What is Developmental Philosophy?

Developmental philosophy is an umbrella term that describes a family of philosophical perspectives and approaches. These various philosophical views constitute a coherent category because they all recognize the moral or spiritual significance of the universe’s ceaseless process of becoming. Simply put, developmental philosophy is an emerging body of thought that explores the deeper meanings behind our evolving universe.

When used as an inclusive category descriptor, developmental philosophy encompasses process philosophy, integral philosophy, the philosophy of pragmatism, German idealism, as well as other related philosophies. However, the best way to frame this overarching philosophical category is by naming some of its principal proponents:

Alfred North Whitehead (1861–1947)
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (1881–1955)
Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770–1831)
Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling (1775–1854)
Charles Sanders Peirce (1839–1914)
Sri Aurobindo (1872–1950)
Charles Hartshorne (1897–2000)
David Ray Griffin (1939–2022)
Holmes Rolston III (1932–2025)

In addition to these historical figures, contemporary proponents of developmental philosophy include:

Iain McGilchrist (1953– )
Charles Taylor (1931– )
Ken Wilber (1949– )
John Haught (1942– )
Ilia Delio (1955– )
Jürgen Habermas (1929– )
Philip Clayton (1956– )
Steve McIntosh (1960– )
David Bentley Hart (1965– )

Among the numerous philosophies included within the larger category of developmental philosophy, the specific branch of developmental philosophy being advanced by the Institute for Developmental Philosophy is framed by the work of Steve McIntosh, whose most recent book is titled: Truth Emerging: A Developmental Philosophy of Purpose and Progress (Orbis Books, 2026, in press). Although McIntosh has authored four previous philosophy books, Truth Emerging represents the culmination of his work so far. In this forthcoming book, he describes developmental philosophy’s seven fundamental tenets as follows:

Being and becoming—the frame of reality
Purpose and progress—the first principles of becoming
Goodness, truth, and beauty—the primary directions of evolution’s advance
Objective, subjective, and intersubjective—the coevolving domains of development
Physiosphere, biosphere, noosphere—the structure of evolutionary emergence
Dialectical development—the evolutionary process
Transcendence—the purpose of evolution

Each of these seven philosophical propositions are carefully argued for in Truth Emerging. We offer these tenets in outline form (prior to the book’s publication in September, 2026) merely to serve as an intriguing preview.

For those interested in exploring developmental philosophy in general, we can point to the work of the eighteen philosophers listed above (as well as numerous other related authors). For those interested in the specific school of developmental philosophy being advanced by the Institute, before Truth Emerging comes out, we can offer the following links:

YouTube Videos

Articles

Books

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