ABOUT
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Dr. Wm. Andrew Schwartz is an American philosopher and activist. He currently serves as Executive Director of the Center for Process Studies (CPS), Co-Founder & Vice President of the Institute for Ecological Civilization (EcoCiv), and Associate Professor of Process Studies and Comparative Theology at Claremont School of Theology (CST). His research and teaching covers a wide range of topics, such as environmental philosophy, philosophy of religion, Asian and comparative philosophies, metaphysics, economic philosophy, philosophy of mind, philosophy of education, and more. However, his current work mainly focuses on the role of big ideas in bringing about systems change for the long-term wellbeing of people and the planet (i.e. ecological civilization).
RECENT PUBLICATIONS
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WHAT IS ECOLOGICAL CIVILIZATION?: CRISIS, HOPE, AND THE FUTURE OF THE PLANET
This book explores the idea of ecological civilization by asking eight key questions about it and drawing answers from relational philosophies, the ecological sciences, systems thinking and network theory, and the world’s religious and spiritual traditions. It concludes that a genuinely ecological civilization is not a utopian ideal, but a practical way to live. To recognize this, and to begin to take steps to establish it, is the foundation for realistic hope.
VIDEOS
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Andrew Schwartz gives a plenary address on "Learning from Living Systems: Biomimicry and the Principles of Ecological Civilization" at the 17th International Forum on Ecological Civilization at Pitzer College.
PODCASTS
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Listen to podcast recordings featuring Dr. Schwartz on a range of topics.
COURSES
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Whitehead Research Seminar: Process & Reality (Fall 2024)
This course is a deep-dive into the philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead by way of a close reading of his magnum opus, Process and Reality. In this complex text, Whitehead attempts to integrate scientific, aesthetic, and religious intuitions into a novel, comprehensive, and coherent understanding of existence. Students will explore the fundamentals of Whitehead’s philosophy of organism, which serves as the conceptual foundation for process theology.
Constructive Theology (Fall 2024)
This course is an exploration of the “big questions” of Christian theology. From questions about the existence of God, the person of Jesus, and the identity of the Church, to issues of how the world came into being, what happens when we die, and more, this course is an invitation for all students to engage in the construction of a coherent and compelling belief system informed by reason, tradition, scripture, and experience.