Major new discoveries in space are made almost weekly and there is so much for any new enthusiast to learn and explore. Beginning with the solar system, the Sun, all its planets, major moons, and other features, such as the asteroid belt, Idiot's Guides: The Cosmos is packed with information and features the best photos from various explorations. Beautiful photography and detailed descriptions of the various types of masses are compared to Earth-- making the information as easy to grasp as possible. The book also explores the Milky Way, the various star types, including black holes, galaxy filaments, and much more. Idiot's Guides: The Cosmos is a fascinating and easy-to-understand exploration of the universe. Dozens of stunning, full-color photos highlight the latest discoveries and beauty of space, including the solar system, the Sun, the asteroid belt, the Milky Way, various star types, black holes, and more.
As World War II intrudes upon their home, three young friends risk everything for freedom, love, and a chance at a better life. On October 28th, 1940, Mussolini provides Greek Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas with an ultimatum: either allow Axis forces to occupy their country, or face war, and Greece's response is swift. "Oxi!" they say. "No!" In a small village nestled against the radiant waters of the Aegean Sea, we find Alexei, the son of a local fisherman, and his best friend Costa, who were both born on the same night eighteen years earlier and have been like brothers ever since, though now, like all the other young men in their village and throughout Greece, they will leave their homes to bravely fight for their country. But before they go, Alexei asks Philia, the girl that he's loved his entire life, to marry him, which sets into motion the events which will change the lives of these three and their family and friends forever, and begins an epic and unforgettable story of courage, survival, sacrifice, the strength of the human spirit, and of a love and friendship that will echo across time and generations. A spellbinding novel and sweeping romance that performs the remarkable feat of creating action-packed scenes, characters that we care deeply about, and revealing in vivid detail the untold true story of how Greece helped the Allies to win World War II, Once We Were Here is an unforgettable tale that pays tribute to the brave men and women who fought and gave everything for their country, for each other, and for freedom.
Ready for more Chaos and Cosmos? From space pirates to undead dragons, Tor and Tor.com Publishing are proud to present excerpts of some of 2020’s most wild and wondrous new sci-fi and fantasy. Includes free sample ebook chapters from: The Memory of Souls (A Chorus of Dragons #3), by Jenn Lyons Master of Poisons, by Andrea Hairston To Sleep in a Sea of Stars, by Christopher Paolini Burning Roses, by S. L. Huang Attack Surface (A Little Brother Story), by Cory Doctorow NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER The Invisible Life of addie LaRue, V. E. Schwab. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
This book presents a systematic exploration of contemporary perspectives in physics, evolutionary biology and psychology as they relate to theological descriptions of the universe, humanity and consciousness. Contributors examine such issues as theological responses to the ecological crisis; how science is treated and valued in education; the possible development of the science and religion debate in the 21st Century.
Pain, suffering, and extinction are intrinsic to the evolutionary process. In this book Christopher Southgate shows how the world that is very good is also groaning in travail and subjected by God to that travail. Southgate then evaluates several attempts at evolutionary theodicy and argues for his own approachan approach that takes full account of Gods self-emptying and human beings special responsibilities as created cocreators. Christopher Southgate is Honorary University Fellow in Theology at the University of Exeter, England, and Visiting Scholar at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. Originally trained as a biochemist at the University of Cambridge, he is the general editor and principal author of God, Humanity and the Cosmos (3rd ed.).
“The gift of this beautiful earth is not to be ignored or regretted; instead, this world is the central setting in which the Christian life is to be attentively lived and faithfully pursued.” Regard for creation and its creatures has been a perennial part of Christian spirituality for centuries. In more recent decades it has been the special concern of Catholic social teaching. Yet many Catholics today are unfamiliar with this aspect of Church thought. And until the splendor of creation is recovered, the path to a vibrant Catholic culture seems cut off. The Joyful Mystery seeks to revive the Church’s practice of integral ecology and encourages a deeper awareness of the presence of God, the Creator and Lord of the universe. In it, author Christopher Thompson draws from the wisdom of St. Thomas Aquinas and the “Green Thomism” he inspires in contemporary life. Readers will come away moved by the presence of God manifest in his glorious cosmos and be drawn to integral ecology as a spiritual response.
