On the Cosmic Dimension of Human Stories

One of the 10 most radical discoveries in human history is that of cosmogenesis, the narrative of how the expanding universe is evolving into stars, galaxies, life, and human consciousness. It is certain that over time this discovery will have a major impact on humanity, but it is still too early to know the details.

The challenge to this discovery is the thorny question of how human subjectivity relates to the evolution of the universe. Is there cosmic meaning in our ongoing efforts—like using memory and art—to record our experiences?

Cosmologist and CIIS professor in Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness Brian Thomas Swimme’s newest book, Cosmogenesis, tells the story of how the new cosmology demolished his modern industrial mind, then slowly assembled a new mind, one rooted in the creative energies of our developing universe. Brian's experiences provide a glimpse into one of the ways cosmogenesis might be transforming human consciousness at the species level, a transformation necessary for ushering in a new era of the unfolding story.

Join us for a unique conversation with Brian and novelist and CIIS professor in Interdisciplinary Arts and Writing Carolyn Cooke as they explore the impact of time-developmental cosmology and its potentiality to impact, and possibly transform human consciousness.

Brian Thomas Swimme is a professor in the Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness program at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. He is the host and co-creator of Emmy-award winning PBS documentary "Journey of the Universe." As Director of the Third Story at Human Energy, a public-benefit organization, he worked with Monica DeRaspe-Bolles and Devin O'Dea to create the popular YouTube series, “The Story of the Noosphere.” His published work includes The Universe is a Green Dragon (1984), The Universe Story (1992) written with Thomas Berry, The Hidden Heart of the Cosmos (1996), and The Journey of the Universe (2011) written with Mary Evelyn Tucker.

Carolyn Cooke’s books include Amor & Psycho, Daughters of the Revolution, and The Bostons. Her fiction has also appeared in AGNI, New England Review, the Paris Review, Ploughshares, Best American Short Stories, and Prize Stories: The O. Henry Awards. A first recipient of the PEN/Robert Bingham Award, she has also won fellowships and awards from Breadloaf, the National Endowment for the Arts, the California Arts Council, the Djerassi Foundation, MacDowell, Ucross, the Vermont Studio Center, and Yaddo. Carolyn is a professor in the Department of Interdisciplinary Arts and Writing (MFA) at CIIS.

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