John E. Stewart

John Stewart is an Australian-based evolutionary theorist and activist who is a core member of the Evolution, Complexity and Cognition Research Group of the Free University of Brussels. As an evolutionary theorist his main focus has been on the trajectory of evolution. His work on the directionality of evolution and its implications for humanity has been published in a number of key papers in international science journals. These include papers on the potential for humans to enhance their psychological capacities through the future evolution of consciousness. He is the author of the internationally acclaimed book ‘Evolution’s Arrow: the direction of evolution and the future of humanity’. In 2008 he was a keynote speaker at the first international scientific conference on The Evolution and Development of the Universe held in Paris. As an evolutionary activist he uses a science-based understanding of the trajectory of evolution to identify how humanity must evolve if we are to continue to succeed in evolutionary terms. He has summarized his approach in The Evolutionary Manifesto. The Manifesto demonstrates the potential of an evolutionary worldview to provide meaning, purpose and direction for human existence. It shows that humanity will need to intentionally advance the evolutionary process on Earth if it is to participate positively in the future evolution of life in the universe. This will involve intentionally re-organizing our political and social systems and by further developing our consciousness and cognition.