universe
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Neil deGrasse Tyson on the Hidden Costs of a Cosmic Perspective
In Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, Neil deGrasse Tyson explains nothing less than the workings of the entire cosmos. But in the conclusion he raises a more demanding problem: where, in all these astral wonders, do we humans fit in? The… Continue reading
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Chet Raymo on Santa Claus, Hot Stoves, and the Blooming, Buzzing Confusion
We cannot live without some sorts of make-believe in our lives. Without made-up maps of the world, life is a buzzing, blooming confusion. Some elements of our mental maps (Santa Claus) satisfy emotional or aesthetic inner needs; other elements of… Continue reading
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What Is the “Nature” In Naturalism?
Religious or spiritual naturalism (I’ll use spiritual for both here) is a subject dear to my heart. But sometimes I wonder about what exactly we have in mind when we use the word nature. In what I read and even in what… Continue reading
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Is the Universe Alive?
Is the universe alive? What about the earth? Or nature as a whole? My belief is that the universe along with earth’s mountains, oceans and atmosphere are not alive but that we feel they are living because we respond to… Continue reading
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Neil Shubin’s ‘The Universe Within’
The full title is The Universe Within: The Deep History of the Human Body, (2013). Neil Shubin explores the connections between us and the history of not only the planet but the cosmos as well. The molecules that compose our bodies… Continue reading
Lives on Earth 