Cosmic Commons
Spirit, Science, and Space
- Science & Faith
- Publisher: Cascade Books (Wipf and Stock)
- Published: 2013
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Publisher's Description
Cosmic Commons explores terrestrial-extraterrestrial intelligent life Contact. It uses a thought experiment to consider the ecological-economic-ethical-ecclesial impacts of Contact, analyzing incidents around the world described by credible witnesses (two of whom are interviewed for the book), including Roswell and the Hudson River Valley. It discusses government and academic efforts to use ridicule and coercion to suppress Contact investigations, supports a scientific method to research ETI reports in a field that should excite scientists, and calls on academics to publicly disclose their Contact experiences. It traces Earth ecological and economic injustices to the European Enlightenment and the Discovery Doctrine by which European nations rationalized invasion of distant continents, genocide, and seizure of the territories and natural goods of native peoples. It advocates a change in humans' Earth conduct to avoid replicating in space the policies and practices that wrought economic injustice and ecological devastation on Earth, provides an innovative cosmosociological praxis ethics theory and practice toward that end, and develops a Cosmic Charter, based on UN documents, to guide humankind in space and in ETI encounters. Permeated by a profound sense of the sacred, Cosmic Commons explores a positive relationship between religion and science as humankind ventures into space.
Endorsements (8)
“Erudite and appealing, Cosmic Commons deserves to enrich many readers' thirst for knowledge and spiritual awakening.”
“This book is unlike any you have ever read. Whether you believe there is evidence for extraterrestrial intelligence or not, Hart's creative and thoughtful reflections . . . will widen your ethical horizons.”
“Anyone who takes seriously the possibility that there may be intelligent life beyond the solar system should read John Hart's scholarly and detailed examination of what this might imply.”
“Clearly, we desperately need the transformation of consciousness that Hart lays out, not only for the sake of others we might encounter in space, but for our own sakes and those of the remaining others in our world, both human and not.”
“John Hart makes the case for there being life elsewhere in the universe, why humankind should search for it, and what sorts of ecological, social, and ethical interactions would likely develop between humans on earth and ETI, if ever found.”
“John Hart invites us to join him in . . . a powerful and moving commentary on human failure and insensitivity where indigenous, terrestrial civilizations have been encountered, suppressed, and even destroyed. Writing as a Christian ethicist deeply concerned about ecological destruction, he resists the shallowness of those scientists who glibly advocate our colonization of other worlds in order to escape a doom-laden earth. You don't have to believe in UFOs to appreciate his compelling argument.”
“Hart's driving concern is given what has been done to indigenous people in the name of 'civilization,' will this past be repeated if new civilizations are encountered. Hart has given us a thorough and thoughtful review of core elements in the social history of colonialism in the hope that past mistakes will not be repeated.”
“John Hart cautions us that as humans venture off earth into extraterrestrial exploration, we need to insure that the tragic history of euro-Christian colonialism and 'discovery' is not repeated in colonizing other terrain.”
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