The Universe Story and Planetary Civilization

by Mary Evelyn Tucker and Brian Thomas Swimme As we see our present interconnected global challenges of widespread environmental degradation, climate change, crippling poverty, social inequities, and unrestrained militarism, we know that the obstacles to the flourishing of life's ecosystems and to genuine sustainable development are considerable. In the midst of these formidable challenges,…

Values in the Contemporary World

At the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development in Copenhagen in 1995, (UNWSSD), daily experiential workshops and seminars that framed global issues around underlying values were conducted by the Values Caucus on such topics as the new visionary leadership and humane values—to standing room only crowds. In addition, the Values Caucus organized an extensive and intensive…

Why We Need to Believe in a Living Universe

A common assumption of the modern world is that we live in a universe comprised almost entirely of inert matter and empty space. Regarding the universe as dead at its foundations is basic to the industrial revolution: It makes sense to exploit what appears dead for the benefit of what seems most alive—ourselves. This assumption is now being questioned as a more ancient view is reconsidered.…

Sander Feinberg

Sander's web design is focused on artists, photographers and select not-for-profit service organizations like Kosmos. Photography Most recently he has been has been focusing his creativity on photography. You can see some of his work on his website. Additional pictures and stories of the trek to Lo Montang are here. Training and Teaching Sander has been involved in the design,…

Spirituality and the Global Commons

Long ago, the ‘commons’ simply meant the place we villagers shared and the resources of which we all partook. Here we pastured our small flocks, gathered herbs and mushrooms, and hunted game. And we were protected by an unspoken and unwritten understanding. No individual or group could draw down the resources of the commons to the detriment of the community. It was a simple but…

The Failed Metaphysics Behind Private Property: Sharing our Commonhood

Liberalism: The Implicit Tragedy of the Commons Garrett Hardin is often cited for his 1968 essay, “The Tragedy of the Commons.” In this classic critique of common property management, Hardin gives the example of herders grazing their cattle on a shared parcel of land. He observes that these individual herdsmen, acting out of self-interest, will put more and more cattle in the…

Adam Parsons

Adam Parsons is the editor at Share The World's Resources, (STWR) a London-based NGO campaigning for essential resources - such as land, energy, water and the atmosphere - to be shared internationally and sustainably in order to secure basic human needs.   A journalist and writer on development issues, he specializes in food security and human settlements research.  He is…

Christopher Bamford

Christopher Bamford is Editor-in-Chief for Steiner Books and its imprints. A fellow of the Lindisfarne Association, he has written widely on Western spiritual and esoteric traditions. He is the author of The Voice of the Eagle: The Heart of Celtic Christianity and An Endless Trace: The Passionate Pursuit of Wisdom in the West. An essay by Mr. Bamford is included in the Harper San Francisco…

Douglas Rushkoff

Winner of the first Neil Postman award for Career Achievement in Public Intellectual Activity, Douglas Rushkoff is an author, teacher, and documentarian who focuses on the ways people, cultures, and institutions create, share, and influence each other’s values. He teaches media studies at NYU and the New School University, serves as technology columnist for The Daily Beast, and lectures…