In praise of the cosmic egg: Exploring the ecopsychology of the genetic revolution

摘要

This PDE is about ecopsychology in relation to technological consciousness. The author learned that a global genetic revolution is happening in the absence of public understanding, democratic discourse, and adequate guiding policies. Schneider sought ways to increase lay peoples' understanding and support of the ecopsychological principles and values expressed in the Genetic Bill of Rights, as written by the Council for Responsible Genetics. She presents a series of paintings and stories she created to help people think in imaginative ways about genetic rights and possibilities. Drawing from an extensive literature review in ecopsychology, creation spirituality, the genetic sciences, depth psychology, bioethics, disability rights, economics, and policy studies, the author presents and supports her new theory and story map of the eco-technological psyche. This story map is an activation and exploration of the eight council perspectives found in a traditional Native American Circle of Law, as described by Metis author Hyemeyohsts Storm. The Circle of Law is described as an invitation to cultivate democracy in one's own mind and community---an ancient form of ecotherapy, with contemporary relevance and healing power. Schneider uses the Circle of Law to present an ecological approach to the genetic sciences and an ecopsychological process for metamorphosizing the technosphere that exists both within and around us. The author's interpretation of the Circle of Law features eight inner teachers, four presiding chiefs, and a mythical emperor penguin holding the egg of life upon its feet in the center. The story map illustrates four interwoven developmental tasks for the ecotechnological psyche---to humanize the machine, to clean up our toxic wastes, to become self-educated as citizen bioethicists, and to co-create an interdisciplinary ecopsychological diagnostic manual for environmental health.