GLOBALIZATION: IS THE WORLD HEADING TOWARDS THE OMEGA POINT? - EXAMINING THE REALITIES OF FRIEDRICH SCHELLING’S AND TELHARD DE CHARDIN’S CONJECTURES IN A GLOBALIZING WORLD

Abstract

This paper examines the realities of Teilhard’s and Schelling’s Omega Point Conjectures in a globalizing world. Its main objective is to investigate whether current trends in globalization process — global governance convergence, digital connectivity, social media penetration, and cultural convergence—are advancing toward what Teilhard and Schelling described as the Omega Point/Global unification. To achieve this objective, a few hypotheses were formulated, H₁: Globalization is giving rise to an emergent planetary “noosphere” akin to Teilhard’s and Schelling’s visions; H₂: Current global realities (Cultural, digital, and institutional convergence, etc), resonate with Schelling’s and Teilhard’s ideas of evolutionary stages toward global unity, etc. The paper employed Mixed-methods, integrating both qualitative and quantitative data—The qualitative data entailed information from the textual /content analysis of Teilhard’s and Schelling’s Conjectures on Omega Point; including a descriptive review of their interconnections with the current realities of our globalizing world; while the quantitative entailed statistical analysis of the current global realities (digital connectivity, social media penetration, global institutional convergence). A few findings were made. These include: there is rapid increase in global digital connectivity, cultural and governance integration among nations with the ongoing globalization process, and these  realities support the Omega Point vision; there is persistent regional fragmentation/inequalities in certain regions (e.g, Africa), and this may limit the envisaged convergence (the Omega Point), if not addressed; inter alia. The paper therefore recommends: stakeholders to advance universal connectivity; promote digital inclusivity policies; and cultivate multicultural global education that respect diversity while nurturing shared global unification ideas,  etc.

Keywords: Conjectures, globalization, omega point.

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