Toward Human Emergence: A Human Resource Philosophy for the Future

Preface

Toward Human Emergence was forty years in the making. Originally, I got

the idea for this work after traveling around the world as a Fulbright

professor. Further reading and research confirmed to me that the human

family is in a major transition to a new state of being. As the 20th century

drew to a close, it became clear that the acceleration of change in knowl -

edge, especially in science and technology, is transforming civilizations

and cultures far beyond the experience of the past millennia. While a

visiting professor at Pennsylvania State University in 1965, I attempted

to address this phenomenon by beginning this text that you are now

reading. I almost finished the manuscript by the end of the next year,

but held back from submitting it to a publisher. The whole endeavor

convinced me that before I could deal with the evolution of human con -

sciousness, I had to go through further development as a person, thinker,

and writer.

However, in 1968, I did publish a synopsis of my conclusions in the

Journal of Human Potential. A revised version now appears here as

the Prologue. That prompted three unique reader responses. One inquiry

came from the Boeing Corporation’s helicopter division in Philadelphia,

then in the midst of significant technological change. They asked me to

design and conduct a series of workshops for their middle managers on

the Management of Change. That initial program became the centerpiece

of my continuing research, writing, training, and consulting in beha -

vioral science until now. The second outcome of my published essay

on human emergence was an invitation from the author, Alvin Toffler,

to lunch with him. He had just written a feature on Future Shock

for the literary journal Horizons. In our discussions, we explored the

xi

01_03 Toward Human Emergence:Layout 1 9/28/2009 4:03 PM Page xi

possibilities for collaborating together on a textbook, but decided against

such a venture. Toffler went on to write his best-selling volume of the

same title. He inspired me to become a professional in the new field of

future studies, so I became an active member and contributor to the

World Future Society. The third consequence of my emergence com -

mentary was another invitation in 1969 to visit the Salk Institute in La

Jolla, California. Renowned scientists Jonas Salk and Jacob Bronowski

spent several hours exchanging ideas with me about the possible future

of our species. This led to relocation with my wife, then a Penn State

dean and professor, to that “jewel” community in San Diego and a life-

long friendship with Jonas, the famed polio researcher.

Since that emergence article, this is the 48th book that I have authored

or edited. Some of the ideas were included in my book Managing the

Knowledge Culture (published by HRD Press). That volume also led to

my participation in a Humanity 3000 Symposium sponsored by the

Foundation for the Future. In 2006, I finally was comfortable enough to

resurrect my original manuscript to revisit this human emergence

theme that captivated my interest so many years ago. Living for eight

decades does provide a measure of wisdom and insight. Thus I now

share Toward Human Emergence with you, the reader. So much has

changed in global societies since I first started this writing project. I am

more hesitant and tentative about these ponderings, while hoping that

this volume stretches your mind and enables you to expand upon my

speculations about humanity’s collective prospects.

My subtitle here refers to a human resource philosophy for the future. I

hope this book will stimulate the thinking of specialists in the field of

human resource development, for human resource development is a

broad field that includes educators and trainers, but also all those who

seek to influence others and build their competencies so they can realize

their capacities more fully as individuals. Such consciousness raising

is done regularly by dedicated parents, teachers, mentors, therapists,

counselors, and consultants, as well as managers, the clergy, and even

con fidants and close friends. We all have a responsibility to develop

human potential—our own and that of others!

xii Toward Human Emergence

01_03 Toward Human Emergence:Layout 1 9/28/2009 4:03 PM Page xii