This book chronicles the development of the Cognitive-Theoretic Model of the Universe (CTMU) from the first essays in the ultra-high IQ journals in 1989 to its breakthrough interpretation of quantum mechanics in 2019 and explication of reality as a self-simulation in 2020. CONTENTS PART I – Early Writings 1 The Resolution of Newcomb’s Paradox 2 On the CTMU 3 Introduction to the CTMU PART II – The CTMU 4 The Cognitive-Theoretic Model of the Universe: A New Kind of Reality Theory PART III – Uncommon Dissent 5 Cheating the Millennium: The Mounting Explanatory Debts of Scientific Naturalism PART IV – Cosmos & History 6 An Introduction to Mathematical Metaphysics 7 Metareligion as the Human Singularity 8 The Metaformal System: Completing the Theory of Language 9 Introduction to Quantum Metamechanics (QMM) 10 The Reality Self-Simulation Principle: Reality is a Self-Simulation
The cosmos is a vast realm of primal powers, alien empires, and wonders and dangers beyond imagining. Now it is yours to explore with The Cosmic Handbook for the Mutants & Masterminds Superhero Roleplaying Game. This sourcebook looks at the universe beyond Earth, from the history of the cosmic in the comics to the conventions of cosmic stories and characters. In its pages you will find advice and rules for creating characters and adventures in the depths of space. GMs get ready-to-use villains, from space tyrants and aliens to nigh-omnipotent cosmic beings, and an expanded look at the universe of Freedom City and Emerald City beyond the bounds of Earth. Get ready, heroes, infinity awaits!
Only two years after Sputnik, weapons were created for attacking spacecraft. These were based on land. But now there is talk of weapons in space-instant-kill beams like lasers. President Reagan has offered a vision of new inventions that could stop nuclear missile attacks. But will they work? Can lasers make nuclear weapons obsolete? Or would they merely be used to wage Stars Wars? Originally published in 1984, this is mainly the story of the military use of space. It shows how the new technology could trigger nuclear world war. And it looks for a way out...
“Creator, do you have a family?” said my youngest. And he answered! Thus began our healing through awareness with Mina (how we address the human person—God—who built our universe), the archangels, and many others in spirit world. Our explosive conversation over the next 18 hours revealed God, angels, humanity, why we are as we are, and our universe as never before imagined. Spirit mediums Christopher McKeon and his daughters Ayako and El shatter the paradigms and magical thinking handed down to us through history by religion, philosophy, mysticism, and science. Experience, as we did, healing of your trauma, pain, and suffering through gaining awareness of your true reality. Included are ten historical spirit persons who give short testimonies of their experiences to help explain certain aspects of our—your—life reality. You'll never feel the same, or look at the world around you the way you did, as your awareness takes flight from unawareness with new wings on new winds. Be prepared for a story of life like nothing you've ever experienced. Best of all, you'll learn how you, too, can talk to Mina, 'angels,' your spirit family and guides, and willing spirit persons to get your own answers (without having to take ours on faith) as a ground-floor participant in the nascent worldwide energy testing community! For Mina, this book is all about healing your pain and suffering by revealing our personal, and larger, human reality. You'll find it all inside. A chapter summary: Part I is a narrative of our experience discovering energy testing and our shocking meet-up with our ‘creator;’ Part II describes how you and our universe are infinite and eternal as existence, time, space, and consciousness, including: —an overview regarding our true natural reality: matter, energy, gravity, mass, lightspeed (normal and actual), relativity and the quantum, black holes, the Big Bang, quantum entanglement/tunneling, how the natural universe interacts with the supranatural (spirit) universe; —what is All Existence of which our universe is a part; —all about consciousness (psyche) and how our physical body interacts with our spirit body; —‘psyche fundamental force’ (Intentionality); —and culture as the individual; Part III describes the origin of humanity and includes: —the birth of humanity; —who and what our creator is —how our universe came to be our home —why human life seems destructive and filled with pain and suffering; Part IV is the real ‘woo-woo’ of the book and includes: —how we exist and live as physicospirit-embodied individuals; —our mind, conscience, PTSD; —killing, abortion, euthanasia, suicide; —lineage and DNA; —what happens at death; —fate, destiny, and free will; —suffering, hope, depression, reincarnation, and the origin of slavery; —happiness, love and hate; —government and society; —evil; —beauty and ugliness; —spirit world; —the chakras and aura as they really are and what they do; —Intentionality; —who and what ‘angels’ really are; —history of Earth’s humanity and radiometric dating; —our physicospirit self; —religion; —what is healing, how to heal; —human freedom; —astral projection, the Akashic Records; —marriage, sex; —animal familials; —ten historical spirit persons' testimony: Duke Wen of Zhou, Hitler, Hannibal Gisco, Mio, Mnidho of Nihoa, Tethys, Jesus, Sun-myung Moon, Muhammad, Buddha; Part V teaches you energy testing so you can learn how to talk to Mina (God), 'angels,' your spirit family, spirit guides, and any willing spirit person to get your own answers to life.
