Topics
Cultural Studies
Process thought has taken on unique characteristics through interaction with various cultures throughout history. CPS promotes the development of process thought around the world through in many different ways, including:
- Translation programs (including Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, and Korean)
- International Scholar Exchange Program
- International conferences and joint training programs (especially between the US and China)
- International film festival which celebrates films from around the world that foster social and personal responsibility to others and the earth.
For more information on our work in cultural studies, please contact us.
Ecology & Sustainability
Process philosophy (also called a Philosophy of Organism) emphasizes the interconnectedness of all things, and the intrinsic value of all life. As such, process thought has played an important role in the area of ecology and sustainability. From a variety of publications and conferences, to the creation of partner organizations, CPS has long promoted an alternative paradigm for planetary flourishing and the common good.
For more info, see EcoCiv.org, PostmodernChina.org, and ProcessCenturyPress.
Want to get involved in our work toward Ecological Civilization? Contact us.
Education
CPS promotes work on educational theory and practice that engages a process perspective. That includes alternatives to “value-free” education and holistic models of education which recognize students (and teachers) as living processes. In addition to training programs for teachers, conferences, and publications pertaining to Whitehead’s philosophy of education, check out this Whitehead Kindergarten in Beijing.
Want to get involved in our work to transform education? Contact us.
Film & Arts
Beauty, imagination, and narrative are among the core themes of a process perspective. For this reason, process philosophy is described by some as an aesthetic philosophy. CPS promotes work in the arts, including poetry, film, music, and more.
For information on some of our work in Film & Arts, check out the Common Good International Film Festival and our Widening the Circle project.
Want to get involved with our work in art and beauty? Contact us.
Philosophy
Inspired by the philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead, philosophy is a central concern for the work of CPS. In recent years, much work has been done to put process philosophy in dialogue with poststructural and postmodern philosophies, as many affinities with process thought have been noted. Some have gone so far to describe process philosophy as a form of “constructive postmodernism.”
For more info on our work in philosophy, check out the Whitehead Research Project.
Want to get involved with our work in philosophy? Contact us.
Psychology
Process philosophy portrays the world as community of subjects (as opposed to a collection of objects). Notions like feeling, experience, and personhood are core features of the process perspective. As such, many interested in psychology have found process views helpful—including, but not limited to areas like positive psychology, developmental psychology, and parapsychology.
Want to get involved with our work in psychology? Contact us.
Religion & Interfaith Dialogue
Process thought has had a significant impact in the area of theology, religion, and spirituality. From the work of theologians like John Cobb and Marjorie Suchocki, and the emergence of Process Theology (as well as Open-Relational Theology), the process worldview has inspired new formulations of the nature of God--including special attention to notions of power, love, and God’s relation to the world. As an organization committed to the promotion of the common good, CPS also has a long history as a leader in interreligious dialogue; understood as a practice toward mutual transformation and peace.
For more info on some of our work in religion and spirituality, check out our Process & Faith program and the Open Horizons website.
Want to get involved with our work in theology, religion, and spirituality? Contact us.
Science
Process thought provides a unique way of understanding the world (as an interconnected process). As such, process thought has much to contribute to study of the natural sciences. From the work of physicists like David Bohm and Tim Eastman to biologists like Lynn Margulis and Charles Birch, many leading scientists have found in process thought an alternative explanation (alternatives to reductive physicalism or mechanistic dualism) that can more adequately demonstrate what we observe of the natural world. Among the exciting frontiers that process thought is playing a significant role are quantum physics and systems sciences.
Want to get involved with our work in the natural sciences? Contact us.