The Harmonics of the Cosmos: Energy, Time, and Being"

Cosmic Harmonics: The Resonance btw STring Theory & the Oscillatory Universe

The Universe as a Spectrum of Frequency

The Harmonics of the Cosmos -

Energy, Time, and Being

by R.E. Slater and ChatGPT

Earlier this week I chanced upon a pseudo-scientific blurb which claimed accuracy that consequentially led to deducing purported meaning from coincidental data. I noticed this right off but needed ChatGPT / AI to help me parse it's plausible scientific concoctions.

Along the way I stumbled into a short scientific description of frequency and harmonics applied both terrestrially as well as cosmically which then arrived at several conclusions applicable to process philosophical thought.

So, what seemed a lark for me ended up becoming a learning experience in an area which many people may find un-interesting, but for those with science backgrounds this short post may resonate practically with the many technological studies being conducted in AI.

My suggestion, skim read part I's pseudo-scientific claim then in part II begin to settle into AI's reply and my own follow up questioning of AI. 

R.E. Slater

June 5, 2025

PART I - A MISLEADING ANALYSIS APPLIED TO HUMAN OSCILLATORY HARMONICS

RES to ChatGPT

Is the following true or false? (my side notes are highlighted in blue)

TITLE: FREQUENCY 12 Hz AS THE BRIDGE BETWEEN 12 O'CLOCK AND THE 24-HOUR RESONANCE CYCLE

AUTHOR: Professor Stylianos Touloumidis (I did not verify the author - just the conjecture claimed below).

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15592500 (I followed up with ChatGPT on this link in Part 4)

INTRODUCTION

The 24-hour clock system is not merely a cultural convention – it may reflect an underlying physical symmetry encoded in the structure of time, frequency, and resonance.

In this analysis, we examine the result of entering a frequency of exactly 12 Hz into a waveform analyzer. The outcome reveals a mathematically coherent bridge between 12:00 (zenith of the day) and the 24-hour resonance structure of the clock.

This behavior is not visual or symbolic – it arises purely from the properties of sinusoidal wave propagation and spatial compression.

It confirms that the number 12 is not only central on the clock face, but also central in the frequency domain.

SETUP AND OBSERVATION

Input: f = 12.00000 Hz

Calculation results:

λ = 2.49827e+07 m (Wavelength)

γ = 0.12731 (Observed compression factor)

E_res = 12.00000 Hz

φ = 1 (coherent pulse form)

Wavelength breakdown per C-digit: (values show the division of constant digits by f)

2 ÷ 12.0 = 0.16667 m

9 ÷ 12.0 = 0.75000 m

9 ÷ 12.0 = 0.75000 m

7 ÷ 12.0 = 0.58333 m

9 ÷ 12.0 = 0.75000 m

2 ÷ 12.0 = 0.16667 m

4 ÷ 12.0 = 0.33333 m

5 ÷ 12.0 = 0.41667 m

8 ÷ 12.0 = 0.66667 m

FFT signal output: The waveform shows 12 complete sine waves per second. This corresponds to 24 distinct transitions (positive + negative).

INTERPRETATION:  Each sine wave consists of two halves (positive and negative phase). Thus, 12 Hz generates 24 distinct oscillatory events within one second. This corresponds exactly to the 24-hour structure of the analog clock:

12 Hz → 24 Half-Cycles per second

12:00 → Midpoint of 24-hour daily cycle

This suggests a natural harmonic resonance between time as measured on the clock and frequency behavior in the physical field.

We may interpret:

- 12 Hz as the structural midpoint of spatial-temporal compression.

- 24 half-cycles as symbolic of the full day cycle.

- A bridge between daytime (12:00) and midnight (00:00/24:00).

This resonance does not arise from symbolic assignment, but emerges organically from the waveform structure itself.

CONCLUSION:

The input of 12 Hz produces a waveform that reflects the symmetry of the 24-hour day cycle. 

This discovery provides further confirmation that the clock – when interpreted as a frequency model – mirrors underlying physical principles of space, time, and structure.

The correlation between 12 Hz and 24 oscillatory segments per second represents a foundational bridge between geometry, resonance, and human timekeeping.

This finding supports the broader theory that light and darkness, space and compression, and time itself can be described within a resonance-based physical framework.

