BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Cobb Institute - ECPv6.15.17.1//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-WR-CALNAME:Cobb Institute X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://cobb.institute X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Cobb Institute REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Los_Angeles BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:PDT DTSTART:20220313T100000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:PST DTSTART:20221106T090000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:PDT DTSTART:20230312T100000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:PST DTSTART:20231105T090000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:PDT DTSTART:20240310T100000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:PST DTSTART:20241103T090000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231102T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231102T090000 DTSTAMP:20260418T194822 CREATED:20230109T083150Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231212T233404Z UID:10000449-1698912000-1698915600@cobb.institute SUMMARY:Learning Circle: Process & Coffee DESCRIPTION:Process & Coffee is about spiritual integration and exploration. We meet weekly to dive into books by mystics and sages. The discussion that follows helps to deepen our own spiritual lives. \n\n\n\nClick here to learn more or join. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/learning-circle-process-coffee-23/2023-11-02/ CATEGORIES:Learning Circle ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Process-and-Coffee-featured-image.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231101T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231101T190000 DTSTAMP:20260418T194822 CREATED:20230830T003817Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230830T004336Z UID:10000748-1698858000-1698865200@cobb.institute SUMMARY:Spirituality and Poetry: Exploring the Wisdom of Rumi\, Hafiz\, and Process Theology DESCRIPTION:Bethlehem Centre\, in collaboration with the Interfaith Center of Arkansas and the Cobb Institute\, is delighted to present a captivating eight-week online series: “Spirituality and Poetry: Exploring the Wisdom of Rumi\, Hafiz\, and Process Theology.” \n\n\n\nLed by Sophia Said and Jay McDaniel\, this enriching series will delve into the connections between spirituality\, poetry\, and the transformative concepts of process theology. As a paradigm for thinking about spirituality\, we will use the “spiritual alphabet” of Spirituality and Practice: “A” is for attention\, “B” is for beauty\, “C” is for compassion\, etc. We invite you to join us for an hour each week as we embark on a reflective journey through the spiritual alphabet. \n\n\n\nTogether\, we will explore the timeless verses of Rumi and Hafiz\, two poets who transcend religious boundaries and touch upon the universal essence of the human experience. Through their words\, we will uncover insights and inspirations that can enrich our spiritual lives\, fostering a deeper connection with ourselves\, others\, and the divine. \n\n\n\nIn addition\, the series will delve into the inclusive framework of process theology\, which embraces the ever-evolving nature of spirituality. By integrating the wisdom of the poets and the principles of process theology\, we will embark on a transformative exploration of spirituality\, inviting active participation in the ongoing co-creation of our world. \n\n\n\nThe sessions will take place over eight consecutive weeks\, providing ample time for reflection and integration between each gathering. Participants will have the opportunity to engage with the facilitators\, ask questions\, and engage in interactive discussions. We aim to create a space where diverse perspectives can converge\, fostering a deep appreciation for the power of spirituality\, poetry\, and process theology. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nLEARN MORE & REGISTER URL:https://cobb.institute/event/spirituality-and-poetry-exploring-the-wisdom-of-rumi-hafiz-and-process-theology/2023-11-01/ CATEGORIES:Class ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Spirituality-and-Poetry-Exploring-the-Wisdom-of-Rumi-Hafiz-and-Process-Theology-Promo-Header.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231031T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231031T120000 DTSTAMP:20260418T194822 CREATED:20231023T215548Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231027T215046Z UID:10000765-1698746400-1698753600@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Becky Goodwin and Paul Colbert DESCRIPTION:Topic: Icon Writing as Spiritual Practice. \n\n\n\nPresenters: Becky Goodwin and Paul Colbert \n\n\n\nOn the Eve of All Saints\, United Methodist pastor Becky Goodwin and her Episcopal priest husband Paul Colbert will share with us their discipline of icon writing. In the prayer space from which they will join our ZOOM gathering\, are images they have created of many saints\, ancient and modern. Members of the Pilgrim Place Community that John Cobb calls home greatly appreciated learning more about this spiritual practice when they shared it in a community gathering. Watch for further details. \n\n\n\nWatch for further details\, including information about a series of Saturday conversations with presentations by the authors.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this gathering\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. \n\n\n\n\n\nIf you would like to receive regular announcements and updates about activities and events at the Cobb Institute\, please join our list of Friends. \n\n\n\nCan’t make it to the live session? Click here to access our archive of Cobb & Friends recordings. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/john-cobb-friends-gathering-2023-10-31/ LOCATION:Online Via Zoom CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Cobb-Friends-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231031T083000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231031T093000 DTSTAMP:20260418T194822 CREATED:20230810T062240Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230810T062247Z UID:10000733-1698741000-1698744600@cobb.institute SUMMARY:Learning Circle: An Awakening Planet? DESCRIPTION:A Discussion Group Contemplating the Vision of Teilhard de Chardin\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFacilitated by Dr. Ernie Tamminga\, this group meets every two weeks to carefully consider how and whether Teilhard de Chardin’s hope-filled perspective on the human evolutionary future can still inspire us in a time full of conflicts and division. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFIND OUT MORE URL:https://cobb.institute/event/learning-circle-an-awakening-planet-4/2023-10-31/ LOCATION:Online Event CATEGORIES:Learning Circle ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/An-Awakening-Planet-featured-image.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231028T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231028T120000 DTSTAMP:20260418T194822 CREATED:20230922T222922Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231011T174802Z UID:10000759-1698487200-1698494400@cobb.institute SUMMARY:Intuiting Life DESCRIPTION:The Science Advisory Committee at the Cobb Institute invites you to join us for a conversation series with the editors and authors of Intuiting Life: Process-Philosophical Perspectives on Biology. Each session will feature presentations by two or more of the book’s contributors and conversations with all attendees. RSVP below to receive the Zoom information. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSchedule\n\n\n\n\nOctober 14: Arthur Araújo (co-editor)\, Federico Giorgo\n\n\n\nOctober 21: Philip Tryon\, Johanna Häusler\, and Nathaniel Barrett\n\n\n\nOctober 28: Spyridon Koutroufinis (co-editor)\, Matt Segall\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAbout the Book\n\n\n\n\n\nThis book challenges the reductionist\, materialistic metaphysics often adopted by biologists\, arguing that this approach overlooks the intricate complexities and essential characteristics of life. Instead\, the authors propose a process-philosophical approach\, grounded in the metaphysics of Alfred North Whitehead and other process thinkers\, which attributes subjectivity\, value\, and purposeful striving to all organisms\, from simple cells to complex animals. This fresh perspective aims to provide a more nuanced understanding of fundamental biological concepts such as organism\, development\, agency\, goal-directedness\, and environmental interaction. