A General Description and Proposal  
Prepared April 30, 1998
Last edited July 26, 1998  

Contents

Introduction
A. Background
B. Organization
C. Logistics
D. Personnel
E. Timeline
F. Budget

B. OrganizationB. Organization and Direction

The project has been designed to be both interdisciplinary and inter-institutional. It operates under the aegis of the Institute of Noetic Sciences, a 501(c)(3) research entity, which will manage the funding for the project. A Planning Group (see below) will have responsibility for the design of the project, its implementation and subsequent analysis and interpretation. The Project Director will have day-to-day operational control of the project and will be the central communications nexus for the project. All members of the Planning Group participate in the Global Consciousness Project as individuals, and not as representatives of their affiliated institutions.

B.1. Principles and Policies

This is a voluntary, participatory undertaking. We believe the talents and time needed for all the work will be given freely by people interested in the concepts and willing to help. Because this is a project to assess interactions which, while often defined and debated, are poorly understood, a significant effort has been made to:

• Assure that while all of us have some personal ego needs that will affect our engagement in the GCP, we intend that it should be protected from undue and avoidable influences from this source.
  
• Assure that the project is protected from destructive influences and individuals whose motivations are inimical to resonant, cooperative interactions.
  
• Assure that during the planning and development period, there will be no public descriptions of the project. More generally, we will be quiet about grand intentions and expectations, and sensitive to implications.

We do not know whether there is a global consciousness, but we recognize that science is not about what we know will work; rather it illuminates what we believe is worth exploring. We acknowledge that we implicitly assume some form of global consciousness. Therefore, we will be respectful and caring when we describe the project and our expectations. We do know the Earth is beautiful and that nature's systems are elegant, with an inherent integrity. The Global Consciousness Project intends to emulate this character. The project is committed to the highest standards of integrity and scientific excellence. The members of the project are pledged to act with mutual respect, honesty, and dignity, and to work toward public presentations which are elegant and principled.

B.2. Intellectual Property

The Global Consciousness Project is a product of efforts and intellectual contributions from many people, all of whom share in the intellectual property rights according to the type and degree of their contribution. The descriptions, documents, plans, website pages, and other materials comprising the project are the property of the Global Consciousness Project, and these are considered to be copyrighted by members of the planning group.

Introduction
A. Background
B. Organization
C. Logistics
D. Personnel
E. Timeline
F. Budget

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