Further details and the complete model can be accessed in the official publication: → https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15592500 #physics #BIGBANG #spacetime (I followed up with ChatGPT on this link in Part 4)

PART 2. CHAPGPT'S REPLY

The claim that a 12 Hz frequency serves as a "bridge" between 12 o'clock and the 24-hour resonance cycle, as presented in the document titled "FREQUENCY 12 Hz AS THE BRIDGE BETWEEN 12 O'CLOCK AND THE 24-HOUR RESONANCE CYCLE" by Professor Stylianos Touloumidis, is false when evaluated against established scientific principles.

Evaluation of the Claim

1. Misinterpretation of Sinusoidal Properties

The assertion that a 12 Hz sine wave produces 24 "oscillatory events" per second, correlating to the 24-hour day, arises from counting both the positive and negative phases of each cycle. While mathematically accurate that a 12 Hz sine wave completes 12 full cycles (each comprising a positive and negative phase) per second, this is a fundamental characteristic of sinusoidal waves and does not imply a deeper connection to the 24-hour clock system.

2. Arbitrary Numerical Correlation

The linkage between the number 12 in the frequency domain and 12 o'clock on a clock face is coincidental. The 12-hour clock system is a human-made convention, and any numerical alignment with frequency values lacks inherent physical significance.

3. Lack of Empirical Evidence

The document does not provide empirical data or peer-reviewed research to substantiate the proposed connection between 12 Hz frequency and the 24-hour resonance cycle. Without experimental validation, the claim remains speculative.

Conclusion

While the document presents an intriguing perspective, the proposed connection between a 12 Hz frequency and the 24-hour clock cycle is not supported by established scientific understanding. The correlation appears to be a numerological coincidence rather than a phenomenon grounded in physics.

RES

Yes, when reading the assertion I too believed it to be more coincidence and happenstance than true. I also thought that one can find any frequency value to support one's conjectures.

ChatGPT

Exactly — well said. When working with frequencies and cycles, it's easy to fall into numerological reasoning: choosing numbers that match a symbolic framework and then retroactively fitting physical interpretations to them. This is especially tempting when dealing with the elegance of waveforms, harmonics, or natural cycles (like day and night, or musical octaves).

A few key points to reinforce your insight:

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🌀 The Danger of Arbitrary Frequency Anchoring

• Any frequency can be sliced into halves, quarters, or any multiple, and its waveform segmented into patterns that resemble something familiar (e.g., calendars, clock cycles, zodiac signs).

• Pattern recognition is a powerful human trait — but it can lead to apophenia: seeing meaning in coincidental data.

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🎯 Scientific Approach vs. Symbolic Interpretation

Aspect	Scientific Method	Symbolic Conjecture
Based on	Empirical data, repeatability	Coincidence, subjective symmetry
Goal	Understanding causal mechanisms	Finding meaning or metaphor
Error correction	Peer review, falsifiability	Rarely challenged, often reinforced
Example (frequency use)	EEG bands (alpha, beta, etc.) → brain function	432 Hz → “the frequency of the universe” claim

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🔁 Your Comment in Broader Context

You're right: with enough flexibility, any frequency or mathematical ratio can be made to "fit" a theory — particularly in the absence of rigorous constraints. It's not that such explorations are inherently bad — they can be poetic, metaphorical, even spiritually interesting. But they're not science unless they:

• Make falsifiable predictions,

• Are grounded in physical causality,

• Are reproducible and verifiable.

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PART 3 - A PROCESSUAL RECONSTRUCTION OF FREQUENCY RESONANCE AND TIME

If you'd like, I can help construct a scientifically grounded framework around resonance and time — for instance, using circadian rhythms, Schumann resonance, or Planck units — all of which do have empirical bases but can still be inspiring and meaningful.

RES

Cool. Go for it.

ChatGPT

Great! Let's build a scientifically grounded but inspirational framework connecting resonance, frequency, and time, without slipping into pseudoscience. We'll walk a line between physics and poetic wonder — something Whitehead himself might enjoy.

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🌍 FRAMEWORK: Time, Resonance, and Natural Rhythms in the Cosmos

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1. Time as Process, Not Object

(Process Philosophy Insight)

• Time is not a thing but a becoming — a continuous unfolding of events.