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPURCHASE\n\n\n\n\n\n\n“Whitehead is convinced of the ontological fundamentality of life in all of nature. He considers the problem of life to be the central question of science and philosophy. He insists that the basic principles of life are exemplified in rudimentary form in all forms of physical existence. Living nature can give us the key to understanding non-biological nature.” (Intuiting Life\, 31) \n\n\n\nScientific intellectual attitudes criticized by Whitehead and Bergson dominate the modern life sciences. They are particularly influential in one of the core problems of contemporary biology and philosophy of biology: the nature of explanation. In 20th century philosophy of science Carl Hempel’s theory of explanation was for decades the backbone of theorizing about scientific explanation. . . . In philosophy of biology there is broad consensus that the explanative relevance of biological modelling in contemporary biology—especially in mathematically operating systems biology and theoretical biology—cannot be captured by Hempel’s account. \n\n\n\nAs “life scientists commonly seek to uncover the mechanism responsible for the phenomenon of interest” (Bechtel and Abrahamsen 2010\, 322)\, in the life sciences phenomena are explained by mechanisms. Leading philosophers of science who advocate a school of thought that is often described as ‘New Mechanical Philosophy’ or ‘New Mechanism’ argue that in many fields of science what is considered a satisfactory explanation requires providing a description of a mechanism. Indeed\, much of the practice of science can be understood in terms of the discovery and description of mechanisms. Mechanistic explanations form the main theoretical basis of most\, if not all\, contemporary biological disciplines. \n\n\n\nThe neo-mechanistic school in biology is a specific manifestation of what Whitehead calls “scientific materialism.” It can also be seen as a typical product of the technological intellect striving to reduce reality for the purpose of manipulating it\, against the limitations of which Bergson warns. Some authors’ criticism of the biological relevance of mechanistic explanations echoes Bergson’s warning mentioned above: “The intellect is characterized by a natural incomprehension of life.” Consequently\, intuition must assist the life-studying intellect\, for only intuition can do justice to those aspects of life\, which\, for fundamental reasons\, transcend the discursive-analytic modes of thought. Intuitive knowledge is not the only conceivable response to neo-mechanistic thinking\, but it is certainly one that takes into account essential facts that neo-mechanicism simply ignores. \n\n\n\nPhilosophy\, and in particular process philosophy\, must breathe new life into what has been suppressed by scientific reductionism. Serving this purpose\, the present volume is committed to the following maxim: Starting from philosophical intuitions\, biophilosophy must unveil the abstractions of biology and overcome them with new metaphysical hypotheses. \n\n\n\n“[A]ll of [Whitehead’s] thinking draws from the following philosophical intuition: The main aim of contemporary metaphysics should be to resist the modern dogma that a truth cannot be scientific unless it hurts the deep intuitions of mankind\, and that we cannot be scientific unless we tame the authority of our intuition. […] Whitehead’s philosophical work can be seen as an alternative to the worldview that still prevails in the natural sciences of his and our time\, which arose in the 17th century and is described by Whitehead as ‘scientific materialism’.” (Intuiting Life\, 21) \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPresenter Bios\n\n\n\nArthur Araujo has a PhD in Philosophy from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro/Brazil (2001). He is currently a professor at the Federal University of Espirito Santo/Department of Philosophy (Brazil) and founding member (2016) and current Coordinator of the Semiotics Brazilian Association of Post-Graduation in Philosophy (ANPOF). His teaching and research focuses on Philosophy of Mind and Philosophy of Biology\, especially William James\, Uexküll\, Peirce\, Ryle\, Austin\, Wittgenstein\, Darwin\, and Whitehead. \n\n\n\nNathaniel Barrett is a research fellow and member of the Mind-Brain Group at the Institute for Culture and Society (Pamplona\, Spain). The main focus of his research is the nature of value and its role in experience\, mind\, and life\, especially as examined from the perspectives of pragmatism\, process philosophy\, and ecological psychology. His recently published book\, Enjoyment as Enriched Experience (Palgrave\, 2023)\, draws on the philosophies of John Dewey and Alfred North Whitehead and recent scientific research to develop a theory of affect as the enrichment or deterioration of conscious activity.  \n\n\n\nFederico Giorgi is a doctoral student at the University of Namur (Belgium). His doctoral research concerns the relevance of Whitehead’s theory of symbolism to the present-day philosophy of perception. Giorgi’s interests include process philosophy\, philosophy of film and artificial intelligence. \n\n\n\nJohanna Häusler studied biology and philosophy in Munich and works at the LMU in science communication. She currently writes her PhD in Philosophy about the problem of free will\, arguing for a libertarian account of freedom in a broadly Whiteheadian spirit. Her philosophical interests cover a wide range of topics like philosophy of mind\, the free will problem\, the philosophy of science\, theories of causality\, the philosophy of biology as well as classical metaphysics. \n\n\n\nSpyridon A. Koutroufinis is Privatdozent (Associate Professor) for philosophy at the Technical University of Berlin. Between 2012 and 2014 he was Visiting Associate Professor at the University of California\, Berkeley. He has specialized in process philosophy (Whitehead\, Bergson)\, biophilosophy (Canguilhem\, Uexküll et al.)\, classical metaphysics (Aristotle\, Leibniz) and complexity theory. His research focus is the establishment of a new theory of the biological organism based on process ontology. He is the author and editor of six books and numerous articles and book chapters. \n\n\n\nMatthew David Segall is a transdisciplinary researcher\, author\, and teacher applying process philosophy across the natural and social sciences\, including the study of consciousness. He is Associate Professor in the Philosophy\, Cosmology\, and Consciousness Graduate Program at California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco\, CA. He is the author of many articles and books including Crossing the Threshold: Etheric Imagination in the Post-Kantian Process Philosophy of Schelling and Whitehead (Revelore\, 2023) and Physics of the World-Soul: Whitehead’s Adventure in Cosmology (SacraSage\, 2021). \n\n\n\nPhilip Tryon did his graduate work in physics at the University of Wisconsin\, subsequently working as a development engineer on early automation projects for BioTek. He has a lifelong interest in quantum mechanics and how it relates organic systems and informs biological science. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRSVP to receive Zoom Info\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this event\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/intuiting-life-2023-10-28/ CATEGORIES:Conversation Series ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Intuiting-Life-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231026T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231026T180000 DTSTAMP:20260418T194822 CREATED:20230927T222149Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230927T222333Z UID:10000760-1698339600-1698343200@cobb.institute SUMMARY:Interweavings: Remembering our Ancestors & Honoring our Beloved Dead DESCRIPTION:The end of October is marked by many cultures as a sacred time when the veil between the world of the living and the world of the dead becomes more porous. Gaelic or Celtic cultures celebrate Samhain and the Christian tradition has honored its dead on All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days. The wonderful animated film “Coco” honors the Mexican tradition of the Day of the Dead in exuberant color. Join Process & Faith for a special online Interweavings event\, sponsored by the Pagan Path\, that will be a service of remembrance for everyone who has lost or grieved a loved one. Participants may want to have a candle to light and/or to bring a photo of their loved one(s). \n\n\n\nCo-sponsored by the following\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFind Out More & Register URL:https://cobb.institute/event/interweavings-2023-10-26/ CATEGORIES:Interweavings,Workshop ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Interweavings-Remembering-our-Ancestors-Honoring-our-Beloved-Dead-header.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231026T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231026T090000 DTSTAMP:20260418T194822 CREATED:20230109T083150Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231212T233404Z UID:10000448-1698307200-1698310800@cobb.institute SUMMARY:Learning Circle: Process & Coffee DESCRIPTION:Process & Coffee is about spiritual integration and exploration. We meet weekly to dive into books by mystics and sages. The discussion that follows helps to deepen our own spiritual lives. \n\n\n\nClick here to learn more or join. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/learning-circle-process-coffee-23/2023-10-26/ CATEGORIES:Learning Circle ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Process-and-Coffee-featured-image.