Integrative Metatheory Archives – Integral Life

The Highest Stages of Human Flourishing

Alexander Love — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 17:23:32 +0000

Keith Martin-Smith and Alexander Love explore Terry O'Fallon's STAGES model of human development, focusing on the rarely-discussed MetAware tier where transpersonal awareness becomes a structural feature of consciousness, leading to the dissolution of boundaries and recognition that all meaning is constructed.

This post was originally published on Integral Life.

Mapping an Ecology of Integrative Approaches to Addressing the Metacrisis

Brandon Nørgaard — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 09:08:16 +0000

IAM scholars Brandon Norgaard, Nicholas Hedlund, PhD, and Claudia Meglin provide a sweeping (albeit provisional) cartography of emergent frameworks rooted in an “Integrative Worldview“—ranging from metamodernism and integral theory to systems science, process philosophy, and critical realism—that are converging around a shared impulse to address the root causes of our civilizational predicament.

This post was originally published on Integral Life.

IAM Spotlight: Faith Development Pathway

Brendan Graham Dempsey — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 11:11:39 +0000

Brendan Dempsey offers a powerful re-engagement with James Fowler’s Faith Development Theory, applying cutting-edge tools from developmental psychology to illuminate how our structures of meaning evolve. This presentation reveals not just how faith matures, but why this maturation is critical for meeting the challenges of a world in search of deeper coherence.

This post was originally published on Integral Life.

A Sociology of Big Pictures: Network Strategy for a 21st Century Worldview

Robb Smith — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 17:14:05 +0000

The Institute of Applied Metatheory (IAM) presents A Sociology of Big Pictures: Network Strategy for a 21st Century Worldview by Robb Smith, an in-depth exploration of how grand integrative frameworks emerge, compete, and evolve within the modern attentional landscape. As we enter the Transformation Age — marked by rapid geopolitical, technological, ecological, and epistemic shifts — Smith argues that the need for a coherent, integrative worldview has never been greater.

This post was originally published on Integral Life.

IAM Spotlight: The Cultural Complexity Index

Brendan Graham Dempsey — Fri, 07 Feb 2025 21:26:55 +0000

Brendan Graham Dempsey introduces the Cultural Complexity Index (CCI), a groundbreaking initiative that empirically measures cognitive complexity in historical texts, revealing patterns in human meaning-making across time. By analyzing symbolic representation rather than collective belief systems, the CCI provides fresh insights into cultural evolution while distinguishing individual cognitive development from broader social dynamics.

This post was originally published on Integral Life.

The Big Picture Mind: What Every Elite is Missing

Robb Smith — Fri, 31 Jan 2025 05:02:56 +0000

In this first episode of The Big Picture Mind, Robb Smith explores the rapid, self-reinforcing change that is driving a global metacrisis across governance, technology, culture, and meaning. To navigate this, he calls for the rise of Big Picture Minds—people who can think integratively, restore coherence, and actively shape the future rather than be overwhelmed by it.

This post was originally published on Integral Life.

Polarization and the Algorithmic Undertow: Integral and Critical Realist Perspectives

Bruce Alderman — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 19:28:36 +0000

Bruce Alderman explores how our rapid transition into a globally networked information environment has created unprecedented challenges for human cognition, social cohesion, and collective meaning-making and sensemaking.

This post was originally published on Integral Life.

A View From Somewhere: An Introduction to Metatheory and Planetary Sense-Making

Mark Edwards — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 02:47:12 +0000

Bruce Alderman and Mark Edwards explore how integrative metatheory can illuminate and address the interconnected crises of our time. Through themes such as navigating hyperobjects, the role of storytelling in fostering collaboration, and the challenges posed by algorithmic fragmentation, they advocate for integrative thinking that balances big-picture reflection with grounded, actionable practice.

This post was originally published on Integral Life.

What We’ve Learned: 2024 Reflections and Looking Ahead to 2025

Robb Smith — Thu, 02 Jan 2025 21:33:45 +0000

The Institute of Applied Metatheory (IAM) is revolutionizing how we tackle global challenges by applying integrative metatheories—holistic frameworks that unify knowledge across disciplines. In this episode, Robb Smith and Josh Leonard reflect on IAM’s 2024 accomplishments and share an inspiring vision for 2025, highlighting leadership, collaboration, and storytelling as keys to driving transformational change.

This post was originally published on Integral Life.

The Content/Structure Fallacy: The Common Mistake Most Integralists Make

David Arrell — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 01:02:07 +0000

David Arrell and Keith Martin-Smith explore one of the most important (and misunderstood) dynamics within integral theory: the content/structure fallacy. They explore how developmental structures—our deeper worldviews and ways of making sense—shape the content of our beliefs, but not always in straightforward or predictable ways. The conversation touches on how integral theory can help us navigate the nuances of individual growth, leadership, and social dynamics, especially when it comes to assessing the developmental depth of others. 

This post was originally published on Integral Life.