Eric Steinhart
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Table of Contents
1. Introduction
- 1. Beyond Biology
- 2. One Rational Magisterium
- 3. From the New Atheism to Spiritual Naturalism
- 4. A Sanctuary for Spiritual Naturalists
- 5. The Stoic Framework
- 6. The Platonic Framework
2. Complexity
- 1. The Complexity Liturgy
- 1.1 Scientific Liturgies
- 1.2 Combinatorial Complexity
- 1.3 Spiritual Lessons from the Liturgy
- 2. The Atomic Liturgy
- 2.1 The Library of All Possible Atoms
- 2.2 Abstract Atomic Arrows
- 2.3 The Atomic Computers
- 2.4 The Evolution of Atomic Complexity
- 3. The Molecular Liturgy
- 3.1 The Library of All Possible Molecules
- 3.2 The Molecular Computers
- 3.3 The Evolution of Molecular Complexity
- 3.4 The Replicator
- 4. The Biological Liturgy
- 4.1 The Library of All Possible Organisms
- 4.2 The Biological Computer
- 4.3 The Evolution of Biological Complexity
- 4.4 Bodies Filled with Mirrors
- 4.5 The Parable of the Cell
- 5. Planetary Replicators
3. Reflexivity
- 1. The Thermodynamic Liturgy
- 1.1 Entropy is Not Disorder
- 1.2 Stars Pumping Entropy into the Abyss
- 1.3 Maximizing Entropy Production Rates
- 1.4 Thermodynamic Forces Drive Self-Organization
- 2. The Physical Liturgy
- 2.1 Lessons from the Earlier Liturgies
- 2.2 The Library of All Possible Physical Things
- 2.3 The Great Chain of Being
- 2.4 Complexity is Intrinsically Valuable
- 2.5 Evolution Increases Reflexivity
- 3. The Naturalized Organic Design Arguments
- 3.1 Designed versus Designoid
- 3.2 Mental Evolution Designs Artifacts
- 3.3 All Design Work is Evolutionary
- 3.4 Evolution Plays the Role of Watchmaker
- 4. On Stoic Axiology
- 4.1 Violent Beauty Shining Brightly
- 4.2 The Providential Ordering of Nature
- 4.3 Naturalizing the Designing Fire
- 5. On Platonic Axiology
- 5.1 The Beatific Vision of Nature
- 5.2 On the Duty of the Universe
- 5.3 From Reflexivity to the Good
4. Actuality
- 1. The Cosmological Liturgy
- 1.1 Our Universe is Complex
- 1.2 Tuned for Very Fine Music
- 1.3 The Oracle at Delphi
- 2. On Cosmic Designers
- 2.1 The God Hypothesis
- 2.2 The Simulation Hypothesis
- 2.3 The Argument from Cosmic Beauty
- 3. Almost Cosmological Hypotheses
- 3.1 The Eternal Inflation Hypothesis
- 3.2 The Fecund Universe Hypothesis
- 3.3 Merely Physical Falling Flat
- 4. Possible Universes
- 4.1 The Library of All Possible Universes
- 4.2 The Finite Levels of Possibility
- 4.3 The Infinite Levels of Possibility
- 5. The Treasury
- 5.1 Endlessly Ever Better Books
- 5.2 The Laws of the Infinite Treasury
- 5.3 The Growth of Cosmic Meaning
- 5.4 Cosmic Poetry
5. Cosmology
- 1. Cosmological Evolution
- 1.1 The Biocosmic Hypothesis
- 1.2 Cosmic Spiders Weave their Webs
- 1.3 Cosmic Robots Read their Books
- 2. Cosmic Replicators
- 2.1 The Science of Animats
- 2.2 Enfolding Cosmic Origami
- 2.3 Making Cosmic Babies
- 3. The Spawn of Aesthetic Engines
- 3.1 At the Bottom of the Sacred Mountain
- 3.2 Approaching our Universe
- 3.3 Mirrors Nested in Mirrors
- 4. The Naturalized Cosmic Design Arguments
- 4.1 Arguments for a Divine Mind
- 4.2 A Long Line of Blind Worldmakers
- 4.3 Finely Tuned for Flight and Sight
6. Ontology
- 1. The Ontological Liturgy
- 1.1 Why is there Something rather than Nothing?