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231025T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231025T190000 DTSTAMP:20260418T194822 CREATED:20230830T003817Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230830T004336Z UID:10000747-1698253200-1698260400@cobb.institute SUMMARY:Spirituality and Poetry: Exploring the Wisdom of Rumi\, Hafiz\, and Process Theology DESCRIPTION:Bethlehem Centre\, in collaboration with the Interfaith Center of Arkansas and the Cobb Institute\, is delighted to present a captivating eight-week online series: “Spirituality and Poetry: Exploring the Wisdom of Rumi\, Hafiz\, and Process Theology.” \n\n\n\nLed by Sophia Said and Jay McDaniel\, this enriching series will delve into the connections between spirituality\, poetry\, and the transformative concepts of process theology. As a paradigm for thinking about spirituality\, we will use the “spiritual alphabet” of Spirituality and Practice: “A” is for attention\, “B” is for beauty\, “C” is for compassion\, etc. We invite you to join us for an hour each week as we embark on a reflective journey through the spiritual alphabet. \n\n\n\nTogether\, we will explore the timeless verses of Rumi and Hafiz\, two poets who transcend religious boundaries and touch upon the universal essence of the human experience. Through their words\, we will uncover insights and inspirations that can enrich our spiritual lives\, fostering a deeper connection with ourselves\, others\, and the divine. \n\n\n\nIn addition\, the series will delve into the inclusive framework of process theology\, which embraces the ever-evolving nature of spirituality. By integrating the wisdom of the poets and the principles of process theology\, we will embark on a transformative exploration of spirituality\, inviting active participation in the ongoing co-creation of our world. \n\n\n\nThe sessions will take place over eight consecutive weeks\, providing ample time for reflection and integration between each gathering. Participants will have the opportunity to engage with the facilitators\, ask questions\, and engage in interactive discussions. We aim to create a space where diverse perspectives can converge\, fostering a deep appreciation for the power of spirituality\, poetry\, and process theology. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nLEARN MORE & REGISTER URL:https://cobb.institute/event/spirituality-and-poetry-exploring-the-wisdom-of-rumi-hafiz-and-process-theology/2023-10-25/ CATEGORIES:Class ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Spirituality-and-Poetry-Exploring-the-Wisdom-of-Rumi-Hafiz-and-Process-Theology-Promo-Header.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231024T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231024T120000 DTSTAMP:20260418T194822 CREATED:20231023T214137Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231023T214657Z UID:10000764-1698141600-1698148800@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Kevin Carnahan DESCRIPTION:Topic: Maintaining Moral Balance in Israel/Palestine. \n\n\n\nPresenters: Kevin Carnahan \n\n\n\nKevin Carnahan is Professor of Philosophy and Religion at Central Methodist University in Fayette\, Missouri. He served for five years as the co-editor of the Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics\, and three as the President of the Niebuhr Society. He is author of Reinhold Niebuhr and Paul Ramsey (Lexington Books\, 2010)\, and From Presumption to Prudence in Just-War Rationality (Routledge\, 2017)\, and co-editor of Paradoxical Virtue: Reinhold Niebuhr and the Virtue Tradition (Routledge\, 2020). He has an enduring interest in the politics of Israel/Palestine and has traveled frequently in the region.  \n\n\n\nTalk Summary: The story of Israel/Palestine is a story of compounded historical tragedy. There is no solution to the conflict that fulfills all the requirements of justice. In such a context\, it becomes tempting for participants in the conflict to deny the reality of some goods (usually the goods of their opponents) in order to present what appears to be a simple and satisfying moral analysis of the situation. Realistic moral analysis must resist such reductive rhetoric\, count the costs\, and take seriously the balance of power in the region. Such vision is necessary to find a way for Israel and Palestine to coexist at any point in the future. \n\n\n\nWatch for further details\, including information about a series of Saturday conversations with presentations by the authors.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this gathering\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. \n\n\n\n\n\nIf you would like to receive regular announcements and updates about activities and events at the Cobb Institute\, please join our list of Friends. \n\n\n\nCan’t make it to the live session? Click here to access our archive of Cobb & Friends recordings. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/john-cobb-friends-gathering-2023-10-24/ LOCATION:Online Via Zoom CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Cobb-Friends-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231021T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231021T120000 DTSTAMP:20260418T194822 CREATED:20230922T222611Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231011T174727Z UID:10000758-1697882400-1697889600@cobb.institute SUMMARY:Intuiting Life DESCRIPTION:The Science Advisory Committee at the Cobb Institute invites you to join us for a conversation series with the editors and authors of Intuiting Life: Process-Philosophical Perspectives on Biology. Each session will feature presentations by two or more of the book’s contributors and conversations with all attendees. RSVP below to receive the Zoom information. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSchedule\n\n\n\n\nOctober 14: Arthur Araújo (co-editor)\, Federico Giorgo\n\n\n\nOctober 21: Philip Tryon\, Johanna Häusler\, and Nathaniel Barrett\n\n\n\nOctober 28: Spyridon Koutroufinis (co-editor)\, Matt Segall\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAbout the Book\n\n\n\n\n\nThis book challenges the reductionist\, materialistic metaphysics often adopted by biologists\, arguing that this approach overlooks the intricate complexities and essential characteristics of life. Instead\, the authors propose a process-philosophical approach\, grounded in the metaphysics of Alfred North Whitehead and other process thinkers\, which attributes subjectivity\, value\, and purposeful striving to all organisms\, from simple cells to complex animals. This fresh perspective aims to provide a more nuanced understanding of fundamental biological concepts such as organism\, development\, agency\, goal-directedness\, and environmental interaction. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPURCHASE\n\n\n\n\n\n\n“Whitehead is convinced of the ontological fundamentality of life in all of nature. He considers the problem of life to be the central question of science and philosophy. He insists that the basic principles of life are exemplified in rudimentary form in all forms of physical existence. Living nature can give us the key to understanding non-biological nature.” (Intuiting Life\, 31) \n\n\n\nScientific intellectual attitudes criticized by Whitehead and Bergson dominate the modern life sciences. They are particularly influential in one of the core problems of contemporary biology and philosophy of biology: the nature of explanation. In 20th century philosophy of science Carl Hempel’s theory of explanation was for decades the backbone of theorizing about scientific explanation. . . . In philosophy of biology there is broad consensus that the explanative relevance of biological modelling in contemporary biology—especially in mathematically operating systems biology and theoretical biology—cannot be captured by Hempel’s account. \n\n\n\nAs “life scientists commonly seek to uncover the mechanism responsible for the phenomenon of interest” (Bechtel and Abrahamsen 2010\, 322)\, in the life sciences phenomena are explained by mechanisms. Leading philosophers of science who advocate a school of thought that is often described as ‘New Mechanical Philosophy’ or ‘New Mechanism’ argue that in many fields of science what is considered a satisfactory explanation requires providing a description of a mechanism. Indeed\, much of the practice of science can be understood in terms of the discovery and description of mechanisms. Mechanistic explanations form the main theoretical basis of most\, if not all\, contemporary biological disciplines. \n\n\n\nThe neo-mechanistic school in biology is a specific manifestation of what Whitehead calls “scientific materialism.” It can also be seen as a typical product of the technological intellect striving to reduce reality for the purpose of manipulating it\, against the limitations of which Bergson warns. Some authors’ criticism of the biological relevance of mechanistic explanations echoes Bergson’s warning mentioned above: “The intellect is characterized by a natural incomprehension of life.” Consequently\, intuition must assist the life-studying intellect\, for only intuition can do justice to those aspects of life\, which\, for fundamental reasons\, transcend the discursive-analytic modes of thought. Intuitive knowledge is not the only conceivable response to neo-mechanistic thinking\, but it is certainly one that takes into account essential facts that neo-mechanicism simply ignores. \n\n\n\nPhilosophy\, and in particular process