Hero #129: Brian Swimme … (01/25/16)
Born in 1950, Swimme obtained a PhD in mathematics from the University of Oregon (1978), and is currently a member of the faculty of the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco, where he teaches evolutionary cosmology to graduate students. He has also authored several books related to the field of cosmogenesis, among them The Universe is a Green Dragon and The Hidden Heart of the Cosmos.
Though a mathematician by training, Swimme has transcended the regular boundaries of that discipline. Combining human insight with scientific discoveries in astronomy, geology and biology, he offers a science story of humanity’s origins, its current place in the cosmos, and its destiny that are far more encompassing and far more noble than current, weather-worn scientific models allow. Swimme believes that humanity’s epic journey is much more than a mere collection of historical facts & biological data; that science can and should be every student’s guide to a far grander worldview — a view that includes the interactive presence of morals, meaning, values and purpose.
“I have a sense that something amazing is at work … I think our planet is actually moving into a time of profound harmony and fecundity and peace … As we humans begin to take seriously the planetary dimension of conscious self-awareness, we will become harmonized versions of natural selection — we will begin to make decisions with the large scale dynamic of the planet in mind … There are so many things that we care about, that we carry in our hearts, that we want to help. People are suffering. Animals are suffering. So how can we interact in a way that would be helpful? That’s my focus. All that I think about is somehow related to that. Just to be responsible and to participate in a process that will deepen joy … That’s my high hope. There can be such a tendency for the individual to focus on ‘my enlightenment’ and so forth. But it just doesn’t seem to be what is really needed right now … [Let us] reinvent ourselves at the species level, in a way that enables us to live with mutually enhancing relationships —not just with humans but with all beings—so that our activities actually enhance the wellness of the world.” ~ Brian Swimme
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