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 2025

March 25 at 10:00 am – 12:00 pm PDT

Process Explorations: The US and its Global Leadership for Refugees with Eric Shafer, Sid Mohn, and Karla Leitzman

March 27 at 10:30 am – 12:00 pm PDT

Philosophy, Cultural Evolution, and the Hemisphere Hypothesis: A Lecture and Dialogue between Iain McGilchrist and Steve McIntosh

April 2025

April 1 at 10:00 am – 12:00 pm PDT

Process Explorations: Healing our Collective Pain: Whitehead, Jung, and Transformation with Sheri Kling

Upcoming Conferences

Is It Too Late?: Toward an Ecological Civilization

We are pleased to officially announce this call for papers for the "Is It Too Late?: Toward Ecological Civilization" conference, commemorating the centenary of eco-sage John B. Cobb Jr. This significant event will also mark a decade since our transformative 2015 "Seizing an Alternative" conference and the founding of the Institute for Ecological Civilization. Held in conjunction with the 18th International Forum on Ecological Civilization and the 7th International Youth Forum on Ecological Civilization, the conference will take place at Claremont School of Theology in Westwood, Los Angeles.

Organized by Center for Process Studies, Claremont School of Theology, Institute for Ecological Civilization, Institute for Postmodern Development of China

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Revitalizing Biophilosophy Online Conference

The Revitalizing Biophilosophy conference series is an initiative dedicated to building biophilosophy into a transdisciplinary international movement. The first of two planned conferences, titled Revitalizing Biophilosophy, will be held online on July 10–11, 2025. This virtual gathering will bring together a diverse range of scholars to explore biophilosophy’s historical foundations, contemporary developments, and future possibilities. The second conference, to be held in Summer 2026, will be a hybrid online and in-person track as part of the International Whitehead Conference at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale.