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

February 2026
Reframing Leadership from Complexity and Process-Relational Perspectives | Erin Hawkins
February 24 at 10:00am – 12:00pm PST
This presentation is an inquiry into how process-relational perspectives of leadership require changing the invisible structures that shape how groups make decisions, create together, learn collectively, and navigate uncertainty. Erin Hawkins invites participants to reconsider not just how we understand leadership, but how we organize for transformation in an age of polycrisis.
Free
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.
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.