cultural Evolution. In the next few weeks we will be launching an exciting new Character Development Exercise (adapted from Appendix […]

The new book I’ve been working on since 2016 is titled: Developmental Politics—How America Can Grow Into a Better Version of Itself. It’s scheduled to be published by Paragon House on March 1, 2020. The Table of Contents and some endorsements are below. Here’s a brief description: Growing hyper-partisan polarization threatens the foundations of American […]

“This airport is f—ing insane.” The message flashed across my phone at 11PM Pacific Time. “Yeah it is!” I texted back immediately. My wife was trying to negotiate New York’s JFK airport at 2AM on a cold, rainy December night, after a delayed flight. The aggressive unlicensed cabbies (mostly male), the sheer mass of travelers, […]

It’s a simple question: In the last twenty years, the proportion of the world’s population living in extreme poverty has: almost doubled? remained more or less the same? almost halved? When you ask that question of people around the world, very few get the answer right. In fact, only 7% give the correct answer, which […]

The 2018 midterm results are in. And despite two years of creative destruction, consistent anti-environmental policy moves, and the moral degradation of the office of the presidency, Trumpism has not been thoroughly repudiated by America’s voters. Democrats gained a House majority, but it looks like Republicans have locked up the Senate through 2022 at least. […]

This is all we have to say for now: vote!

In this episode of The Daily Evolver video podcast, Steve McIntosh and Jeff Salzman take us on a tour through the origins of integral philosophy, starting with G.W.F. Hegel, who first explained the mechanisms of evolution in human history, and on through a stream of philosophers who unified the evolution of matter, consciousness and spirit. […]

The academic publisher Palgrave Macmillan is calling for articles for their upcoming special issue on Cultural Evolution. I’m not sure if ICE will contribute, but I’m glad to see interest in this so I’m passing it along to our readers. — Steve McIntosh Call for papers: Cultural Evolution Palgrave Communications, the open access journal from […]

Does America set a good moral example for the world? NPR’s Phoenix affiliate station KJZZ recently interviewed me about PRRI’s 2017 survey of American values. (PRRI, or Public Religion Research Institute, is a nonpartisan national polling organization). Interviewer Steve Goldtein of NPR was specifically interested in one of PRRI’s survey questions regarding the changing status […]

The Institute for Cultural Evolution’s principals are actively working on two books that are intended to demonstrate how our evolutionary thinking can lead to political progress and renewal. So for the time being we are not actively engaged in organization building. I’m posting this message here on our blog so that the lack of recent […]

This week I attended the Conscious Capitalism organization’s CEO-Summit in Austin, Texas with my ICE colleague Carter Phipps. Our ICE colleague John Mackey, co-author of the book Conscious Capitalism and co-founder of the movement was also there too, of course. Conscious Capitalism began about ten years ago and has now become a large and vibrant movement. Its high-energy CEO-Summit was attended by close to […]

In August 1984 I matriculated at the University of Virginia Law School in Charlottesville, where I would live for the next three years. Coming from California, I remember being both amused and mildly scandalized by my first encounter with the “Cult of the Lost Cause.” The first shock came at seeing the memorials in the […]

Dear Friends of the Institute for Cultural Evolution, Does the integral political analysis of the Institute for Cultural Evolution (‘ICE’) intrigue you? Would you like to learn more about the thinking and practices that animate ICE’s perspectives? If so, we invite you to join us in August for a three day seminar in Boulder, Colorado, […]

On Wednesday, April 19, NPR Phoenix reporter Steve Goldstein interviewed ICE president Steve McIntosh about his recent essay: Appreciating the Upside of Nationalism. The interview can still be heard online at the radio station’s website: theshow.kjzz.org (to listen press the ‘play’ button on The Show’s April 19th broadcast blue heading bar, then scroll forward to […]

The perceived need for a restoration of competitive nationalism was a significant factor that led to the election of Donald Trump. Beyond economic protectionism, Trump’s voters signaled their aspirations for a revitalized form of American patriotism. While history may prove that Trump was the wrong choice for president, the electorate’s larger choice to reemphasize nationalism […]

The Institute for Cultural Evolution made good progress in 2016. We remain a small think tank with modest financial resources, but we’re definitely making a positive difference in American politics. Soon we’ll be announcing a major new initiative for 2017 and beyond. In the meantime, here’s a brief look back on 2016, together with our […]

