Owen Barfield & the Evolution of Consciousness

Abstract

That there exists a history of thoughts represents less a question to be decided by research than an operative hypothesis or condition to undertake the majority of philosophical, theological, and scientific research in the first place. Put another way, the history of thoughts is a theory by which facts and findings of research in various disciplines may be coherently and meaningfully interpreted. Beyond the postulate that it is possible to cogently articulate a history of thoughts, however, this article intends to set forth the theory that there exists a history of thought itself, and to show that this theory can shed new light on our experience and conception of the world today. The topic of the present article, therefore, will be the evolution of consciousness, especially as articulated by Owen Barfield.