• In Alfred North Whitehead’s process metaphysics, each moment is a concrescence (integration) of the past into a new act of experience.

• Time is thus experiential and relational, not a passive container.

🌀 Frequency resonance is not merely a measurement — it is how processes unfold, cohere, and relate over time.

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2. Biological Rhythms & Circadian Oscillators

(Empirical Science Insight)

• Our bodies resonate with Earth’s rotation. The circadian rhythm is ~24 hours, governed by gene-protein feedback loops (like CLOCK and BMAL1).

• These rhythms are synchronized by zeitgebers (time-givers), primarily light. [*zeitgebers are  rhythmically occurring natural phenomenon which acts as a cue in the regulation of the body's circadian rhythms.]

📡 The body doesn’t just measure time — it harmonizes with cosmic rhythm via solar cues.

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3. Earth’s Natural Electromagnetic Resonance: Schumann Frequencies

• Earth’s cavity (between surface and ionosphere) resonates at extremely low frequencies.

• The Schumann Resonance's fundamental mode: ~7.83 Hz, with higher harmonics at ~14, 20, 26, 33 Hz...

• These frequencies are linked to lightning activity and global atmospheric conditions.

🎵 Some researchers speculate these ELF fields affect biological rhythms — a subtle dance between Earth’s breath and our being. [*ELF - Extremely Low Frequency]

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4. Cosmic Clocks: Atomic & Celestial Timing

• Atomic clocks use the frequency of cesium atom transitions: ~9,192,631,770 Hz = 1 second.

• Pulsars (rotating neutron stars) emit beams of radio waves at incredibly stable intervals — natural timekeepers of the universe.

• The Earth’s rotation gives us our 24-hour day — a temporal rhythm shaped by the cosmos itself.

🕰️ All timekeeping ultimately depends on oscillation — regular, resonant events — from the atomic to the cosmic scale.

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5. A Spectrum of Resonant Time

Frequency Range	Domain	Natural Example
~0.00001–1 Hz	Tectonic, deep cosmic rhythms	Planetary orbits, glacial cycles
~0.01–30 Hz	ELF, brainwaves, Schumann	Theta, Alpha brain states; Earth fields
~1 kHz–GHz	Human tech, cellular signals	Radio, Wi-Fi, electronics
~10⁹–10²³ Hz	Light, quantum processes	Visible light, gamma rays, Planck time

💡 The universe is a spectrum of frequency – from the slow heartbeat of planets to the rapid vibration of photons.

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6. Processual Interpretation of Resonance

• Resonance in this framework is not just vibration — it is a metaphor for coherence, attunement, and meaningful temporal participation.

• Just as musical harmony emerges from ratios of pitch, temporal harmony emerges from nested rhythms — bodily, planetary, cosmic.

📖 To live in resonance is to participate in time attentively, attuned to deeper rhythms than the clock alone.

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✨ CONCLUSION: A Poetic-Speculative Model

“Time is the rhythm of becoming.”

— Reimagined from Whitehead

We can now say:

• 12 Hz has no inherent metaphysical centrality.

• But resonance as a cosmic language — from alpha brainwaves (~8–12 Hz) to Schumann frequencies — does reflect deep interrelationships between energy, time, and life.

• True resonance is relational: not symbolic magic, but participatory alignment.

Harmonics of the Cosmos

A poem of resonance and unfolding...

by ChatGPT and R.E. Slater

In the stillness before first light's call,
a rhythm breathed - no clock, no wall.
Not hours, but spacetime's pulses spun,
oscillating songs from zero to one.

Planck in silence, photon in flight,
the universe whispered itself into light.
Not by speech, but hum of variable wave,
resonances wove across frequency's nave.

Schumann’s hum beneath our feet,
echoes of sky and thunder meet.
While alpha minds in calm repose
mirror the Earth in rhythmic throes.

The body sways in circadian tide,
as solar flame serves ancient guide.
Within our cells, zeitgeber clocks unwind

like threads of light through loops of time.

From neurons flickering to stars that sing,
cosmic becoming is ever forming, flowing.

Rivers of motion, measure, or phase -

writ in sinusoidal hymns of praise.

So mark not time by tick or chime,

but by the pulse of shared design.
In every beat, the cosmos turning,
in every breath, the world churning.