Note: This Op-Ed responds to New York Times columnist David Brooks’ recent writing about the future of political centrism. The piece was originally published by The Hill, a Washington-based political newspaper. It’s reposted here with permission. In the wake of the 2016 election, analysts and pundits are now focusing on how Donald Trump’s ascent to […]

The election of Donald Trump is dreadful, literally. I dread what his administration will bring, especially his vow to retreat from our national responsibility to mitigate global warming. Yet as the coming consequences of his political victory begin to sink in, the best possible opening move in our opposition will be a noble response to […]

The Institute for Cultural Evolution does not officially endorse candidates for public office. But as the president of this organization I feel obligated to express my personal opinion regarding the crucial need for every American to vote for Hillary Clinton. Donald Trump is not only a threat to the government and people of the United […]

ICE’s own Senior Fellow Michael Zimmerman recently published an article in The Breakthrough Journal, entitled: Love and Vinyl Chloride—A Deep Ecologist Reconciles With His Father and the Modern World. The Breakthrough Journal is the signature publication of the California-based environmental think tank, The Breakthrough Institute. We admire the work of Breakthrough and are pleased to […]

  Rich Tafel, founder of the Log Cabin Republicans and Senior Fellow at the Institute for Cultural Evolution, took the stage today in a Politico forum panel at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. The Politico panel, titled Ruin or Renewal? The Future of the Republican Party, focused on some of the key issues ICE […]

Those familiar with the work of the Institute for Cultural Evolution know that we are working to help evolve both the left and the right side of politics. In furtherance of these efforts, today the mainstream media outlet The Daily Beast published my op-ed on ‘a more evolved right.’ Even though I remain on the […]

This series of graphics illustrates ICE’s latest approach to mapping the ‘landscape of values’ that underlie American politics. The first graphic below shows how the significant influence of culture can be conceived with reference to the ‘Bedrock Values’ of the electorate.The circles graphic below shows America’s three major values-based worldviews, which we’re calling: ‘Traditionals, Moderns, […]

This is to announce a summer seminar by ICE directors Steve McIntosh and Jeff Salzman focusing on the integral philosophy that animates ICE’s perspective. For three and half days—August 18-21, 2016—we will gather at the Integral Center in Boulder, Colorado for a deep dive into the integral (a.k.a. “evolutionary,” or “post-postmodern”) worldview. Here is a […]

In this 50 minute recorded conversation, ICE Board Member Jeff Salzman and I talk about my new paper, published on this website, titled Overcoming Polarization by Evolving Both Right and Left: How Polarity Theory Provides a Path to Political Progress. The ideas we explore in the podcast include: • Why we should we care about […]

My new paper on the problem of hyper-partisan polarization was originally written in January 2016. But since then the Republican party has entered the throes of a historically significant meltdown which may actually solve the problem of polarization by severely crippling the right and handing political power to the left in the next election cycle. […]

The brewing fight over the nomination of the next Supreme Court justice is bringing the problem of hyper-partisan polarization into sharp focus. But even though this situation clearly reveals how polarization is crippling our democracy, this problem’s ability to stimulate greater political engagement is limited because there is no viable solution yet in sight. So […]

Here at the beginning of 2016, as I continue to pursue The Institute for Cultural Evolution’s project to envision “the Future Right” and “the Future Left,” it is important to be clear about ICE’s political strategy. This strategy is designed to improve the functionality of American government by evolving our political culture. In this project […]

Grant recognizes innovative approach to decreasing hyperpartisanship. December 3, 2015: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Boulder, Colorado—Overcoming America’s hyper-partisan political paralysis is a big challenge, and may be the most troublesome problem facing America today. In response to this challenge, The Institute for Cultural Evolution (“ICE”), an independent think tank founded in 2013, is advancing a bold […]

On Monday the Washington DC-based Nation Journal published an extensive article on the “polarization movement” entitled: The War On Partisanship, How fighting polarization became its own cause. The article describes the efforts of a wide variety of nonprofits who are working to overcome hyper-partisan polarization and gives special attention to the work of The Institute […]

In our campaign to ameliorate political polarization, we have found our best leverage on this issue by working to evolve the Right and the Left independently on their own terms. This has led to our current efforts to advance a vision of both the “Future of the Right” and the “Future of the Left.” And […]

According to some people, humankind’s current influence on the biosphere has become so extensive that we have entered a new geological epoch, the Anthropocene. This incipient temporal frame is said to displace the Holocene, the epoch that commenced after the end of the last Ice Age almost 12,000 years ago. Although the idea of the […]