philosophy\, must breathe new life into what has been suppressed by scientific reductionism. Serving this purpose\, the present volume is committed to the following maxim: Starting from philosophical intuitions\, biophilosophy must unveil the abstractions of biology and overcome them with new metaphysical hypotheses. \n\n\n\n“[A]ll of [Whitehead’s] thinking draws from the following philosophical intuition: The main aim of contemporary metaphysics should be to resist the modern dogma that a truth cannot be scientific unless it hurts the deep intuitions of mankind\, and that we cannot be scientific unless we tame the authority of our intuition. […] Whitehead’s philosophical work can be seen as an alternative to the worldview that still prevails in the natural sciences of his and our time\, which arose in the 17th century and is described by Whitehead as ‘scientific materialism’.” (Intuiting Life\, 21) \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPresenter Bios\n\n\n\nArthur Araujo has a PhD in Philosophy from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro/Brazil (2001). He is currently a professor at the Federal University of Espirito Santo/Department of Philosophy (Brazil) and founding member (2016) and current Coordinator of the Semiotics Brazilian Association of Post-Graduation in Philosophy (ANPOF). His teaching and research focuses on Philosophy of Mind and Philosophy of Biology\, especially William James\, Uexküll\, Peirce\, Ryle\, Austin\, Wittgenstein\, Darwin\, and Whitehead. \n\n\n\nNathaniel Barrett is a research fellow and member of the Mind-Brain Group at the Institute for Culture and Society (Pamplona\, Spain). The main focus of his research is the nature of value and its role in experience\, mind\, and life\, especially as examined from the perspectives of pragmatism\, process philosophy\, and ecological psychology. His recently published book\, Enjoyment as Enriched Experience (Palgrave\, 2023)\, draws on the philosophies of John Dewey and Alfred North Whitehead and recent scientific research to develop a theory of affect as the enrichment or deterioration of conscious activity.  \n\n\n\nFederico Giorgi is a doctoral student at the University of Namur (Belgium). His doctoral research concerns the relevance of Whitehead’s theory of symbolism to the present-day philosophy of perception. Giorgi’s interests include process philosophy\, philosophy of film and artificial intelligence. \n\n\n\nJohanna Häusler studied biology and philosophy in Munich and works at the LMU in science communication. She currently writes her PhD in Philosophy about the problem of free will\, arguing for a libertarian account of freedom in a broadly Whiteheadian spirit. Her philosophical interests cover a wide range of topics like philosophy of mind\, the free will problem\, the philosophy of science\, theories of causality\, the philosophy of biology as well as classical metaphysics. \n\n\n\nSpyridon A. Koutroufinis is Privatdozent (Associate Professor) for philosophy at the Technical University of Berlin. Between 2012 and 2014 he was Visiting Associate Professor at the University of California\, Berkeley. He has specialized in process philosophy (Whitehead\, Bergson)\, biophilosophy (Canguilhem\, Uexküll et al.)\, classical metaphysics (Aristotle\, Leibniz) and complexity theory. His research focus is the establishment of a new theory of the biological organism based on process ontology. He is the author and editor of six books and numerous articles and book chapters. \n\n\n\nMatthew David Segall is a transdisciplinary researcher\, author\, and teacher applying process philosophy across the natural and social sciences\, including the study of consciousness. He is Associate Professor in the Philosophy\, Cosmology\, and Consciousness Graduate Program at California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco\, CA. He is the author of many articles and books including Crossing the Threshold: Etheric Imagination in the Post-Kantian Process Philosophy of Schelling and Whitehead (Revelore\, 2023) and Physics of the World-Soul: Whitehead’s Adventure in Cosmology (SacraSage\, 2021). \n\n\n\nPhilip Tryon did his graduate work in physics at the University of Wisconsin\, subsequently working as a development engineer on early automation projects for BioTek. He has a lifelong interest in quantum mechanics and how it relates organic systems and informs biological science. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRSVP to receive Zoom Info\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this event\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/intuiting-life-2023-10-21/ CATEGORIES:Conversation Series ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Intuiting-Life-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231019T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231019T090000 DTSTAMP:20260418T194822 CREATED:20230109T083150Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231212T233404Z UID:10000447-1697702400-1697706000@cobb.institute SUMMARY:Learning Circle: Process & Coffee DESCRIPTION:Process & Coffee is about spiritual integration and exploration. We meet weekly to dive into books by mystics and sages. The discussion that follows helps to deepen our own spiritual lives. \n\n\n\nClick here to learn more or join. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/learning-circle-process-coffee-23/2023-10-19/ CATEGORIES:Learning Circle ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Process-and-Coffee-featured-image.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231018T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231018T190000 DTSTAMP:20260418T194822 CREATED:20230830T003817Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230830T004336Z UID:10000746-1697648400-1697655600@cobb.institute SUMMARY:Spirituality and Poetry: Exploring the Wisdom of Rumi\, Hafiz\, and Process Theology DESCRIPTION:Bethlehem Centre\, in collaboration with the Interfaith Center of Arkansas and the Cobb Institute\, is delighted to present a captivating eight-week online series: “Spirituality and Poetry: Exploring the Wisdom of Rumi\, Hafiz\, and Process Theology.” \n\n\n\nLed by Sophia Said and Jay McDaniel\, this enriching series will delve into the connections between spirituality\, poetry\, and the transformative concepts of process theology. As a paradigm for thinking about spirituality\, we will use the “spiritual alphabet” of Spirituality and Practice: “A” is for attention\, “B” is for beauty\, “C” is for compassion\, etc. We invite you to join us for an hour each week as we embark on a reflective journey through the spiritual alphabet. \n\n\n\nTogether\, we will explore the timeless verses of Rumi and Hafiz\, two poets who transcend religious boundaries and touch upon the universal essence of the human experience. Through their words\, we will uncover insights and inspirations that can enrich our spiritual lives\, fostering a deeper connection with ourselves\, others\, and the divine. \n\n\n\nIn addition\, the series will delve into the inclusive framework of process theology\, which embraces the ever-evolving nature of spirituality. By integrating the wisdom of the poets and the principles of process theology\, we will embark on a transformative exploration of spirituality\, inviting active participation in the ongoing co-creation of our world. \n\n\n\nThe sessions will take place over eight consecutive weeks\, providing ample time for reflection and integration between each gathering. Participants will have the opportunity to engage with the facilitators\, ask questions\, and engage in interactive discussions. We aim to create a space where diverse perspectives can converge\, fostering a deep appreciation for the power of spirituality\, poetry\, and process theology. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nLEARN MORE & REGISTER URL:https://cobb.institute/event/spirituality-and-poetry-exploring-the-wisdom-of-rumi-hafiz-and-process-theology/2023-10-18/ CATEGORIES:Class ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Spirituality-and-Poetry-Exploring-the-Wisdom-of-Rumi-Hafiz-and-Process-Theology-Promo-Header.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231017T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231017T120000 DTSTAMP:20260418T194822 CREATED:20231003T190506Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231003T190630Z UID:10000763-1697536800-1697544000@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Andrew M. Davis DESCRIPTION:Topic: Process Theology and Extraterrestrial Life: A History. \n\n\n\nPresenters: Andrew M. Davis \n\n\n\nA frequent Cobb & Friends presenter\, Andrew M. Davis\, Program Director of the Center for Process Studies\, is offering yet another opportunity for us to engage his creative thought.  He says\, “As word continues to spread about my new book Metaphysics of Exo-Life: Toward a Constructive Whiteheadian Cosmotheology\, I thought I would suggest another Tuesday Cobb meeting on the topic. While this book covers the presentation I gave the Cobb Institute with Steve Dick in much deeper form\, it is the appendix to the book which I think the Tuesday group would be interested in this time around. In it I offer a history of process theology and extraterrestrial life\, including key statements that are made by a variety of process thinkers\, and a summary of key affirmative points.”   