Remembering John B. Cobb, Jr.

It is with profound sorrow that we announce the passing of John B. Cobb, Jr., a visionary thinker, tireless advocate for ecological civilization, and a guiding light in process thought. As the founder of the Center for Process Studies, John’s wisdom, courage, and unwavering hope inspired generations of scholars, activists, and spiritual seekers across the globe.

The Center for Process Studies hosted a public memorial for Dr. Cobb on Saturday, February 15th in Claremont, California and we are also collecting photos, reflections, and memories of Dr. Cobb’s life from our community. Use the button below to watch the recording of the memorial livestream and contribute your memories.

The Center for Process Studies fosters interdisciplinary research and education to cultivate holistic understanding for human and planetary flourishing

"If we want a society in which the sense of belonging is strong, people are concerned for one another, and there is strong commitment to the common good, we need a metaphysics that shows that we are in fact part of larger societies and have no existence apart from our relations to others"

"Philosophy begins in wonder. And, at the end, when philosophic thought has done its best, the wonder remains."

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Upcoming Events

March 2026
Multi/Race/Less/Ness: A Responsible Process Post-Race Metaphysic in Sketch | Jon Ivan Gill
March 3 at 10:00am – 12:00pm PST
In Multi/Race/Less/Ness, Jon Ivan Gill challenges us to take the next step and abolish the very category of race. With seemingly immutable notions of race still baked into our societies at the level of law and legislation, process philosophy can remind us that being, and how we define it, is dynamic and subject to change. If race as a category is impermanent, then it can be undone. This talk will focus specifically on the metaphysical scheme of multi/race/less/ness and how Gill proposes it offers a way out of the hierarchies of racial identification.
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Why Health? What We Need to Think about When We Think about Health | Sandro Galea
March 31 at 10:00am – 12:00pm PDT
In this presentation Sandro Galea will discuss the philosophical foundations of health, why we value health, and the implications that has for our actions on health as a society.
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May 2026
Process Philosophy in Under-Explored Traditions in Philosophical History: An Online Conference
May 19 at 12:00am – May 21 at 12:00pm PDT
This conference will be the first to birth this long overdue intellectual exchange as it offers an improved metaphysical framework for value and consciousness in all ontological entities to address various concerns that are facing humanity: economy, political, and environmental. Although there are hesitant answers to some of these global challenges facing humanity, the influence of substance-based analysis has yet to offer penetrative answers, in addition to the almost complete lack of interaction among scholars of process to explore their common ground for a common voice in the way that substance thought has done over the centuries.
June 2026
Dementia Dharma: Caring for Sentient Beings with Neurodegenerative Diseases | Lourdes Arguelles and John Freese
June 2 at 10:00am – 12:00pm PDT
Lopon Dorje Khandro and Rev. Dr. Dhammabodhi will present the 6 paramitas (perfections) as the theoretical framework that they utilize in their spiritual care practice in order to embrace the suffering of both humans and non-humans. Lopon-la will give an overview of the six paramitas and focus on the paramitas of patience and wisdom in spiritual care. Rev. Dhammabodhi will focus on how ethics and meditation practice apply to spiritual care.
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July 2026
14th International Whitehead Conference
July 16 at 5:30pm – July 20 at 2:00am PDT
This global gathering of scholars, educators, and practitioners marks a pivotal moment to engage Alfred North Whitehead’s philosophy in dialogue with the pressing challenges and transformative opportunities of the 21st century. The theme of the 2026 International Whitehead Conference is: “Process Philosophy in a Time of Polycrisis: Science, Meaning, and Civilization.” The conference will explore how process thought can illuminate the great transitions of our time—toward a more sustainable, creative, and compassionate world.

Upcoming Conferences

14th International Whitehead Conference

Organized by Beijing Normal–Hong Kong Baptist University, Center for Process Studies, International Process Network

The 14th International Whitehead Conference will be held July 17–20, 2026, in Zhuhai, China, at Beijing Normal–Hong Kong Baptist University (BNBU). This global gathering of scholars, educators, and practitioners marks a pivotal moment to engage Alfred North Whitehead’s philosophy in dialogue with the pressing challenges and transformative opportunities of the 21st century. The theme of the 2026 International Whitehead Conference is: “Process Philosophy in a Time of Polycrisis: Science, Meaning, and Civilization.” The conference will explore how process thought can illuminate the great transitions of our time—toward a more sustainable, creative, and compassionate world.