Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

Geologist, paleontologist, Jesuit priest, and philosopher, born in Sarcenat, France. He lectured in pure science at the Jesuit College in Cairo, was ordained in 1911, and in 1918 became professor of geology at the Intitut Catholique in Paris. His unorthodox ideas led to a ban on his teaching and publishing. His major work, Le Phenomene humain (1938-40) was posthumously published.

In his book the Phenomenon of Man Teilhard de Chardin discusses a concept of the noosphere which is an emerging global web of consciousness. A quote --- "No one can deny that a network (a world network) of economic and psychic affiliations is being woven at ever increasing speed which envelops and constantly penetrates more deeply within each of us. With every day that passes it becomes a little more impossible for us to act or think otherwise than collectively."