Our Friends have come to enjoy Andrew’s attractive presentations and the discussion they prompt.  Follow these links to Amazon’s book description and its author information about  Andrew Davis.  See Andrew’s own website here. \n\n\n\nWatch for further details\, including information about a series of Saturday conversations with presentations by the authors.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this gathering\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. \n\n\n\n\n\nIf you would like to receive regular announcements and updates about activities and events at the Cobb Institute\, please join our list of Friends. \n\n\n\nCan’t make it to the live session? Click here to access our archive of Cobb & Friends recordings. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/john-cobb-friends-gathering-2023-10-17/ LOCATION:Online Via Zoom CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Cobb-Friends-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231017T083000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231017T093000 DTSTAMP:20260418T194822 CREATED:20230810T062240Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230810T062247Z UID:10000732-1697531400-1697535000@cobb.institute SUMMARY:Learning Circle: An Awakening Planet? DESCRIPTION:A Discussion Group Contemplating the Vision of Teilhard de Chardin\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFacilitated by Dr. Ernie Tamminga\, this group meets every two weeks to carefully consider how and whether Teilhard de Chardin’s hope-filled perspective on the human evolutionary future can still inspire us in a time full of conflicts and division. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFIND OUT MORE URL:https://cobb.institute/event/learning-circle-an-awakening-planet-4/2023-10-17/ LOCATION:Online Event CATEGORIES:Learning Circle ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/An-Awakening-Planet-featured-image.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231014T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231014T120000 DTSTAMP:20260418T194822 CREATED:20230922T220827Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231011T174549Z UID:10000757-1697277600-1697284800@cobb.institute SUMMARY:Intuiting Life DESCRIPTION:The Science Advisory Committee at the Cobb Institute invites you to join us for a conversation series with the editors and authors of Intuiting Life: Process-Philosophical Perspectives on Biology. Each session will feature presentations by two or more of the book’s contributors and conversations with all attendees. RSVP below to receive the Zoom information. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSchedule\n\n\n\n\nOctober 14: Arthur Araújo (co-editor)\, Federico Giorgo\n\n\n\nOctober 21: Philip Tryon\, Johanna Häusler\, and Nathaniel Barrett\n\n\n\nOctober 28: Spyridon Koutroufinis (co-editor)\, Matt Segall\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAbout the Book\n\n\n\n\n\nThis book challenges the reductionist\, materialistic metaphysics often adopted by biologists\, arguing that this approach overlooks the intricate complexities and essential characteristics of life. Instead\, the authors propose a process-philosophical approach\, grounded in the metaphysics of Alfred North Whitehead and other process thinkers\, which attributes subjectivity\, value\, and purposeful striving to all organisms\, from simple cells to complex animals. This fresh perspective aims to provide a more nuanced understanding of fundamental biological concepts such as organism\, development\, agency\, goal-directedness\, and environmental interaction. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPURCHASE\n\n\n\n\n\n\n“Whitehead is convinced of the ontological fundamentality of life in all of nature. He considers the problem of life to be the central question of science and philosophy. He insists that the basic principles of life are exemplified in rudimentary form in all forms of physical existence. Living nature can give us the key to understanding non-biological nature.” (Intuiting Life\, 31) \n\n\n\nScientific intellectual attitudes criticized by Whitehead and Bergson dominate the modern life sciences. They are particularly influential in one of the core problems of contemporary biology and philosophy of biology: the nature of explanation. In 20th century philosophy of science Carl Hempel’s theory of explanation was for decades the backbone of theorizing about scientific explanation. . . . In philosophy of biology there is broad consensus that the explanative relevance of biological modelling in contemporary biology—especially in mathematically operating systems biology and theoretical biology—cannot be captured by Hempel’s account. \n\n\n\nAs “life scientists commonly seek to uncover the mechanism responsible for the phenomenon of interest” (Bechtel and Abrahamsen 2010\, 322)\, in the life sciences phenomena are explained by mechanisms. Leading philosophers of science who advocate a school of thought that is often described as ‘New Mechanical Philosophy’ or ‘New Mechanism’ argue that in many fields of science what is considered a satisfactory explanation requires providing a description of a mechanism. Indeed\, much of the practice of science can be understood in terms of the discovery and description of mechanisms. Mechanistic explanations form the main theoretical basis of most\, if not all\, contemporary biological disciplines. \n\n\n\nThe neo-mechanistic school in biology is a specific manifestation of what Whitehead calls “scientific materialism.” It can also be seen as a typical product of the technological intellect striving to reduce reality for the purpose of manipulating it\, against the limitations of which Bergson warns. Some authors’ criticism of the biological relevance of mechanistic explanations echoes Bergson’s warning mentioned above: “The intellect is characterized by a natural incomprehension of life.” Consequently\, intuition must assist the life-studying intellect\, for only intuition can do justice to those aspects of life\, which\, for fundamental reasons\, transcend the discursive-analytic modes of thought. Intuitive knowledge is not the only conceivable response to neo-mechanistic thinking\, but it is certainly one that takes into account essential facts that neo-mechanicism simply ignores. \n\n\n\nPhilosophy\, and in particular process philosophy\, must breathe new life into what has been suppressed by scientific reductionism. Serving this purpose\, the present volume is committed to the following maxim: Starting from philosophical intuitions\, biophilosophy must unveil the abstractions of biology and overcome them with new metaphysical hypotheses. \n\n\n\n“[A]ll of [Whitehead’s] thinking draws from the following philosophical intuition: The main aim of contemporary metaphysics should be to resist the modern dogma that a truth cannot be scientific unless it hurts the deep intuitions of mankind\, and that we cannot be scientific unless we tame the authority of our intuition. […] Whitehead’s philosophical work can be seen as an alternative to the worldview that still prevails in the natural sciences of his and our time\, which arose in the 17th century and is described by Whitehead as ‘scientific materialism’.” (Intuiting Life\, 21) \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPresenter Bios\n\n\n\nArthur Araujo has a PhD in Philosophy from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro/Brazil (2001). He is currently a professor at the Federal University of Espirito Santo/Department of Philosophy (Brazil) and founding member (2016) and current Coordinator of the Semiotics Brazilian Association of Post-Graduation in Philosophy (ANPOF). His teaching and research focuses on Philosophy of Mind and Philosophy of Biology\, especially William James\, Uexküll\, Peirce\, Ryle\, Austin\, Wittgenstein\, Darwin\, and Whitehead. \n\n\n\nNathaniel Barrett is a research fellow and member of the Mind-Brain Group at the Institute for Culture and Society (Pamplona\, Spain). The main focus of his research is the nature of value and its role in experience\, mind\, and life\, especially as examined from the perspectives of pragmatism\, process philosophy\, and ecological psychology. His recently published book\, Enjoyment as Enriched Experience (Palgrave\, 2023)\, draws on the philosophies of John Dewey and Alfred North Whitehead and recent scientific research to develop a theory of affect as the enrichment or deterioration of conscious activity.  \n\n\n\nFederico Giorgi is a doctoral student at the University of Namur (Belgium). His doctoral research concerns the relevance of Whitehead’s theory of symbolism to the present-day philosophy of perception. Giorgi’s interests include process philosophy\, philosophy of film and artificial intelligence. \n\n\n\nSpyridon A. Koutroufinis is Privatdozent (Associate Professor) for philosophy at the Technical University of Berlin. Between 2012 and 2014 he was Visiting Associate Professor at the University of California\, Berkeley. He has specialized in process philosophy (Whitehead\, Bergson)\, biophilosophy (Canguilhem\, Uexküll et al.)