Science and religion contend for the world's allegiance. Scientists are bewildered by people's acceptance of some seemingly irrational values and judgments endorsed by religion. They argue strenuously with people about the common good and systemic consequences of actions, but are trumped by religious nostrums. Why? Science and religion both arise from our bewilderment with the complexity of our lives. At their roots they are vital, necessary, liberating, and complementary processes. So, why the perceived conflict? Experiences of universal unity arise naturally (...) in deep meditative states. What does this recently demonstrated biological fact tell us about our tendencies to religious belief? (shrink)

The effort involved in the Evolution Project resembles design efforts in large, diverse organizations. In both cases, there are different languages, outlooks, vocabularies, expectations, objectives, and values. The Interactive Management (IM) methodology has been designed for just such situations. It has a tested record in management situations. We now have an opportunity to apply it to the Evolution Project. This article reports how IM was applied to proposed standards for the practice and ethics of design. It describes the IM methodology, (...) and indicates how this methodology can be used in the Evolution Project. Finally, it briefly reports some results in an area that dovetails with the Evolution Project. (shrink)