Download the PDF: Deep Big History: A Living Systems Paradigm

This paper was presented in August, 2014 for the international conference on “Big History.” The dominant view within “big history” assumes the universe is non-living at its foundations and is comprised mostly of dead matter and empty space. It also regards the universe as without meaning, purpose or any underlying consciousness. This paper presents an alternative view that regards the universe as a unique kind of living system with meaning, purpose, and consciousness as an integral aspect.

Contrasts Between a Dead and a Living Universe
This is a table taken from my book The Living Universe and presents a series of contrasts between the view of the universe as either dead or alive at its foundations.

Download the PDF: The Double Life of Thomas Berry

A chapter by Duane for the book, Thomas Berry: Dreamer of the Earth, Ervin Laszlo and Allan combs (eds.), Inner Traditions. This chapter explores the intersection of the horizontal dimension of Berry’s work (the evolution of the universe through time) and the vertical dimension (the emergence of the universe in time as a living, regenerative system). Particular emphasis is given to the vertical dimension in Berry’s work–the spontaneous emergence at every moment of the universe as a sacred, interdependent system.

Download the PDF: The Great Awakening

This is the first chapter in my book, The Living Universe: Where Are We? Who Are We? Where Are We Going? published by Berret-Koehler. Are we beginning to regard the universe in a new way? What difference does it make whether we regard the universe as living or non-living at its foundations?

Download the PDF: We live in a Living Universe

A summary and overview of the universe as a living system adapted from my book, Promise Ahead: A Vision of Hope and Action for Humanity’s Future, Morrow, 2000.

Download the PDF: Continuous Creation of The Living Cosmos..

A long article by Duane published in the journal, ReVision on the theory of continuous creation of the cosmos. Of particular interest is the connection between the speed of continuous regeneration of the cosmos and the constancy of the speed of light. This theory suggests that the constancy of the speed of light at the local scale is a by-product of the precise consistency of continuous creation at the cosmic scale. Many other implications for cosmology are noted.Continuous Creation of The Living Cosmos.