- 1.2 The Necessity of Pure Reason
- 1.3 The Zero: The Instability of Nothingness
- 1.4 The One: Being-Itself
- 1.5 The Two: The Self-Consistency of Being-Itself
- 2. That Abstract Atmosphere
- 2.1 Platonic Rationality
- 2.2 Evidence for Abstract Objects
- 2.3 Abstract Objects Fill the Sky
- 2.4 Welcome to the Ontological Orgy
- 2.5 On Transcendental Ideals
- 3. Diamond Hard Light
- 3.1 The Atheistic Problem of Evil
- 3.2 The Duties of Abstract Existence
- 3.3 The Best of All Possible Propositions
- 4. The Naturalized Ontological Argument
- 4.1 The Anselmian Ontological Argument
- 4.2 In the Crucible of Reason Forged
- 4.3 The Transcendence of the Good
- 5. The World Tree
- 5.1 This Burning Shrine
- 5.2 How Nature Reflects the Good
- 5.3 The Ultimate Computer
- 6. Lighting Fires
7. Possibility
- 1. The Naturalized Cosmological Arguments
- 1.1 The Cosmic Zero
- 1.2 A Root on Fire in the Earth
- 1.3 Buried in this Fertile Soil
- 2. Like Birds in this Tree
- 2.1 Cosmic Calendars
- 2.2 Beyond Religious Culture
- 2.3 Monuments for the Sun
- 2.4 Simulation of Parallel Universes
- 3. Shifting to Other Universes
- 3.1 From Fictional Universes to Religions
- 3.2 Religious Shifting to Fictive Universes
- 3.3 Religious Channeling
- 3.4 Artistic Channeling
- 4. Atheistic Mysticism
- 4.1 Thrown into Ecstasy
- 4.2 Themes in Atheistic Mysticism
- 4.3 The Flight of the Solitary to the Solitary
8. Humanity
- 1. Human Animals
- 1.1 Genetically Programmed Survival Machines
- 1.2 Against Magical Mental Mystery
- 1.3 A String of Counterparts
- 1.4 Blessed by this Present Light
- 2. Evolutionary Ethics
- 2.1 Genetic Egoism
- 2.2 From Selfish Genes to Altruistic Organisms
- 2.3 Objectively Existing Values
- 3. On Natural Duties
- 3.1 Emergent Norms
- 3.2 Applying the Categorical Imperative
- 3.3 From Rationality to Natural Goods
- 3.4 Maximize Beauty!
- 4. The Illusion of Identity
- 4.1 The Immortal Gene
- 4.2 The Soul is the Form of the Body
- 4.3 How Recreation Beats Survival
- 5. Life after Death
- 5.1 Promotion into Your Next Life
- 5.2 Revision into Your Next Life
- 5.3 Animatic Design Constraints
9. Spirituality
- 1. On Gratitude
- 1.1 From the Sublime to Gratitude
- 1.2 Computational Benefactors
- 1.3 Evolutionary Providence
- 2. Stoic Spirituality
- 2.1 From the New Atheism to Stoicism
- 2.2 Stoic Technologies of Salvation
- 2.3 Mindfulness Meditation
- 3. Platonic Spirituality
- 3.1 Striving for Godlikeness
- 3.2 Striving for Godlike Animality
- 3.3 Striving for Godlike Sociality
- 3.4 Striving for Godlike Rationality
- 4. Meturgy
- 4.1 Meturgical Shifting
- 4.2 Ecstatic Dance
- 4.3 Burning the Man
References
Index
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