We are notes composed in earthly tones,
Ever harmonic fields mixed and sown.
Where energy, time, and being reside -

in a cosmos of vibrating rhythm's tide.

 

by R.E. Slater & ChatGPT

June 5, 2025

@copyright R.E. Slater Publications

all rights reserved

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Here's a visual map of resonant time layers — spanning from quantum fluctuations (Planck time) to the vast cycle of our galaxy. Each layer shows a frequency (in Hz) corresponding to a major natural process:

• Top layers represent ultra-high-frequency events like photons and quantum time.

• Middle layers include biologically and technologically meaningful rhythms like brainwaves, Schumann resonance, and atomic clocks.

• Bottom layers represent slow, cosmic cycles — such as Earth’s orbit or the galaxy's rotation.

Resonant Time Layers: From Quantum to Cosmic

PART 4 - FOLLOW UP ON THE INTERNET LINK

RES

As a double check, I have a follow up question: "Go to the web link https://zenodo.org/records/15592500 and determine correlation and accuracy of the initial assertion between the 12hz frequency and 24 hour resonance cycle...

ChatGPT

Upon reviewing the publication titled "SCIENCE – A SYSTEM AT A DEAD END" by Professor Stylianos Touloumidis, available at Zenodo, it appears that the document does not directly address or substantiate the specific claim that a 12 Hz frequency serves as a bridge between 12 o'clock and the 24-hour resonance cycle.

Key Observations:

• Focus of the Publication: The document primarily discusses a proposed mathematical framework aiming to redefine physical concepts such as space, time, and resonance. It introduces a universal equation intended to describe spatial and frequency structures across various scales, from astrophysical objects to atomic configurations.

• Absence of Specific Analysis: There is no mention or analysis within the publication that correlates a 12 Hz frequency with the 24-hour daily cycle or any specific timekeeping constructs.

• Theoretical Nature: The work presents a theoretical model that challenges conventional physics interpretations. However, it does not provide empirical data or experimental validation for the specific 12 Hz and 24-hour cycle correlation.

Conclusion:

Based on the content of the referenced publication, there is no direct correlation or evidence provided to support the assertion that a 12 Hz frequency acts as a bridge between 12 o'clock and the 24-hour resonance cycle. The claim appears to be speculative and lacks empirical substantiation within the context of this work.

Process Cosmotheology and the Biological Universe, Part 3 - Steven Dick's Naturalistic Cosmology

 Process Cosmotheology and the Biological Universe

Part 1 - Why a Process-based Universe is Essential

Part 2 - A New Philosophic-Theology

Part 3 - Steven Dick's Naturalistic Cosmology

Part 4 - Andrew Davis' Response to Steven Dick's Naturalistic Cosmology

* * * * * * *

Astrobiology, Cosmotheology, and the Biological Universe:

Implications for Religion and Theology

by Steven Dick

October 4, 2022

An Abstract Presented to the Process Group of "Cobb & Friends"

Recent discoveries in astronomy and astrobiology strongly indicate the need for a transformation of established theologies and suggest possibilities for new cosmically-oriented theologies such as cosmotheology.

• As concerning the Biological Universe, the idea that intelligent life in the universe is common necessitates a reconciliation of this new universe with dogmas of the Abrahamic religions in the same way that Thomas Aquinas tried to reconcile natural philosophy and Christianity in 13th century Europe. [Seemingly,] other religions and their associated theologies will be less affected but still need to incorporate the cosmic perspective.

• In particular, discoveries in astronomy and astrobiology resonate with the dynamism of process theology in the sense that all theologies must take into account cosmic evolution and the possibilities of a biological universe in which life may be part of the very fabric of the universe.

• [Assumption] These discoveries also strongly suggest a denial of supernaturalism, a critical eye toward the epistemological status of revelation, and a rethinking of the nature of God and the sacred in the tradition of religious naturalism. In contrast to traditional theologies, human destiny is most universally couched in cosmic terms.

• The endeavor of transforming current theologies and creating new cosmic theologies is broadly characterized as astrotheology, a new and increasingly robust discipline that embraces the possibility of a more universal theology common to all intelligence in the cosmos.

• Astrotheology and its various flavors such as cosmotheology are part of a restructuring of our worldviews, a necessary endeavor as we internalize the realities of the new universe.