\, classical metaphysics (Aristotle\, Leibniz) and complexity theory. His research focus is the establishment of a new theory of the biological organism based on process ontology. He is the author and editor of six books and numerous articles and book chapters. \n\n\n\nJohanna Häusler studied biology and philosophy in Munich and works at the LMU in science communication. She currently writes her PhD in Philosophy about the problem of free will\, arguing for a libertarian account of freedom in a broadly Whiteheadian spirit. Her philosophical interests cover a wide range of topics like philosophy of mind\, the free will problem\, the philosophy of science\, theories of causality\, the philosophy of biology as well as classical metaphysics. \n\n\n\nMatthew David Segall is a transdisciplinary researcher\, author\, and teacher applying process philosophy across the natural and social sciences\, including the study of consciousness. He is Associate Professor in the Philosophy\, Cosmology\, and Consciousness Graduate Program at California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco\, CA. He is the author of many articles and books including Crossing the Threshold: Etheric Imagination in the Post-Kantian Process Philosophy of Schelling and Whitehead (Revelore\, 2023) and Physics of the World-Soul: Whitehead’s Adventure in Cosmology (SacraSage\, 2021). \n\n\n\nPhilip Tryon did his graduate work in physics at the University of Wisconsin\, subsequently working as a development engineer on early automation projects for BioTek. He has a lifelong interest in quantum mechanics and how it relates organic systems and informs biological science. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRSVP to receive Zoom Info\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this event\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/intuiting-life-2023-10-14/ CATEGORIES:Conversation Series ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Intuiting-Life-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231012T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231012T090000 DTSTAMP:20260418T194822 CREATED:20230109T083150Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231212T233404Z UID:10000446-1697097600-1697101200@cobb.institute SUMMARY:Learning Circle: Process & Coffee DESCRIPTION:Process & Coffee is about spiritual integration and exploration. We meet weekly to dive into books by mystics and sages. The discussion that follows helps to deepen our own spiritual lives. \n\n\n\nClick here to learn more or join. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/learning-circle-process-coffee-23/2023-10-12/ CATEGORIES:Learning Circle ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Process-and-Coffee-featured-image.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231011T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231011T190000 DTSTAMP:20260418T194822 CREATED:20230830T003817Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230830T004336Z UID:10000745-1697043600-1697050800@cobb.institute SUMMARY:Spirituality and Poetry: Exploring the Wisdom of Rumi\, Hafiz\, and Process Theology DESCRIPTION:Bethlehem Centre\, in collaboration with the Interfaith Center of Arkansas and the Cobb Institute\, is delighted to present a captivating eight-week online series: “Spirituality and Poetry: Exploring the Wisdom of Rumi\, Hafiz\, and Process Theology.” \n\n\n\nLed by Sophia Said and Jay McDaniel\, this enriching series will delve into the connections between spirituality\, poetry\, and the transformative concepts of process theology. As a paradigm for thinking about spirituality\, we will use the “spiritual alphabet” of Spirituality and Practice: “A” is for attention\, “B” is for beauty\, “C” is for compassion\, etc. We invite you to join us for an hour each week as we embark on a reflective journey through the spiritual alphabet. \n\n\n\nTogether\, we will explore the timeless verses of Rumi and Hafiz\, two poets who transcend religious boundaries and touch upon the universal essence of the human experience. Through their words\, we will uncover insights and inspirations that can enrich our spiritual lives\, fostering a deeper connection with ourselves\, others\, and the divine. \n\n\n\nIn addition\, the series will delve into the inclusive framework of process theology\, which embraces the ever-evolving nature of spirituality. By integrating the wisdom of the poets and the principles of process theology\, we will embark on a transformative exploration of spirituality\, inviting active participation in the ongoing co-creation of our world. \n\n\n\nThe sessions will take place over eight consecutive weeks\, providing ample time for reflection and integration between each gathering. Participants will have the opportunity to engage with the facilitators\, ask questions\, and engage in interactive discussions. We aim to create a space where diverse perspectives can converge\, fostering a deep appreciation for the power of spirituality\, poetry\, and process theology. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nLEARN MORE & REGISTER URL:https://cobb.institute/event/spirituality-and-poetry-exploring-the-wisdom-of-rumi-hafiz-and-process-theology/2023-10-11/ CATEGORIES:Class ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Spirituality-and-Poetry-Exploring-the-Wisdom-of-Rumi-Hafiz-and-Process-Theology-Promo-Header.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231010T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231010T180000 DTSTAMP:20260418T194822 CREATED:20230927T222732Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230928T184320Z UID:10000761-1696957200-1696960800@cobb.institute SUMMARY:Interweavings: Called To Be Sensitive: Process-Relational Perspectives on Highly Sensitive People DESCRIPTION:For followers of many religious traditions\, how we conduct our lives is central to our faith\, whether it’s following scriptural injunctions or emulating the way of Jesus. For those who embrace the process worldview\, Lee McAuliffe Rambo writes\, “conduct has even greater importance: We understand ourselves to embody God\, contributing directly to the experience of other living creatures and to God Herself.” \n\n\n\nIn this Interweavings event from Process & Faith\, Lee McAuliffe Rambo will describe highly sensitive people\, their characteristics\, and gifts\, and she will recount her own experiences “toughing it out” in seminary\, the church\, and the workplace. An opportunity for positive and problem-centered discussion will follow the presentation. \n\n\n\nCo-sponsored by the following\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFind Out More & Register URL:https://cobb.institute/event/interweavings-2023-10-12/ CATEGORIES:Interweavings,Workshop ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Interweavings-Remembering-our-Ancestors-Honoring-our-Beloved-Dead-header.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231010T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231010T120000 DTSTAMP:20260418T194822 CREATED:20230927T224104Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230927T224436Z UID:10000762-1696932000-1696939200@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Elvi Bjorkquist DESCRIPTION:Topic: Process Thought & Aesthetic Qualities and Beyond. \n\n\n\nPresenters: Elvi Bjorkquist \n\n\n\nUsing her own paintings\, Elvi Bjorkquist\, who recently completed the Cobb Institute Certificate Program\, will show the connection between Art and the Process thought of Whitehead. For both Whitehead and Buddhism the world is permeated by “aesthetic qualities.” It is these aesthetic qualities that are the content of religious experience within the Whiteheadian and Buddhist process traditions. Whitehead also believes that aesthetic apprehension is complementary to scientific apprehension and helps to complete it. He believes that deeply felt intuitions highlight and illumine nature and that there are multiple ways of knowing that can be jointly affirmed and harmonized. Thinking is actually a form of feeling; aesthetic wisdom and rational inquiry are complementary. Both can be contexts in which people discover higher ideals in which to live and give a sense for the mystery and beauty of the universe. It becomes a means to the end of cultural transformation. God has given all cultures choices on how to relate and this affects what kind of world we live in. By using Process thought and universal art we can help create an ecological change in our world relations. \n\n\n\nElvi Bjorkquist has been an artist all of her life. She graduated with a BFA degree in Art and Art History. A lifetime ELCA Lutheran\, she graduated with both a Master of Divinity and a Master of Theological Philosophy from Iliff School of Theology in Denver\, Colorado. When John Cobb taught a class at Iliff\, Elvi found and immediately loved Process thought.  \n\n\n\nShe was the owner of the Elvi Design Group which worked nationally and internationally for many years. She lives in Denver\, Colorado and is now painting and showing her artwork. She’s on the board of the Parker Artist Group. \n\n\n\nShe was invited to present her thesis\, “Andean Originality and Creativity Were Used to Survive and Redefine Selfhood\,” at the SARTS Convention in San Antonio in 2016. The paper\, titled “Counter-Hegemonic Aesthetics and Spiritual Aesthetics and Spiritual Transformation in the Viceroyalty of Peru\,” is presently on “Academia” online.  