Center for Process Studies

The Center for Process Studies has phased out our X account to focus instead on building our community on Bluesky and other social media platforms. If you're also on Bluesky, you can follow us here: bsky.app/profile/ctr4pr…

How can Chinese wisdom and Whitehead’s philosophy of organism help build a culture of shared humanity and hope—bridging East and West? Join us for discussion with Jay McDaniel at the upcoming World Goodwill Online Seminar 🗓️15 November ⏲️2:00-5:00 pm 🔗worldgoodwill.org/seminar_2025

Join us for a fascinating webinar featuring @drmichaellevin & George Ellis, moderated by Andrew Davis. They will explore the question of “possibility spaces”—those unseen domains that shape what can emerge in cosmology, biology, and beyond. RSVP: ctr4process.org/event/possibil…

The modern world faces a meaning crisis: a loss of depth, purpose, and participation in reality. In this new episode of the Mind-at-Large Project (a special series on Mind-Body Solution), I speak with Dr Andrew M. Davis about process cosmology, Whitehead’s living universe, and how philosophy can once again become a form of praxis - not just theory. We explore the future of consciousness studies, the limitations of materialism, and the possibility that the cosmos itself might be alive with value. 🎥 Watch the full conversation: youtu.be/NPC-6JmlGFk?si… 🎙 Listen here: open.spotify.com/episode/6Nhhei… Mind. Matter. Meaning. Ψ🧠Φ - Dr Tevin Naidu

Working on slides for my talk at the conference referenced by @UFO_Rabbit_Hole below, excited! Here's the description for my talk, "The Forge of Vulcanus: Plasma Physics & Premodern Protocols for Self-Cultivation" “What is accomplished by fire is alchemy … and he who governs fire is Vulcan.” — Paracelsus This talk presents and advocates for the retrieval of certain premodern noetic “protocols”—practices of psychophysical hygiene and cognitive exercise undertaken for the acquisition of wisdom—that reflected an understanding of knowledge as a self-implicating (participatory) process involving communion with various non-human intelligences (NHI). Such practices were largely eclipsed by the ostensible bracketing out of subjectivity characteristic of modernity’s scientific method. Today, however, both plasma cosmology—which suggests that more than 99 percent of the observable universe is an ionized, “fiery” matrix that even our thoughts and feelings can interface with—and contemporary accounts of protocols practiced intuitively by NHI contactees (as documented in connection with UFO/UAP phenomena by D. W. Pasulka and others) invite a renewed appraisal of these practices. Techniques that once animated mystical and alchemical traditions seem to be spontaneously reappearing today in the more sci-fi register of modern contact methods, suggesting that the revelations yielded by these seemingly disparate domains share a participatory logic. Drawing on this convergence and ideas from the philosopher and alleged clairvoyant, Rudolf Steiner, the presentation sketches speculative bridges from premodern religious experience to an emerging “global cosmism”: a worldview in which the human being is not a passive observer but—in being shaped by, and in turn shaping, the luminous plasma matrix undulating between stars and surging through the electric currents of our own beating hearts—is instead an instrument and participant in the divine forge-craft of Vulcanus.

I’m beyond honored to be speaking later this month at a workshop in the UK that brings together a remarkable group of scientists, philosophers, and researchers to explore the intersections of process philosophy, plasma cosmology, and transpersonal psychology. The lineup includes some of the thinkers whose work has profoundly shaped this emerging conversation—among them Robert Temple, Jeffrey Kripal, Bernard Carr, Jude Currivan, Matthew Segall, Peter Sjöstedt-Hughes, Andrew M. Davis, Nick Cook, and more. Together, we’ll be asking foundational questions about the nature of reality, consciousness, and intelligence—and how plasma, the most abundant yet often overlooked state of matter, might play a central role in those discussions. I’ll be presenting a talk titled Unfurling the Myth: Narrative as Interface Between the Psyche and the Field, which explores the idea that story is not merely a lens for interpreting reality, but a mechanism through which reality itself unfolds. This is a private workshop, so unfortunately tickets aren't available. However, it sounds like the plan currently is to release audio versions of the talks and potentially publish the papers, as well. I'll definitely share that material out as it becomes available. If you’d like to learn more about the workshop and the speakers, I’ve attached the full program with abstracts & bios from all the speakers here: docs.google.com/document/d/1Cq… @ctr4process