Biography

Steven J. Dick served as the NASA Chief Historian and Director of the NASA History Office from 2003 to 2009. Prior to that he was an astronomer and historian of science at the U.S. Naval Observatory for more than two decades. He was the 2014 Baruch S. Blumberg NASA/Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology at the Library of Congress’s John W. Kluge Center. In 2013, he testified before the United States Congress on the subject of astrobiology. From 2011 to 2012 he held the Charles A. Lindbergh Chair in Aerospace History at the National Air and Space Museum.

Dicks is the author or editor of 25 books, including most recently Astrobiology, Discovery, and Societal Impact (Cambridge, 2018), Classifying the Cosmos: How We Can Make Sense of the Celestial Landscape (Springer, 2019), and Space, Time, and Aliens: Collected Works on Cosmos and Culture (Springer, 2020).

In 2006, Dick received the LeRoy E. Doggett Prize from the American Astronomical Society for a career that has significantly influenced the field of the history of astronomy. He is the recipient of the NASA Exceptional Service Medal, the Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Medal, and the NASA Group Achievement Award for his work on astrobiology. He has served as President of the History of Astronomy Commission of the International Astronomical Union and as Chair of the Historical Astronomy Division of the American Astronomical Society. He has been elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and a Fellow of the American Astronomical Society. Minor planet 6544 Steven Dick was named in his honor.

More information at http://www.stevenjdick.com/index.html

* * * * * * *

Publications by Steven J. Dick

 

Stephen J. Dick Cosmotheology

Presented to "Cobb & Friends"

by Steven J. Dick

October 4, 2022

https://cobb.institute/john-cobb-friends/

Cobb & Friends YouTube channel

A Few Notes by RE Slater

*Steven's presentation consisted of reading from his Power Point slides even as Andrew Davis would later do himself the following week. Notes were mostly unneeded because of the thoroughness of each presenter's slides.

*metaphysics = met·a·phys·ics (noun) - the branch of philosophy that deals with the first principles of things, including abstract concepts such as being, knowing, substance, cause, identity, time, and space.

Question:

Would you regard metaphysics as a discipline of a Naturalistic Cosmology?

Response:

Cosmologists would regard the question of the initial conditions for the universe as belonging to the realm of metaphysics or religion and not to the proper study of cosmology. Metaphysics would be considered an abstract theory with no basis in reality.

Question:

What is metaphysics in simple words?

Response:

It is derived from the Greek word meta ta physika ("after the things of nature"); referring to an idea, doctrine, or posited reality outside of human sense perception.

In modern philosophical terminology, metaphysics refers to the studies of what cannot be reached through objective studies of material reality. It is beyond the physics of the observer.

Steven Dick

Oct 3, 2021

This interview is featured as part of a course

available at https://www.arewealone.us/

Video Contents

Are We Alone, 2:05

The Ancient Greeks, 4:03

Aristotle, 5:42

The Condemnation of 1277, 11:56

Would You Baptize an Extraterrestrial, 15:04

The Cartesian Tradition, 20:30

Discovery of a World in the Moon, 21:19

Defining Life Does Not Help Us Understand the Origin of Life, 36:28

Has the Concept of Alone Changed over Time, 37:46

The Origin of Life, 38:29

Have You Ever Seen a UFO, 39:27

The Fermi Paradox, 44:17

Objective Knowledge, 46:16

The Astrobiology Debate, 48:28

Altruism, 55:43

Xin Liu on the Three Body Problem, 57:53

What Is the Impact of Finding Life beyond Earth, 1:01:09

Would You Invest in Microscopes to Look for Nano Alien Spacecraft, 1:03:25

The Definition of Life, 1:04:30

How Do You Determine the Artificiality, 1:05:24

Are We Alone in the Universe, 1:12:16

Wikipedia - Astrotheology

Astrotheology, astral mysticism, astral religion, astral or stellar theology (also referred to as astral or star worship) is the worship of the stars (individually or together as the night sky), the planets, and other heavenly bodies as deities, or the association of deities with heavenly bodies. In anthropological literature these systems of practice may be referred to as astral cults.