This work of mine is about God and religion. Much of my life, I have taken to a form of worship. The Universe has been there for eternity. My brainstorming started with God based on this knowledge. I was deeply stirred to know more and have been this way for a long while. The result of this wonderment has enlightened me. Which is, God is cosmos and takes a form to come to earth for us humans to comprehend. I thought a lot about his creation and how he makes himself known to humans. How he relates to humans is religion.
Hermeticism, or alchemy, is the ancient, primordial mystery science of nature through which people in all times and places have, for the sake of world evolution, sought to unite Heaven and Earth--divinity, cosmos, earth, and humanity, as a single whole. Selfless, intimate, dedicated to healing and harmony, Hermeticism has accompanied and sustained every religious epoch and revelation. It may be found in all historical cultures, from the traditions of India and China in the East to the Judeo-Christian West. It could even be said that Hermeticism is the primal cosmological revelation and the common ground of all spiritual traditions. Nevertheless, in the great revival of mystical, esoteric traditions and practices during the last century, Hermetic tradition--in fact, Nature herself--has been largely ignored. Today, when the Earth seems most under attack, Green Hermeticism is especially appropriate. The book explores not only the ancient Masters' inner science, but also their science of Nature. During spring and summer 2006, Pir Zia Khan convened a series of gatherings to begin to unfold the contemporary meaning of ancient, sacred science for our time. Green Hermeticism is a partial record of that meeting. Peter Lamborn Wilson, explores the many ramifications of the alternative worldview offered by Hermeticism; Christopher Bamford provides a broad historical overview of the tradition from the Ancient Mysteries to contemporary manifestations of the alchemical tradition; while Kevin Townley brings a practical dimension to the gathering teaching the preparation of herbal elixirs and demonstrating that cosmology and philosophy can become a truly healing path for the Earth. Green Hermeticism is necessary reading for anyone seeking a spiritual and cultural path for the healing of the current ecological and cultural crisis. "In Alchemy, there is an injunction to quicken, or revive, the dead, which is illustrated by a dead tree growing verdant again. That is exactly what this wonderful and rare work does in awakening human consciousness to its Divine potential and Ultimate Destiny. Art thus helps Nature to achieve its ideal Perfection. The authors must be congratulated for their insightful words. I wholeheartedly recommend reading it again and again, and again." --Stanislas Klossowski de Rola, author Alchemy: The Secret Art and The Golden Game: Alchemical Engravings of the Seventeenth Century "Environmental solutions today are largely technical, but the planetary crisis is also a crisis of soul--or better yet, of the Imagination. Too tricky for religion, too poetic for reductionist science, Green Hermeticism reheats a prophetic imagination still in love with the material world--a new alchemy of ancient nature." --Erik Davis, author, The Visionary State: A Journey through California's Spiritual Landscape "Just when you felt numb and disenfranchised, thinking the world had become bleak and dead, along comes this rare, much needed book to remind us that there is still some sanity, depth, and creative energy percolating up from the heart of Reality. Thank God (and the Goddess Nature) for this smart and inspiring breath of fresh air! Green Hermeticism is where the wasteland ends--and where the world becomes re-enchanted with genuine living thought that goes beyond superficialities. It's a rare pleasure to be in the presence of living minds who actually know something wonderful and have not been deadened by the opiates of capital or the tenure track. Very highly recommended." --David Fideler, publisher (Phanes Press) editor (Alexandria), author of Jesus Christ, Sun of God and translator of Love's Alchemy: Poems from the Sufi Tradition (with Sabrineh Fideler) "The publication of Green Hermeticism has the sense we so rarely get, of a genuine moment in cultural history. It is not just the eloquence of its authors' knowledge and arguments or that they are showing us, once again, the depth and range and beauty of alchemy, and the Hermetic tradition, and