Also available on “Academia” is the Spring Board PowerPoint presentation she did to fulfill requirements for the Cobb Institute Certificate Program\, “Process Thought & Universal Art Creating Intertwining Between Cultures.” \n\n\n\nWatch for further details\, including information about a series of Saturday conversations with presentations by the authors.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this gathering\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. \n\n\n\n\n\nIf you would like to receive regular announcements and updates about activities and events at the Cobb Institute\, please join our list of Friends. \n\n\n\nCan’t make it to the live session? Click here to access our archive of Cobb & Friends recordings. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/john-cobb-friends-gathering-2023-10-10/ LOCATION:Online Via Zoom CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Cobb-Friends-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231005T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231005T090000 DTSTAMP:20260418T194822 CREATED:20230109T083150Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231212T233404Z UID:10000445-1696492800-1696496400@cobb.institute SUMMARY:Learning Circle: Process & Coffee DESCRIPTION:Process & Coffee is about spiritual integration and exploration. We meet weekly to dive into books by mystics and sages. The discussion that follows helps to deepen our own spiritual lives. \n\n\n\nClick here to learn more or join. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/learning-circle-process-coffee-23/2023-10-05/ CATEGORIES:Learning Circle ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Process-and-Coffee-featured-image.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231004T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231004T190000 DTSTAMP:20260418T194822 CREATED:20230830T003817Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230830T004336Z UID:10000744-1696438800-1696446000@cobb.institute SUMMARY:Spirituality and Poetry: Exploring the Wisdom of Rumi\, Hafiz\, and Process Theology DESCRIPTION:Bethlehem Centre\, in collaboration with the Interfaith Center of Arkansas and the Cobb Institute\, is delighted to present a captivating eight-week online series: “Spirituality and Poetry: Exploring the Wisdom of Rumi\, Hafiz\, and Process Theology.” \n\n\n\nLed by Sophia Said and Jay McDaniel\, this enriching series will delve into the connections between spirituality\, poetry\, and the transformative concepts of process theology. As a paradigm for thinking about spirituality\, we will use the “spiritual alphabet” of Spirituality and Practice: “A” is for attention\, “B” is for beauty\, “C” is for compassion\, etc. We invite you to join us for an hour each week as we embark on a reflective journey through the spiritual alphabet. \n\n\n\nTogether\, we will explore the timeless verses of Rumi and Hafiz\, two poets who transcend religious boundaries and touch upon the universal essence of the human experience. Through their words\, we will uncover insights and inspirations that can enrich our spiritual lives\, fostering a deeper connection with ourselves\, others\, and the divine. \n\n\n\nIn addition\, the series will delve into the inclusive framework of process theology\, which embraces the ever-evolving nature of spirituality. By integrating the wisdom of the poets and the principles of process theology\, we will embark on a transformative exploration of spirituality\, inviting active participation in the ongoing co-creation of our world. \n\n\n\nThe sessions will take place over eight consecutive weeks\, providing ample time for reflection and integration between each gathering. Participants will have the opportunity to engage with the facilitators\, ask questions\, and engage in interactive discussions. We aim to create a space where diverse perspectives can converge\, fostering a deep appreciation for the power of spirituality\, poetry\, and process theology. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nLEARN MORE & REGISTER URL:https://cobb.institute/event/spirituality-and-poetry-exploring-the-wisdom-of-rumi-hafiz-and-process-theology/2023-10-04/ CATEGORIES:Class ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Spirituality-and-Poetry-Exploring-the-Wisdom-of-Rumi-Hafiz-and-Process-Theology-Promo-Header.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231003T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231003T120000 DTSTAMP:20260418T194822 CREATED:20230918T230637Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230918T231032Z UID:10000756-1696327200-1696334400@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Matt Segall DESCRIPTION:Topic: Intuiting Life: Process-Philosophical Perspectives on Biology. \n\n\n\nPresenters: Matt Segall \n\n\n\nMatt Segall\, a frequent presenter for Cobb & Friends in his role as Cobb Institute’s chair of its Science Advisory Board\, will introduce a new book released in June by Cambridge Scholars Publishing\, Process-Philosophical Perspectives on Biology–Intuiting Life\, edited by Arthur Araújo and Spyridon Koutroufinis. In order to do justice to the complexity of biological phenomena\, the book aims to correct the materialistic metaphysics assumed by many life scientists. Its authors explore the viability of process metaphysics to advance our understanding of fundamental biological concepts such as organism\, ontogeny\, agency\, teleology\, environment\, and normativity\, based on the metaphysics of Alfred North Whitehead and other process thinkers. This book highlights the uniqueness and intrinsic value of living beings\, opening up new horizons in the thinking of philosophers\, philosophers of biology\, life scientists\, and environmentalists. Matt Segall wrote a chapter in the book\, “On the Place of Life in the Cosmos: Whitehead’s Philosophy of Organism and Contemporary Theoretical Biology.” Segall is a philosopher\, transdisciplinary researcher\, author\, and teacher applying process-relational thought across the natural and social sciences\, including the study of consciousness. He is Associate Professor in the Philosophy\, Cosmology\, and Consciousness Graduate Program at California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco\, CA. For details of his academic background\, his teaching\, and his writings\, see the curriculum vitae on his website\, https://footnotes2plato.com/. \n\n\n\nWatch for further details\, including information about a series of Saturday conversations with presentations by the authors.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this gathering\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. \n\n\n\n\n\nIf you would like to receive regular announcements and updates about activities and events at the Cobb Institute\, please join our list of Friends. \n\n\n\nCan’t make it to the live session? Click here to access our archive of Cobb & Friends recordings. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/john-cobb-friends-gathering-2023-10-03/ LOCATION:Online Via Zoom CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Cobb-Friends-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231003T083000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231003T093000 DTSTAMP:20260418T194822 CREATED:20230810T062240Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230810T062247Z UID:10000731-1696321800-1696325400@cobb.institute SUMMARY:Learning Circle: An Awakening Planet? DESCRIPTION:A Discussion Group Contemplating the Vision of Teilhard de Chardin\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFacilitated by Dr. Ernie Tamminga\, this group meets every two weeks to carefully consider how and whether Teilhard de Chardin’s hope-filled perspective on the human evolutionary future can still inspire us in a time full of conflicts and division. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFIND OUT MORE URL:https://cobb.institute/event/learning-circle-an-awakening-planet-4/2023-10-03/ LOCATION:Online Event CATEGORIES:Learning Circle ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/An-Awakening-Planet-featured-image.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230928T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230928T090000 DTSTAMP:20260418T194822 CREATED:20230109T083150Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231212T233404Z UID:10000444-1695888000-1695891600@cobb.institute SUMMARY:Learning Circle: Process & Coffee DESCRIPTION:Process & Coffee is about spiritual integration and exploration. We meet weekly to dive into books by mystics and sages. The discussion that follows helps to deepen our own spiritual lives. \n\n\n\nClick here to learn more or join. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/learning-circle-process-coffee-23/2023-09-28/ CATEGORIES:Learning Circle ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Process-and-Coffee-featured-image.