Defining the upper bounds of Biocultural evolution and the blunted impact of the Second Axial Age
The First Axial Age was revolutionary in its impact on man’s understanding of individuality, the embracing of monotheism, and investment in transcendence. However, according to Armstrong’s theory, a Second Axial Age was heralded by Nietzsche’s claim that “God is Dead”.
Based on Armstrong’s theory the Second Axial Age should have been the end of monotheistic religions, such as Islam and Christianity, but it has not had as great an impact as theorized. In fact, though the Second Axial Age has resulted in a slow decline of religious practice generally,a strong reversion to Orthodoxy, and even a growth in Fundamentalism have also been observed. This paper will explore the blunted response to this Second Axial Age, by examining the natural upper bounds placed on biocultural evolution through selective pressure. The natural selection of any desired trait applies positive pressure to encourage mutation only until an optimal solution is reached. Once optimized, the applied pressure becomes negative in force, geared toward stabilizing the desired mutation, and creating an upper bound for mutation. The blunted response to the Second Axial Age suggests this upper bound may exist for man’s desire for transcendence as well. While the First Axial Age replaced myth with logos, it did not seek to create a world devoid of mystery. However, the Second Axial Age is accompanied by the scientific advancements necessary to cement Materialism into common thought, reducing the natural world solely to the sum total of its biochemical parts. The transcendent properties of Nature in the current age must then come from an acceptance of spirituality at a minimum, if not active religious practice. Therefore, when Nietzsche’s declaration, “God is Dead”, is combined with Materialism, the end result is Nihilism, or the death of transcendence. Thus, when natural selection is applied, transcendence would then rapidly decline accompanying the dramatic shift from religious belief to pure scientific inquiry. As this has not occurred, it is possible to entertain the idea that transcendence is an optimal state for man, by understanding the resistance to the Second Axial Age as the negative pressure applied once an upper bound for transcendence has
been reached. In examining the uniformity of the resistance in the system, it is then possible to explore whether transcendence is fundamental to human experience, or defined in cultural contexts culturally. If transcendence is fundamental, then it is also possible to speculate that
fundamentalism would continue to increase as more pressure is applied to Man to remove religion. This paper will also include a brief discussion of which associated traits may be protected by this same upper bound; such as ritual, morality, and contemplation; and what potential impact this wider upper bound protecting Man’s complete interaction with the divine will have on the future of religious practice and its role in society.