Today I started reading Ben Goertzel’s “A Cosmist Manifesto”. It’s actually very interesting to read, and has a good flow. The first paragraphs of the core text provide a good summary of what Cosmism is:
By Cosmism I mean: a practical philosophy focused on enthusiastically and thoroughly exploring, understanding and enjoying the cosmos, in its inner, outer and social aspects Cosmism advocates
- pursuing joy, growth and freedom for oneself and all beings
- ongoingly, actively seeking to better understand the universe in its multiple aspects, froma variety of perspectives
- taking nothing as axiomatic and accepting all ideas, beliefs and habits as open to revision based on thought, dialogue and experience
I started reading it, because I’ve become aware that I am deeply driven by some variant of Cosmist philosophy that I’ve been developing over the last 10 months or so. Ben Goertzel is one of my favourite thinkers. He’s so brilliant and daring in what he’s doing, and he’s quite the big picture thinker.
When it comes to cosmist writings, I can also strongly recommend:
by Ted Chu.
- What do you think about Cosmism?
- Do you see yourself as Cosmist?
- How do you see Cosmism in relation to transhumanism?
- Is Cosmism even more radical?
- Is that a problem?
- Is Cosmism too _trans_human?