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230926T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230926T120000 DTSTAMP:20260418T194822 CREATED:20230912T220422Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230918T223854Z UID:10000754-1695722400-1695729600@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Vivian Song DESCRIPTION:Topic: Yunhe Centre:  Balancing Economic Development and Ecological Restoration in China. \n\n\n\nPresenters: Vivian Song \n\n\n\nVivian Song has been working with Yunhe Centre\, which is actually a collection of centers in China in places which border preservation areas. By combining social entrepreneurship and innovative education\, the Yunhe Center believes “a regenerative economy with all life at heart is possible.” Vivian Song\, a director of the program\, says\, “I’m happy to share my experience working with the Yunhe Centre\, and our current summer water restoration community learning and service initiative.” For more information about Yunhe Centre and access to their website\, see Jay McDaniel’s piece at this Open Horizons website. Vivian Song has provided leadership for the Youth Dialogues program of the Living Earth Movement\, which John Cobb has founded. She is a member of the Cobb Institute Board. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this gathering\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. \n\n\n\n\n\nIf you would like to receive regular announcements and updates about activities and events at the Cobb Institute\, please join our list of Friends. \n\n\n\nCan’t make it to the live session? Click here to access our archive of Cobb & Friends recordings. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/john-cobb-friends-gathering-2023-09-26/ LOCATION:Online Via Zoom CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Cobb-Friends-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230921T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230921T090000 DTSTAMP:20260418T194822 CREATED:20230109T083150Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231212T233404Z UID:10000443-1695283200-1695286800@cobb.institute SUMMARY:Learning Circle: Process & Coffee DESCRIPTION:Process & Coffee is about spiritual integration and exploration. We meet weekly to dive into books by mystics and sages. The discussion that follows helps to deepen our own spiritual lives. \n\n\n\nClick here to learn more or join. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/learning-circle-process-coffee-23/2023-09-21/ CATEGORIES:Learning Circle ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Process-and-Coffee-featured-image.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230919T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230919T120000 DTSTAMP:20260418T194822 CREATED:20230912T215813Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230912T220104Z UID:10000753-1695117600-1695124800@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Sam Coker DESCRIPTION:Topic: John Coltrane’s Love Supreme: A Process Approach to (Popular) Music. \n\n\n\nPresenters: Sam Coker \n\n\n\nArguably a dominant “religion” of contemporary culture is popular music: jazz\, rock\, metal\, indie\, rap\, country\, etc. People form identities and communities around it\, and enjoy touches of transcendence while listening to it. It is\, in a certain sense\, the sacred scripture for many around the world: albeit sonic not textual. Recently Sam Coker\, a recent graduate of Garrett-Evangelical seminary\, with a Master of Divinity and a Master of Theological Studies\, wrote a thesis on theology and popular music. His research interests include hermeneutics and the intersection of contemporary theology and music\, which culminated in a master’s thesis entitled “Keeping Time: A Theological Reading of Temporality in Popular Music.” Building upon that MA thesis\, he will explore the role of popular music in contemporary culture\, in dialogue with Jay McDaniel\, who was Sam’s professor of religious studies at Hendrix College. Using samples from jazz to metal music\, they will discuss (1) how music works with a yearning for restoration with the divine reality and can\, at times\, embody that restoration in sonic form; (2) how music elicits a dual dialectic of the apophatic and cataphatic; and (3) how temporality itself\, understood as a lived passage from present to past to future\, is at the heart of all music.   \n\n\n\nIn developing his themes\, he uses John Coltrane’s Love Supreme as one of his examples. Sam will introduce the themes and Jay will link with process thought. Sam currently lives in Chicago and splits his time between working in the chaplain’s office at a senior living facility and as a barista at a midsize coffee company. In his spare time\, he listens to tons of music\, goes to a lot of concerts\, and collects vinyl records. He is excited to collaborate with Dr. Jay McDaniel\, who was Sam’s professor of religious studies at Hendrix College.   \n\n\n\nHe is a certified candidate for ordained ministry in the United Methodist Church and one day hopes to pursue a doctoral degree in theology and ethics.To further get acquainted with Sam Coker\, see this link to his thesis: https://www.proquest.com/docview/2819964804. Or check out his metal article here:https://www.openhorizons.org/metal-music-a-hunger-for-transgressive-spiritual-spaces.html. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nInformation about how to access each gathering is made available via email. To find out about a single meeting\, send an email to events@cobb.institute. If you would like to receive regular meeting announcements and updates about the Institute\, please join our list of Friends. \n\n\n\nCan’t make it to the live session? Click here to access our archive of Cobb & Friends recordings. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/john-cobb-friends-gathering-2023-09-19/ LOCATION:Online Event CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Cobb-Friends-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230919T083000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230919T093000 DTSTAMP:20260418T194822 CREATED:20230810T062240Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230810T062247Z UID:10000730-1695112200-1695115800@cobb.institute SUMMARY:Learning Circle: An Awakening Planet? DESCRIPTION:A Discussion Group Contemplating the Vision of Teilhard de Chardin\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFacilitated by Dr. Ernie Tamminga\, this group meets every two weeks to carefully consider how and whether Teilhard de Chardin’s hope-filled perspective on the human evolutionary future can still inspire us in a time full of conflicts and division. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFIND OUT MORE URL:https://cobb.institute/event/learning-circle-an-awakening-planet-4/2023-09-19/ LOCATION:Online Event CATEGORIES:Learning Circle ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/An-Awakening-Planet-featured-image.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230914T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230914T090000 DTSTAMP:20260418T194822 CREATED:20230109T083150Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231212T233404Z UID:10000442-1694678400-1694682000@cobb.institute SUMMARY:Learning Circle: Process & Coffee DESCRIPTION:Process & Coffee is about spiritual integration and exploration. We meet weekly to dive into books by mystics and sages. The discussion that follows helps to deepen our own spiritual lives. \n\n\n\nClick here to learn more or join. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/learning-circle-process-coffee-23/2023-09-14/ CATEGORIES:Learning Circle ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Process-and-Coffee-featured-image.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230912T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230912T180000 DTSTAMP:20260418T194822 CREATED:20230811T224320Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230811T224323Z UID:10000740-1694538000-1694541600@cobb.institute SUMMARY:Process Pop-Up: Spirituality\, Psychedelics\, and Process Thought DESCRIPTION:Drawing from his own deeply moving personal journey through the early death of his father and his quest for sobriety\, in this event\, John Buchanan\, Ph.D. will introduce topics from his 2022 book\, Processing Reality: Finding Meaning in Death\, Psychedelics\, and Sobriety. He’ll highlight why process thought and transpersonal psychology are especially useful for understanding how psychedelics (and nonordinary states more generally) provide a mode of access to the transpersonal realm – what people may refer to as the Sacred or Divine Reality. He’ll explore how and why these experiences may reveal truthful insights into the nature of the universe and its spiritual dimensions along with the ways in which Alfred North Whitehead’s metaphysics and psychiatrist Stanislav Grof’s mapping of exceptional experience offer a powerful interpretive lens through which to view these phenomena. \n\n\n\nRSVP required to receive ZOOM info. \n\n\n\n\nRSVP at Process & Faith\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCo-sponsored by the following: URL:https://cobb.institute/event/process-pop-up-spirituality-psychedelics-and-process-thought/ CATEGORIES:Pop-Up,Workshop ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Process-Pop-Ups-Spirituality-Psychedelics-and-Process-Thought-Header.jpg END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR