INTRODUCTION 



on any inevitable evolutionary process, but may well 

 be determined by the actions of human beings in our 

 time. 



It is in our generation that this path of human de- 

 velopment is leading along the edge of an intellectual 

 and material abyss, which while it may not actually 

 threaten extinction for the human species, would cer- 

 tainly undo many of the advances of the past few cen- 

 turies. A proper appreciation by human society of the 

 process that has led to its formation — and that is now 

 responsible for its transformation — can guide it so that 

 the abyss will be avoided. 



The author recognizes that the concepts developed 

 in this book are likely to have repercussions not only 

 in the physical sciences, but even more so in social the- 

 ory and action. The object of this treatise, however, is 

 to establish a more unified concept of the evolutionary 

 process. Discussion of the implications raised by the 

 theory presented is therefore not within the scope of 

 this work. The author plans to discuss these implica- 

 tions at some future date, but hopes that, in the mean- 

 while, the ideas presented in this book will serve to 

 stimulate lively discussion not only as to their intrinsic 

 acceptability, but also in regard to their social conse- 

 quences. 



II 