Guerilla video production is one of the many things I do—am learning to do—at the Institute for Cultural Evolution. This one was a lot of fun to make, in collaboration with Steve McIntosh (@CultureDevelops). I'm no "pro" video editor, but I'm learning the joys and sorrows of Final Cut Pro. It's wild how a 5-minute out-of-context clip combined with some Ken Burnsy images and text can result in a satisfying brain nugget. Plus, it's an honor to interact with such brilliant philosophers, like Steve McIntosh, Andrew M. Davis (@ctr4process), and Iain McGilchrist (@dr_mcgilchrist).

Excited to share that the full video conversation between me and world-renowned philosopher @dr_mcgilchrist is now live on YouTube. Huge thanks to Andrew M. Davis and @ctr4process for producing such an outstanding dialogue: youtu.be/0zjdypYYXIs?si…

This conversation delves into the intersection of philosophy, cultural evolution, and the Hemisphere Hypothesis, beginning with a lecture by @dr_mcgilchrist, followed by a dialogue with integral philosopher @CultureDevelops and audience Q&A. Watch here: youtu.be/0zjdypYYXIs

Honored to contribute to Whitehead and Teilhard: From Organism to Omega alongside Ilia Delio (@CChristogenesis) & Andrew Davis (@ctr4process)—both past presenters at my monthly Zoom group. My essay explores evolving the noosphere by integrating Teilhard’s vision with Whitehead’s process thought. A fresh path for culture, consciousness & spirit: a.co/d/gQQyuwm

Andrew Davis On The Meaning Crisis, Existential Risk, and Philosophical Praxis: Contributions from Process Philosophy Andrew Davis (@ctr4process) gave an excellent presentation to my Zoom group this week. Sign up to my monthly Zoom group to join us for the next one: developmentalist.org/join-steve-mci…

No thinker thinks twice | Matt Segall's remarks at last September's Whitehead Centennial Conference at Harvard University youtu.be/qKyLf8iMUgc?si… @ctr4process

NEW BOOK: Bergson and Freedom: The Creation of the New Within the Flow of Duration Get a copy: buff.ly/3Wc132V

CPS is planning a public memorial for Dr. Cobb on Saturday, February 15th, 2025 at the Claremont United Church of Christ. The Service will run between 3:00pm – 4:30pm PST. We will also be livestreaming the memorial on YouTube. RSVP here: buff.ly/3DU6UUh

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Post-Patriarchy Conference In March 1987, the Center held a mini-conference on the theme "Sharing Our Stories: Process-Feminist Dialogue on Post-Patriarchy." Read the report on the conference in volume 11 no 2 of the CPS newsletter: buff.ly/4as6X5F

Browse through current and past CPS publications such as our Process Studies and Ecological Civilization Studies journals. Full archives of Process Studies Supplements and CPS magazines are available! Check out the publication archives: buff.ly/3z490ib

NEW BOOK: Ìwà: The Process-Relational Dimension to African #Metaphysics Get a copy: buff.ly/4ab4213

Tomorrow's Renewing Faith Conference is designed specifically for Christians with questions - whether you consider yourself a progressive mainliner, a quiet contemplative, a spiritual seeker, or a “deconstructing” post-evangelical. Register today buff.ly/4cQOwbe

@ctr4process It seems that China is one of the few countries in the world that gives credence to the idea that a coherent and adequate metaphysics can inform meaningful cultural development. so good that @ctr4process exists to maintain liaisons and enrich our own fraying & threadbare culture.