Introduction Political gridlock in Washington is negatively impacting all Americans, and sending a message to the rest of the world that they shouldn’t try to emulate or strive for a democratic system such as ours. Indeed, according to a recent Gallup poll, Americans see “dysfunctional government” as the country’s biggest challenge.1 Polarization, however, has shown […]

As many of the readers of this blog know, the work of the Institute for Cultural Evolution think tank is based on a new way of seeing and understanding known as the “integral” or “evolutionary” perspective. And now ICE directors Steve McIntosh and Jeff Salzman are offering a small in-depth seminar that will help you […]

The ongoing rise of radical Islamism in the twenty-first century is a difficult and dire problem, for which cultural evolution is really the only viable permanent solution. But to overcome this growing threat to world peace and security, not only will Muslims themselves need to evolve, the developed world as a whole will need to grow and mature into a more […]

Hyper-partisan political polarization in America has been described as a “wicked problem” because there are many causes and no straightforward solutions. Although much has been written about the problem, the literature can be loosely divided into four categories: (1) Descriptions of the problem (typically backed by political science research), (2) Structural solutions to the problem […]

On April 23, 2015 the University of Colorado, together with The Institute for Cultural Evolution think tank (ICE), are co-hosting a discussion on the cultural challenges raised by the Islamic world’s relationship with modernity. The event includes two afternoon public lectures on campus, and an evening panel discussion off-campus at Boulder’s Integral Center. Our distinguished […]

The story of how gay marriage has gone from a political impossibility to a cultural reality offers America a practical way forward on the seemingly impossible issue of political gridlock. In his State of the Union address, the president drew a connection between the success of gay marriage and the possibility of ending gridlock in […]

According to a recent Gallup poll, Americans see “dysfunctional government” as the country’s biggest challenge.1 And there is wide agreement that our government has become dysfunctional as a result of hyper-partisan political polarization. While polarization has many causes, the root of the problem is found in our country’s simmering cultural values war that is enmeshed […]

Perched on a narrow stretch of the Big Sur Pacific coastline, Esalen Institute is about as far away as you can get from the Washington DC and still be in the same country—geographically, but also politically, culturally, and institutionally. Yet, for a few days in the first week of October, those distances were bridged, and […]

This past week I was at The Esalen Center for Theory and Research on California’s legendary Big Sur coast. I came to Esalen to participate in an event I’ve been helping to plan for close to a year: The Conclave on Political Polarization. Since December 2013, The Institute for Cultural Evolution (“ICE”) has been working […]

So far ICE has been funded by generous philanthropic contributions from our friends and associates. But now that we have officially become a 501c3 nonprofit, we are ready to try raising funds for our polarization campaign through the new medium of crowdfunding. Rather than just asking for contributions, we are tying our Indiegogo project to […]

For years, Republicans made hay by appealing to “family values.” Liberal Democrats were often at a disadvantage because many of them did not in fact adhere to such values, as Jonathan Haidt has made clear in The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion (2011). Haidt (pronounced “hite”) is a liberal […]

Over the last few days ICE’s partners and board members had a very productive strategic planning retreat. Carter and I, together with Elizabeth Debold, Michael Zimmerman, John Mackey and Jeff Salzman, made good progress in our thinking about ICE’s polarization campaign. Among other things, we narrowed down the conception of our “synthesis platform.” Instead of […]

As I picked my jaw up off the floor after hearing Rep. Todd Akin’s now infamous statement that women’s uteruses have the magical power to resist impregnation in the case of rape, I wondered, “Where could he have gotten that idea?” Laura Helmuth, writing for Salon.com’s XXfactor, noted that his “statement was a crystallization of Akin’s worldview: […]

For many years, the idea of cultural evolution was very important to me. As a teenager, I watched on TV while civil rights workers were beaten beause they demanded equal rights for blacks in the American south and elsewhere. My understanding was that those stirring and dangerous efforts represented a change in how people thought […]

The idea of forming a nonprofit think tank focused on influencing the American electorate through the insights of integral philosophy began in the summer of 2011. As I was putting the finishing touches on my last book, Evolution’s Purpose, I realized that this emerging understanding we are now calling the “evolutionary perspective” (among other labels) […]

At the 2012 Republican National Convention, Mitt Romney’s acceptance speech was well received by an energized audience. But at least one particular point of his speech was embraced with an extra sense of joy, laughter, enthusiasm and even a standing ovation. “Barack Obama” he exclaimed, invoking the name of the president with a certain measured […]