In the 21st century the term astrotheology is used by Jan Irvin, Jordan Maxwell and Andrew Rutajit (2006) in reference to "the earliest known forms of religion and nature worship," advocating the entheogen (drug-induced) theory of the origin of religion:

The evolutionary origin of religions and religious behavior is a field of study related to evolutionary psychology, the origin of language and mythology, and cross-cultural comparison of the anthropology of religion. Some subjects of interest include Neolithic religion, evidence for spirituality or cultic behavior in the Upper Paleolithic, and similarities in great ape behavior.

Books on Astrotheology

As Science developed Astrotheologies gave way

as explanations for the origin of life...

What we know now of our Galaxy

Wikipedia - Astrobiology

Astrobiology, and the related field of exobiology, is an interdisciplinary scientific field that studies the origins, early evolution, distribution, and future of life in the universe. Astrobiology is the multidisciplinary field that investigates the deterministic conditions and contingent events with which life arises, distributes, and evolves in the universe. It considers the question of whether extraterrestrial life exists, and if it does, how humans can detect it.

Astrobiology makes use of molecular biology, biophysics, biochemistry, chemistry, astronomy, physical cosmology, exoplanetology, geology, paleontology, and ichnology to investigate the possibility of life on other worlds and help recognize biospheres that might be different from that on Earth. The origin and early evolution of life is an inseparable part of the discipline of astrobiology. Astrobiology concerns itself with interpretation of existing scientific data, and although speculation is entertained to give context, astrobiology concerns itself primarily with hypotheses that fit firmly into existing scientific theories.

This interdisciplinary field encompasses research on the origin of planetary systems, origins of organic compounds in space, rock-water-carbon interactions, abiogenesis on Earth, planetary habitability, research on biosignatures for life detection, and studies on the potential for life to adapt to challenges on Earth and in outer space.

Biochemistry may have begun shortly after the Big Bang, 13.8 billion years ago, during a habitable epoch when the Universe was only 10–17 million years old. According to the panspermia hypothesis, microscopic life—distributed by meteoroids, asteroids and other small Solar System bodies—may exist throughout the universe. According to research published in August 2015, very large galaxies may be more favorable to the creation and development of habitable planets than such smaller galaxies as the Milky Way. Nonetheless, Earth is the only place in the universe known to harbor life at this time. Estimates of habitable zones around other stars, sometimes referred to as "Goldilocks zones", along with the discovery of thousands of extrasolar planets and new insights into extreme habitats here on Earth, suggest that there may be many more habitable places in the universe than considered possible until very recently.

Current studies on the planet Mars by the Curiosity and Perseverance rovers are searching for evidence of ancient life as well as plains related to ancient rivers or lakes that may have been habitable. The search for evidence of habitability, taphonomy (related to fossils), and organic molecules on the planet Mars is now a primary NASA and ESA objective.

Even if extraterrestrial life is never discovered, the interdisciplinary nature of astrobiology, and the cosmic and evolutionary perspectives engendered by it, may still result in a range of benefits here on Earth.

Toward a Constructive Naturalistic Cosmotheology

by Steven J. Dick

Excerpt - https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-41614-0_13

Cosmotheology is a theology that takes into account what we know about the universe based on science. It is therefore a naturalistic theology in the tradition of religious naturalism.

This [excerpted] chapter takes as its foundational assumption the concept that the supernatural does not exist.

Following this concept, we present six principles of cosmotheology, including the idea that:

• we are not physically, biologically, cognitively, or morally central in the universe;

• that any [unnecessary] concept of God must be grounded in naturalistic cosmic evolution;

• that it must have an expansive moral dimension, an astroethics extending to all life in the universe;

• and that while a human destiny linked to cosmic evolution rather than supernaturalism is a radical departure from the past, it is in the end beneficial and liberating.

Such a worldview resolves many ancient theological problems:

• Bad things happen to good people because the universe is hostile rather than loving.

• Yet the prospect of contact with life beyond Earth leaves open the possibility of interacting with that life, and the idea of a loving and compassionate God can be expressed naturally in the way we treat our fellow humans and other creatures in the universe without resorting to supernaturalism.

Stripped of supernaturalism and other accoutrements, compassion is at the core of all religions, even if the ideal is not always met, and universal compassion is at the core of cosmotheology.

Steven Dicks, Cosmotheologist

Steven Dicks' Seminars, Publications, Forum Discussions, and more...

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SELECT WEEK 1 COMMENTS

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From RE Slater to everyone 01:57 PM [edited]

From what I understand of Whiteheadian Process Philosophy is that:

• It already inhabits Steven Dick's questions... 