what Peter Lamborn Wilson calls Romantic Science. Nor is it even the links they establish between the Hermetic tradition and ecology, and the value of a science that perceives the world as alive rather than a machine. What makes this work significant is the sense that it shows us how we can use these ideas and knowledge to create a genuine counter to destruction and despair, an alchemy of our politics as well as of our spirit." --Rachel Pollack, author of 78 Degrees of Wisdom: A Book of Tarot "Green Hermeticism reminds us that the art of the Great Work is to enter more deeply into the dynamic and practical wisdom of the universe, which is our laboratory, where work and prayer combine. When we engage with the All, we know ourselves to be one kindred with all in the viriditas--God's greening power--where body, soul, and spirit honor each other." --Caitlín & John Matthews, authors of Walkers Between the Worlds: The Western Mysteries from Shaman to Magus
After the tragic deaths of Michael's lover and their child at the hand of the Shadow Queen, the mysterious Golden Man grants him the ability to travel to the Spirit World to rescue their souls. Unable to find his way into the Underworld alone, he enlists the help of Jaylina, a deeply intelligent and intuitive woman whose misfortune has brought her to the verge of suicide. Jaylina becomes his Astral Navigator, and together, chased by the forces of Darkness, they recover the Sword of the Sun, an immortal weapon of great power, and make their way through the Mouth of the World, the gateway between our mortal plane and the Spirit World to confront the Shadow Queen and her minions. The Left Hand of Light is modern mythological story about love, loss, hope, and finding one's purpose in an infinite universe. Cover art by the talented Adelaide Marcus.
The Medieval Worldview that Regarded Human Beings as at the Center of God's plans for His universe has long been regarded as obsolete; its synthesis of Christian theology and Greek philosophy having collapsed under the weight of Copernicus, Galileo, and Darwin. The popular stereotype is that Science, both in the Copernican revolution that dethroned the earth-centered view of the cosmos and in subsequent developments in evolutionary theory and general relativity, has marginalized and trivialized human existence, revealing humanity's "place in the cosmos" to be accidental, peripheral, and ultimately meaningless. However, an investigation into both modern Christian theology and contemporary twenty-first century Science reveals just the opposite, providing solid evidence in the interdisciplinary dialogue concerning the significance of humanity within the universe. In this important study, Christopher Fisher analyzes several modern theologians, including Wolfhart Pannenberg, Karl Rahner, and John Zizioulas, to reveal how contemporary ecumenical theology is deeply and intrinsically committed to a high view of human cosmic significance as a consequence of Christianity's indelible Trinitarian and incarnational faith. Fisher then demonstrates how research in contemporary natural Science confirms this finding in its own way, as recent primate intelligence studies, artificial intelligence research, and even the quest for extra-terrestrial intelligence reveal the wonder of human uniqueness. A contemporary version of the teleological argument also resurfaces in consideration of cosmic evolutionary perspectives on human existence. Even ecological concerns take on a new poignancy with the realization that, among material creatures, only human beings are capable of addressing the world's situation. This interdisciplinary study uncovers the surprising coherence and convergence of Christian Theology and Natural Science on the subject of human existence and significance here at the beginning of the twenty-first century, and it highlights the very unique role of humanity in global and cosmic history. "Through an incisive study of several leading twentieth-century theologians, Chris Fisher explores the ecumenical consensus for a strong reading of human cosmic significance. While acknowledging problems surrounding earlier forms of anthropocentrism, he argues that Christian theology remains wedded to a high understanding of the place of human beings in the economy of creation and salvation. This is a valuable contribution to an important debate in contemporary theology."---David Fergusson, University of Edinburgh "This is a fascinating work on the interface between theology and science... The author's remarkable breadth of knowledge, clarity of thought, and lucid writing style enable him to help the reader to understand the coherence between science and faith. This scholarly work is an irenic and well-informed presentation of the Christian faith and will become one of the primary textbooks in theology, philosophy of religion, and philosophy of science."---Laurence W. Wood, Asbury Theological Seminary
