1. The Relevance of
Evolution
Including the spoken text, the
presentation takes half an hour.
Looking only at the pictures takes five
minutes.

2. Archbishop Usher of Ireland
 The creation of the
earth not 4004 B.C.
but about 4.5 billion
years ago.
Bron: Engravings and Pictures From Old Books by Liam Quin (via Google Afbeeldingen)

6. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
 Mankind is at the top
of biological evolution.
 Civilisation is the
continuation of that
evolution.
Bron: Encyclopedia Britannica (via Google Afbeeldingen)

7. The Big Bang
 The Big Bang took
place about 13.5
billion years ago.
 At some later point in
time, the universe
was filled with
hydrogen.
Bron: Planeten-en-Sterren. Jouwpagina.nl (via Google Afbeeldingen)

8. Supernovas
 In the supernovas the
creation of higher
elements such as iron
and other metals,
along with nitrogen,
carbon, oxygen,
phosphorus, etc. took
place.Bron: onbekend (via Google Afbeeldingen)

9. The sun and the planets
 .
Bron: De Innerlijke Mens vzw (via Google Afbeeldingen)
Bron: Meteo Maarssen (via Google Afbeeldingen)

10. The four basic forces of nature
 Electromagnetic force
 Gravity
 Strong nuclear force
 Weak nuclear force

11. The earth a very special celestial
body
 Temperature
 Mass
 Presence of
substances
 Sun
 Orbit
 Distance Sun-to-
Earth
 Speed of rotation
 Atmosphere
 Relation land-to-sea
 Place in galaxy

12. The Universe
 The Milky Way
contains more than
100 billion stars.
 There are about 100
billion galaxies.
 The total number of
planets is
approximately 1022 to
1023.
Bron: onbekend (via Google Afbeeldingen)

13. Existential questions
 Is evolution an intentional
process?
 Could it be that the
universe has a soul?
 Are the earth, life and
mankind perhaps the
objects of this intentional
process?
 Are all the other celestial
bodies by-products?
 Is the earth not the
geographic but actually
the functional centre of
the universe?
 Is it probable that the
earth is the only planet
harbouring life?
 Are the men and women
living at this point in time
perhaps responsible for a
correct continuation of the
process?

14. Reflection
 So far we have seen that the four basic forces of nature are extremely
precisely established and that because of that the universe is possibly
endowed with a soul and with intelligence.
 We have seen that the earth is a very special celestial body and that an
extremely large number of other planets had to be created in order to get just
one that was able to support life.
 We have also seen that it looks as if the whole of evolution beginning with the
Big Bang and extending to the highly developed human society on earth is an
intentional process.
 If there is any truth to these considerations, then the following questions arise:
 Since humans are part of the universe, are their souls not part of the universal
soul?
 If Intelligent Design (I.D.) is evident once is it not probable then that it has been
present more often?
 Could this view provide some confidence and inspiration?
 Could it be and should it be that this insight is fundamental for any
• ensuing philosophy,
• ensuing religion,
• ensuing outlook on life?

15. Two possible tasks
 Formation of
character and
personality ( ≠
learning a body of
knowledge and
learning of skills)
 Turning the capitalist
system around (from
men for profit to profit
for men).

16. Developmental formation of
character and personality (training
the mind)
Several institutions
already do this
implicitly such as:
 the family,
 schools,
 military service,
 unions,
 employers.
Examples of aspects
of this:
 marriage and other
partnerships,
 parenthood,
 integrity,
 living positively,
 getting rid of money-
mindedness,
 overcoming envy and jealousy,
 respecting humanity and
human rights.

17. The functions of capitalism
 It has created prosperity
and we all make our living
from it.
 The disciple of the market
has raised the quality of
products.
 It is the motor for
technical advancement.
 It provides the conditions
for government to do its
work.
 It provides work and, with
that, a certain sense of
fulfilment in life.
Bron: Variabic Worldpress (via Google Afbeeldingen)

18. The dysfunctions of capitalism
 It uses people for materialistic
purposes (does not provide
inspiration).
 It easily generates
unemployment.
 It generates a crass money-
oriented materialism.
 It does not automatically
correct unsound social
relations.
 It easily overburdens people.
 Disproportional and, because
of that, unsound remuneration
is part of the system.
 Irresponsible and fraudulent
behaviour at the top occurs far
too often.
 Exploitation (sometimes of
children in developing
countries) takes place.
 Hedge funds seem to consider
enterprises along with the
people working in them as
commodities.
 Greed can end up disrupting
the economy.
Bron: The UberReview (via Google Afbeeldingen)

19. Post-capitalistic enterprise
system (from people for profit to
profit for people)
 Creating conditions for job
satisfaction.
 Developing the capacities of workers
according to their potential.
 Correcting undesirable social
mechanisms and social relations.
 Well balanced salary scales.
 Offering little opportunity for antisocial
behaviour.

20. To conclude
 It is certain that the problems of the world are great
and of utmost concern. The notion of the
background process we participate in may
nevertheless inspire us and should at least
encourage us to approach them with a certain
nimbleness of mind and to then tackle them
forcefully.
 Organised religions should most likely seek to
integrate the story of evolution into their discourse
and into their practice. After all, working on this big
project is essentially religious in nature.
 Finally there is this: We should not exclude the
possibility that evolution will end in some kind of an
apotheosis most probably then beyond time and
beyond space.