• That Whitehead is deeply centered in the cosmo-metaphysical (sic, cosmo-ecological)...

• And by extending any ancient religion's identity of themselves (including the Judeo-Christian faith) that a faith metaphysic is naturally located in the God of the meta-verse et al...

• Further, for many non-processual theologies, such statements will require better responses than they have now.

• By implication I think of all natural theologies of the earth including all sciences and socio-politico categories as inherently and naturally processual (whether admitted or not) as reflecting a naturally processual creation...

• Examples would be the studies of processual evolution, processual quantum sciences, processual Jungian Arche-types, etc and etc. Hence, all creation may very adequately be described in terms of processual Whiteheadian process philosophy and its later development of process theology.

• Finally, the questions being asked are all easily and quite naturally being answered in process philosophy and theology's metaphysics.

From Jay McDaniel to Everyone 02:02 PM

I really appreciate this talk. It seems to me that there are many connections with the process tradition:

• the notion that wherever there is actuality there is something like experience

• the idea that God is a lure within the whole of the cosmos, not the earth alone

• the idea that we humans are part of, not apart from, a larger web of becomings, including galactic becomings

Here's an essay I wrote called "A New Sense of Transcendences: Expanding religious horizons."

* * * * * * * *

Steven Dicks, Cosmotheologist

Cosmotheology: Steven J. Dick

article link

by Ted Peters

May 13, 2022

Some books stimulate kairos excitement. Like watching your favorite player hit a home run, I cheered when I first read Steven J. Dick’s Plurality of Worlds: The Extraterrestrial Life Debate from Democritus to Kant (Dick, 1982). Since its publication in 1982, others such as Michael J. Crowe have similarly documented the story of our terrestrial ancestors thinking about our extraterrestrial neighbors (Crowe, 1988).

Dick’s Plurality of Worlds first substantiated for me how speculations about sharing our universe with off-Earth civilizations has been with us since the birth of our own civilization. Neither the Greco-Roman worldview nor the medieval Christian worldview would find sharing our universe with ET anathema. Dire tabloid predictions that alien contact would allegedly destroy our fragile inherited religious traditions go limp in the face of the kind of knowledge Dick makes available.

That’s history. What about the present?

Steven Dick along with colleagues indefatigably produces the kind of scholarship that prepares us for the societal impact of astrobiology and its dramatic discoveries. His fine volume, Astrobiology, Discovery, and Societal Impact, is a vivid case in point (Dick, 2018).

Dick is also a constructive thinker. For the last two decades he has been constructing a cosmic centered ethics along with his version of cosmotheology. [1] You can find a cosmotheology manifesto in the book we published at CTNS (Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences) in 2018, Astrotheology: Science and Theology Meet Extraterrestrial Life. (Peters, 2018, Chapter 14)

Astrotheology, Process Theology, and Cosmic Consciousness

The first week of May found me and some of my favorite colleagues conferencing at Willamette University on “Astrotheology, Exo-Philosophy, and Cosmic Religion.”

This dialogue between astrobiologists and process philosophers was sponsored by the Center for Process Studies, headed by Andrew M. Davis.

The Smithsonian’s Constance Bertka opened with an overview of Astrotheology. She was followed by NASA historian Steven Dick, developing his [naturalistic] Cosmotheology. The process philosophers responded, critiqued, and integrated. Look in the future for a published volume of the proceedings.

Astrotheology as Public Theology

Astrotheology is one form of public theology.

Public theology may be conceived in the church and critically refined in the academy, but public theology's chief feature is that it is offered to the wider public for the sake of the common good.

Steve Dick’s cosmotheology is offered to the wider public for the sake of the common good:

“In a nutshell, public theology (theologica publica) is concerned with the public affairs or institutions of society (res publica) to promote the common good in society” avers Lutheran public theologian Paul S. Chung (Chung 2022, 11).

Or, in the words of South African leader, John deGruchy, “Christian witness in secular democratic society means promoting the common good by witnessing to core values rather than seeking privilege for the Christian religion” (DeGruchy, 2007).

With the common good in mind, I observe that Dick’s cosmotheology is offered to the wider public rather than the church. And, it is offered for the common good of all Earth’s residents.