Welcome to the Bailiwick, young Constable - a world like no other. Here, a vast city clings to the inside surface of a sphere and a tumultuous ocean is the only sky. Are you ready to join your fellow Bobbies? There's Jack, the boy with a sixth sense for machines; Red Ruby, the fiery pirate princess from the golden age of sail; and LOF-t, the sixty-sixth century cyborg. Together with Murray, the hyper-intelligent lemur, you are the new generation of Constables; sworn to protect the topsy-turvy world from the ever encroaching shadows of the evil Zed. Even as we speak, they drill through the crust of the Bailiwick, down towards the city within... So, climb aboard your sky cycle, young Constable, and fly! There's not a moment to lose! Bobbies of Bailiwick is a Steampunk Adventure Fantasy for middle readers (8 to 12), filled with Dyson's Spheres, pirates, cyborgs, lemurs, giant robots and steam-powered sky cycles.
Telescopes aim to observe the light of the cosmos, but Christopher Brean Murray turns his powerful lens toward the strange darkness of human existence in Black Observatory, selected by Dana Levin as winner of the Jake Adam York Prize. With speakers set adrift in mysterious settings—a motel in the middle of a white-sand desert, a house haunted by the ghost of a dead writer, an abandoned settlement high in the mountains, a city that might give way to riotous forest—Black Observatory upends the world we think we know. Here, an accident with a squirrel proves the least bizarre moment of a day that is ordinary in outline only. The future is revealed in a list of odd crimes-to-be. And in a field of grasses, a narrator loses himself in a past and present “human conflagration / of desire and doubt,” the “path to a field of unraveling.” Unraveling lies at the heart of these poems. Murray picks at the frayed edges of everyday life, spinning new threads and weaving an uncanny and at times unnerving tapestry in its place. He arranges and rearranges images until the mundane becomes distorted: a cloud “stretches and coils and becomes an intestine / embracing the anxious protagonist,” thoughts “leap from sagebrush / like jackrabbits into your high beams,” a hot black coffee tastes “like runoff from a glacier.” In the process, our world emerges in surprising, disquieting relief. Simultaneously comic and tragic, playful and deeply serious, Black Observatory is a singular debut collection, a portrait of reality in penumbra.
Using the power of the sun, moon, stars, and planets, this unique, illustrated guide is filled with engaging exercises that deepen your knowledge of the solar system, help you take necessary pauses every day, and foster a renewed sense of presence in the universe. Thousands of years ago, when we humans lived together in communal caves, we told stories about the stars. When we later took to the seas, we used stellar positions to navigate and pinpoint our place in the world. When we eventually stopped migrating and settled on land, we relied on the constellations and the Sun to plant and sustain crops. Yet today, we modern humans have lost this deep connection to the cosmos that was once central to our daily lives. Astronomical Mindfulness helps us reconnect to the solar system once more, guiding us through the fundamental ways in which our planet moves through the solar system and how these motions determine our perception of time and place. Offering a concise yet in-depth look at the Sun, the Moon, the planets, and the stars, it teaches us to observe and understand the elements comprising the celestial sphere—deepening our lives and helping us become more informed, engaged, and mindful every day. The best part: you don’t need to climb a mountain, visit an observatory, or even own a telescope. From an apartment rooftop to a city park, from your backyard to the window by your desk, the skies are accessible to everyone. Astronomical Mindfulness is a unique tool for personal growth essential to coping in our modern world, enabling us to be more present, more connected, and more relaxed simply by looking up toward the stars.
