Brian Swimme is a mathematical cosmologist and cultural historian who examines the implications of modern cosmology for human meaning and purpose. Trained as a mathematician at the University of Oregon and in gravitational dynamics at the University of California, Swimme shifted from technical research to communicating how scientific understanding of the universe relates to human consciousness and culture.
Swimme collaborated with cultural historian Thomas Berry to write The Universe Story (1992), a synthesis of scientific cosmology and cultural wisdom. The work presents the 13.8-billion-year evolution of the universe as a narrative framework for examining human place within cosmic processes.
At the California Institute of Integral Studies, where he holds a faculty position, Swimme developed approaches to education that integrate scientific knowledge with wisdom traditions. He co-founded the Center for the Universe and has worked to communicate cosmological perspectives through various educational projects.
His teaching examines how creativity evident in cosmic evolution continues through human consciousness and culture. He proposes that recognizing humans as participants in cosmic processes, rather than external observers, provides foundations for both scientific and spiritual understanding.
Swimme collaborated with Mary Evelyn Tucker on “Journey of the Universe” (2011), a book and film project presenting cosmic evolution to wider audiences. His more recent work, Cosmogenesis (2022), continues this integration of scientific cosmology with questions of human meaning.
Key Concepts
- Universe Story: The 13.8-billion-year evolutionary narrative as framework for examining human place in cosmic processes
- Cosmological Consciousness: Awareness of participation in cosmic evolution
- Allurement: The fundamental attractive forces that drive cosmic evolution
- Cosmogenesis: The ongoing creative process of universe development
- Earth Literacy: Education grounded in cosmological and ecological awareness
Essential Works
- “The Universe Story: From the Primordial Flaring Forth to the Ecozoic Era” (HarperOne, 1992) - ISBN 978-0-06-250835-4 - With Thomas Berry
- “The Universe is a Green Dragon: A Cosmic Creation Story” (Bear & Company, 1984) - ISBN 978-0-939680-14-0
- “Journey of the Universe” (Yale University Press, 2011) - ISBN 978-0-300-17150-0 - With Mary Evelyn Tucker
- “Cosmogenesis: An Unveiling of the Expanding Universe” (Counterpoint, 2022) - ISBN 978-1-64009-548-5
- “The Hidden Heart of the Cosmos: Humanity and the New Story” (Orbis Books, 1996) - ISBN 978-1-57075-079-1
Selected Quotes
The universe is not a collection of objects but a communion of subjects. — The Universe Story (1992)
We are the first generation of humans to know the story of the universe. — Journey of the Universe (2011)
Each being in the universe is the result of 13.8 billion years of creative development. — Cosmogenesis (2022)
If you understand that you are made of stellar material, you understand your kinship with every other being. — The Universe is a Green Dragon (1984)
Humans are that part of the Earth that has awakened to itself. — The Universe Story (1992)
The universe is the primary sacred community, the primary revelation, the primary text. — The Hidden Heart of the Cosmos (1996)
The greatest discovery of the scientific enterprise is that we live in a developing universe. — Cosmogenesis (2022)
The future depends on whether we can learn to see ourselves as Earth. — Journey of the Universe (2011)
Further Reading
Biographical Sources
- California Institute of Integral Studies faculty page
- Journey of the Universe project
Key Books
- The Universe Story (HarperOne, 1992) - ISBN 978-0-06-250835-4
- Journey of the Universe (Yale University Press, 2011) - ISBN 978-0-300-17150-0
- Cosmogenesis (Counterpoint, 2022) - ISBN 978-1-64009-548-5
Related Resources
- Journey of the Universe film and online courses
- Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology