The book that (original) (raw)

The Never Ending Quest is the seminal work on Gravesian theory. "The psychology of the adult human being is an unfolding, ever-emergent process marked by subordination of older behavior systems to newer, higher order systems. The mature person tends to change his psychology continuously as the conditions of his existence change. Each successive stage or level of existence is a state through which people may pass on the way to other states of equilibrium. When a person is centralized in one of the states of equilibrium, he has a psychology which is particular to that state. His emotions, ethics and values, biochemistry, state of neurological activation, learning systems, preference for education, management and psychotherapy are all appropriate to that state." p 29

The Never Ending Quest addresses central questions of our times, and all times.

"According to this conception we do ourselves a disservice by arguing whether man�s nature is good or bad, active or reactive, mechanical or teleological. Man�s nature is emergent. What man is cannot be seen before. We can see it only insofar as it has been revealed to us by his movement through the levels of human existence. And, what has been revealed to us, so far, is that in some way or another man�s nature is all of these and more. Our very conception envisages that new aspects of man are now before us which were not seen before, and that the man that man now is will go on proliferating into new forms if the conditions for human existence continue to improve." p 480

The Never Ending Quest challenges orthodoxies, asks us to do better, and shows how.

"This statement will be heretical to some, communistic to others and anarchistic to many. But let me explain what is meant by the assertion. This world, as we all know, is full of paradoxes, but of all that exist, the most paradoxical, it seems to me, is the one which arises when man�s need for independence begins to emerge. As man starts his transition from the absolutistic form for existence, the ordered, authoritarian, submissive way of life, and as man moves through the stage of independence on into the sociocentric ways for being, five definable and describable states of existence emerge, one after another, in our ordered hierarchical way. These five states, each of which has a strong flavor of selfish independence in them, have brought more that is good to man and more that is bad for him than all states of existence which preceded them. No states of existence prior to these five have given man more power over the physical universe, more verifiable knowledge, or a greater increase in his material welfare than have they. But no states are more certain to pave the way for man�s demise than these five unless we can move, at least the leadership of man, beyond these states where man believes that the epitome of human living lies somewhere with one or some of the ER states of existence." p 283

The Never Ending Quest contains the preface and several chapters from Dr. Graves's unfinished manuscript on the development and details of his double-helix theory of personality and culture (chapters 1-6). He also reports verification studies and comparisons with other researchers (chapter 15), and then addresses the broader meanings of the concept to psychology and social development (chapter 16). These conversations, which run throughout the entire text, range from education to business to large-scale systems change. The middle section, a discussion of each of the eight nodal levels of psychological existence and transitional states (chapters 7-14), is also entirely in Dr. Graves's words. However, each is a compilation of verbatim excerpts compiled by the editors from published and unpublished Graves writings, as well as recorded presentations and seminars in which Dr. Graves discusses his theory. (Because of health problems, he was never able to complete this part of his book himself.) These chapters are organized to provide a comprehensive view of the levels, their psychologies, management, learning, and transitional forces with emphasis given to his later ideas when they differed from his earlier work. (Table of contents and editors' foreword in .pdf)

The Never Ending Quest is foundational reading for any dedicated Gravesian or person newly-interested in understanding the emergent human systems perspective of Dr. Clare W. Graves. It will be a significant addition for the psychology of individual and societal development, for managing and teaching people whose mindsets differ, for strategic planning incorporating deeper human factors into organization transformations, and the curious, ordinary person intrigued by human life - what it is and what it is meant to be. The book is essential for those involved in Spiral Dynamics� or its derivatives and the spin-offs rooted in the emergent cyclical point of view since it clarifies Dr. Graves's conception of how conditions outside the person(s) and neurological systems inside interact to produce the emergent, cyclical, levels of existence; explains the 'levels' in more accurate detail than ever before; and discusses the realities of the theory - what it is and what it can still become. (Index in .pdf)

Listen to Dr. Graves introduce his theory and read a section from the preface of the book in .mp3 (~10 minutes).

Edward Cornish, founding editor of The Futurist journal and former president of the World Future Society wrote:

"Clare Graves's pioneering theories of human nature are the most fascinating I have ever encountered. Christopher Cowan and Natasha Todorovic are to be congratulated on assembling Clare's writings and publishing them in book form. We can now hope that other insightful and creative thinkers will develop further his insights into the mysteries of the human mind and personality." [Ed Cornish edited Dr. Graves's classic 1974 paper, "Human Nature Prepares for a Momentous Leap."

In his review of NEQ, Allan Combs, noted author, scholar, and Professor of Transformative Studies at of the California Institute of Integral Studies, writes:

"Summing it all up, Cowan and Todorovic have given us a fascinating account of the work of one of the most colorful and generative minds in the history of psychology. We owe them a debt of thanks. This excellent and long overdue book deserves to be part of every substantial psychology library and of many private collections as well."

Book Review: The Never Ending Quest: Dr. Clare W. Graves Explores Human Nature, by Clare W. Graves (with Christopher C. Cowan & Natasha Todorovic, Eds.). Santa Barbara, CA: ECLET Publishing, 2005. 578 pp., Index. ISBN 0-9724742-1-8. Allan Combs, _Journal of Transformative Education_2007; 5; 192. DOI: 10.1177/1541344607303850.

The full book review can be found online at: http://jtd.sagepub.com

The price is $59.95 for a vinyl-wrap, hardbound (textbook-style) edition. ISBN 0-9724742-1-8, 578 pages.

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Readers interested in NEQ may also want to consider Clare W. Graves: Levels of Human Existence, a smaller book based on a transcription made by William R. Lee of Dr. Graves's 1971 seminar at the Washington School of Psychiatry with original diagrams and descriptions of his foundational research. Also includes an authorized reprint of the classic article, "Levels of Human Existence: An Open System Theory of Values," from the Journal of Humanistic Psychology, Fall 1970.

(182 pp, paperback, 3rd printing) $18.95 +shipping (CA residents add tax) from ECLET Publishing