Christopher Hitchens, described in the London Observer as “one of the most prolific, as well as brilliant, journalists of our time” takes on his biggest subject yet–the increasingly dangerous role of religion in the world. In the tradition of Bertrand Russell’s Why I Am Not a Christian and Sam Harris’s recent bestseller, The End Of Faith, Christopher Hitchens makes the ultimate case against religion. With a close and erudite reading of the major religious texts, he documents the ways in which religion is a man-made wish, a cause of dangerous sexual repression, and a distortion of our origins in the cosmos. With eloquent clarity, Hitchens frames the argument for a more secular life based on science and reason, in which hell is replaced by the Hubble Telescope’s awesome view of the universe, and Moses and the burning bush give way to the beauty and symmetry of the double helix.
Reading Life Backward is an unconventional book that is not structured like a typical novel. It is not meant to be read from cover to cover in one sitting, although that is certainly an option. Rather, the book provides readers with a comprehensive survey of spiritual landscapes. As CE Ceram notes in "Hands on the Past," a geometrician measures a landscape systematically. However, an inquisitive viewer would pick out the places that appeal to them for a short stay. Similarly, readers of Reading Life Backward are encouraged to explore the various sections of the book that are most relevant to their interests and needs. Whether you are seeking guidance on mindfulness, meditation, or other spiritual practices, the book offers a wealth of insights and information. By approaching the material in a flexible and open-minded way, readers can gain a deeper understanding of themselves and their place in the world. So if you are looking for a rich and diverse exploration of spiritual topics, Reading Life Backward is the perfect resource. Take your time, explore the sections that resonate with you, and enjoy the journey. A mosaic of divine interventions weaves through and takes the reader on their own inner journey. A true read that is authentic, touching and deeply personal. Reading Life Backward demonstrates the value in the details, in the spaces between our highs, and in the relationships we have with everyone around us. Chris aptly reminds readers that the years we will reflect on are made up of moments that should not be ignored or neglected. Chris takes the reader on a contemplative and thought-provoking journey into the heart and soul. An uplifting and satisfying rumination on the inner questions and longing we all experience. Reading Life Backward will fill you with hope as it points the way to a more fulfilling life.
This Element examines the science-theology dialogue from the perspective of Eastern Orthodox Christianity and provides a critique of this dialogue based on six fundamental aspects of that theology: (i) Its understanding of how philosophy may authentically be used in the theological task; (ii) Its understanding of the use and limitations of scientific and theological languages; (iii) Its understanding of the role of humanity in bringing God's purposes to fulfilment; (iv) its sense that material entities should be understood less in materialist terms than in relation to the mind of God; (v) Its Christological focus in understanding the concept of creation; (vi) Its sense that the empirical world can be understood theologically only when the 'world to come' is taken fully into account. It is argued that Orthodoxy either provides an alternative pan-Christian vision to the currently predominant one or, at the very least, provides important new conceptual insights.
How did the ancient Greeks and Romans envision the end of the world? What is the long-term future of the human race? Will the world always remain as it is or will it undergo a catastrophic change? What role do the gods, human morality, and the forces of nature play in bringing about the end of the world? In Apocalypse and Golden Age, Christopher Star reveals the answers that Greek and Roman authors gave to these questions. The first large-scale investigation of the various scenarios for the end of the world in classical texts, this book demonstrates that key thinkers often viewed their world as shaped by catastrophe. Star focuses on how this theme was explored over the centuries in the works of poets, such as Hesiod, Vergil, Ovid, and Lucan, and by philosophers, including the Presocratics, Plato, Epicurus, Lucretius, Cicero, and Seneca. With possibilities ranging from periodic terrestrial catastrophes to the total dissolution of the world, these scenarios address the ultimate limits that define human life and institutions, and place humanity in the long perspective of cosmic and natural history. These texts also explore various options for the rebirth of society after world catastrophe, such as a return of the Golden Age or the redevelopment of culture and political institutions. Greek and Roman visions of the end, Star argues, are not calls to renounce this world and prepare for a future kingdom. Rather, they are set within larger investigations that examine and seek to improve personal and political life in the present. Contextualizing classical thought about the apocalypse with biblical studies, Star shows that the seeds of our contemporary anxieties about globalization, politics, and technology were sown during the Roman period. Even the prevalent link between an earthly leader and the beginning of the end times can be traced back to Greek and Roman rulers, the emperor Nero in particular. Apocalypse and Golden Age enriches our understanding of apocalyptic thought.
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