Abstract

An Outline of the Chapters. In this book I introduce and clarify the metaphor "mutual self creation." This metaphor describes what I take to be a fundamental relationship, given in experience, that is neither causal nor dialectical. In such relationships, the relata mutually depend on one another for their existence, in such a way that neither can exist or come into being without the other. ;Mutual self creation describes a relationship in which entities participate in others' being and becoming to the very core of their existence. The relationship is mutual: no party to it has priority. The relationship is creative: it involves the transformation and active coming into being of its members. The relationship is self-creative because the whole network creates it identity and the identities of each of its members through their interpenetrative relationships. ;Book 1 presents the metaphor, gives evidence for its existence, and discusses its scope of applicability. Chapter I clarifies mutual self creation by providing examples from social psychology and from evolutionary and ecological theory. Chapter II demonstrates that human perception is generated through a network of mutual self creation. Chapter III discusses significance, meaning and language from the perspective of mutual self creation. Chapter IV pursues the theme of evidence first developed in Chapter III and shows us an image of human experience as a whole as an inclusive, open network of mutual self creation. Chapter V summarizes Book 1. It also presents evidence that the physical universe is organized according to mutual self creation. Book 1 then ends with a challenge to recognize mutual self creation as a basic relationship to integrate it into daily experience. ;Book 2 takes up this challenge, grappling with some consequences of mutual self creation for ethics, politics, and spirituality. Chapter I deals with ethics, Chapter II with politics, and Chapter III with spirituality. However, these three "areas" can only be separated from one another artificially. They are, in fact, elements in a network of mutual self creation and can be understood adequately only in their interpenetrating relationships with one another. ;Integrating mutual self creation in daily life involves fundamental changes in the way we organize our perception. Experience is mutable, not merely given but made even at structural levels. For ethical and political reasons, as well as to attain spiritual fulfillment, it is imperative to actively seek to transform our experience at these deep levels. ;Since our culture is not oriented toward mutual self creation, individuals may check statements from the book with their experience and find no confirmation, yet the statements may still be accurate. The book is concerned, in large measure, with potential transformations of experience. The Afterword provides some games and exercises for people who are interested in exploring experientially the concepts presented in the main text. Although many of these exercises are elementary, many can also contribute to the explorations of those already engaged in this transformative process