INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING THIS PAGE
Each of the sections of this web page links to a resource that will support the “Journey of the Universe” module of our Science, Philosophy and Spirituality course. Just click on the section, and you will be linked to the resource.
In addition to the slides shown during the module, these resources include a link to the Coursera course of the same name, which was developed by Yale University. If you missed the film, or wish to see it again, this course enables you to sign on and see the film for yourself, free of charge, on your own computer or tablet. Instructions are given in the appropriate box.
There is also a link to the “Journey of the Universe” website, which contains a host of resources. I have provided a link to David Christian’s TED talk, which provides his account of what he calls “Big History” which covers the same ground as “Journey of the Universe”, but without drawing on spiritual resources to do so.
Finally, there are links to a new article I wrote over the Christmas holiday period to try and incorporate the main points from the film into my own observations, as a researcher in the field of complexity, and to a very brief (800 words) summary of the article.
PDF of the slides shown during the two sessions.
Summary Article
A concise description of the Science behind ‘Journey of the Universe’, covering physical, biological and cultural evolution from the Big Bang to today in less than 800 words.
Instructions for Watching ‘Journey of the Universe’
This module’s film is not available on YouTube or any free streaming service in the United Kingdom. You can, however, watch the full film free of charge as part of Yale University’s online course based on the film. Click here for detailed instructions for gaining free access to the course and the film.
Link to Yale Course
Once you have read the instructions for watching ‘Journey of the Universe’, click anywhere on this block to go to the course page on the Coursera website. You may simply watch the film, or if you wish, you may take the whole six-week course. There is no charge if you do not wish to obtain a certificate and take the periodic tests and assignments.
Link to ‘Journey of the Universe’ Website
Click on this box to visit the ‘Journey of the Universe’ website. It contains many resources to support your understanding of both the science behind the film, and the implications of the film’s message for education and other disciplines.
Link to David Christian’s ‘Big History’ TED Talk
Billed as ‘the history of the world in eighteen minutes’, this talk by David Christian covers the same ground as ‘Journey of the Universe’, but in a more prosaid and scientific manner. The science being described in both is the same. David Christian calls his approach ‘Big History’.
Link to “The Evolution of Evolution”
Discussions during and after the module motivated me to investigate some of the scientific details more closely. Drawing both on what I found out in these investigations and on my own background as an academic researcher in the field of complexity studies, I wrote this article to provide a high-level account of the science incorporated in the film.
Link to Course Home Page
Click this link to return to the Home Page for Season 1 of the Shepway and District u3a Science, Philosophy and Spirituality programme.
