http://www.ncreview.com/ 2571-1163 http://www.ncreview.com/science-consciousness/kosmos-an-evolutionary-and-wholistic-account-of-creation This tome is a clear and convincing contribution to understanding the evolutionary workings of the universe, and our role in it. Written over a span of forty years, the author, an academic physicist, realized that while physics could explain physical processes, it couldn’t explain the important experiences he’d had in life. So, in collaboration with other colleagues, he set out to research the meaning of life. After his primary research partner passed, Milner continued adding significant new content until his own passing in November 2011. Kosmos is the result—an anthology of the combined years of researching, lecturing, and writing; the unwavering collaborative dedication to this work shows. The author assumes, via scientific examination, that the essential purpose and nature of the universe and everything in it is that it is a self-evolving totality; the question remains, what has brought this evolution about? He refers to this totality as “Kosmos,” and the principles by which it evolves “metaphysics,” hence the term "Kosmic Metaphysics." He writes, “If we are to have a real understanding of the universe and our life in it, we need to understand not only how it works but also how and why it all came into existence and its underlying meaning or purpose.” The starting point for this comprehensive investigation into the meaning of life is based on two basic principles at work in the universe: “the driving force that causes things to happen; and how this force brings about the multifarious activities of the universe.” These two principles comprise evolutionary development. Since we part of this development, these principles determine the way in which we live our lives, and all that follows in the book is presented with this in mind. Some basic extrapolations then frame these two principles. Firstly, he posits that “the sense of I (“that is, in everything we do, feel or think, we experience that we exist”) not only drives humans, but all things. He calls this the maintenance and pursuance of self that drives all evolution, from subatomic articles to humans and to the so-called gods and their roles in the evolutionary process. This drive arose (spontaneously) in a primitive and unconscious way, far removed from what we might recognize as “I.” Secondly, in seeking a sense of self, an evolving thing progressively opens up new potentials to pursue. For example, as infants we express our innate energy by becoming active—kicking, crying, grasping, sucking, etc., which in turn leads to an awareness of our potential to perform new activities. This progression of an increasingly wider range of potential activities continues throughout our life; likewise for all (kosmic) centers of activity, and more relevantly to human evolution, for social and technological development. Consequently, according to metaphysical principles there is no preconceived purpose or plan, but rather a continual unawakened energy that when stirred into activity leads to other, as yet unknown potentials and goals. Milner goes into great depth in exploring many facets of self-actualizing activity—this evolutionary process—from Bernard cells to psychic and mystical experiences. This 500+ page over-sized book is not light vacation reading, it is something to study, to ingest in bite-sized pieces and then to allow those bites to digest and move through you. And while scholarly in approach, it isn’t a dry academic book, but a fascinating and considered investigation of the evolutionary nature of the human and universal spectrum of existence. ]]> Wed, 10 Oct 2012 15:09:49 -0700