Table of contents

Acknowledgements

The new enlightenment

Cosmo-transcendental positioning of the living being in the universe

Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka

3-17

The passions of the skies

Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka

11-16

On the first principle of biology and the foundation of the universal science

Attila Grandpierre

19-36

The relation between man and world

Hans Köchler

37-46

Observers, freedom, and the cosmos

Subhash Kak

47-60

The enchanting heavens

Frances Clynes

61-67

The science of wholeness

Menas Kafatos

69-80

Meridianae in Italy

Béla Kálmán

83-88

The cosmological circumstances and results of the anno domini invention

Anno mundi 6000, great year, precession, and end of the world calculation

Sepp Rothwangl

89-98

Coming of age under the night sky

The importance of astronomy in shaping worldviews

Stephen Cook

99-109

Medieval roots of the modern cosmology

Miklós Maróth

111-117

Is there any fundamental connection between man and the universe?

Vladimir Lefebvre

119-120

Cultural impacts of astronomy

Stanislaw Iwaniszewski

123-128

Triadic insights in astronomy, art and music

Norman Cook

129-135

The social and spiritual impact of sky lore on prehistoric societies in Europe

Emília Pásztor

137-143

Impact of astronomy in Nepalese civilization

Suresh Bhattarai

145-149

Impact of stars on human culture

Raman

151-165

The contribution of musical theory to an ancient Chinese concept of the universe

Alice Williamson

167-173

Cosmopolis: how astronomy affects philosophies of human nature and religion

Nancey Murphy

175-185

Mind in the quantum universe

Henry Stapp

189-198

Why is the universe just right for life?

Paul Davies

199-209

The compelling case for panspermia

Chandra Wickramasinghe

211-223

Nanobionts and the size limit of life

László Puskás

225-228

The Russian cosmism and the modern theory of complexity

The comparative analysis

Helena Knyazeva

229-235

Astrobiology: from extremophiles in the solar system to extraterrestrial civilizations

Joseph Seckbach, Julian Chela-Flores

237-246

Astronomy and the soul

Nicholas Campion

249-257

Rationality and wonder

From scientific cosmology to philosophy and theology

William Stoeger

259-268

Positive contribution of religion to cosmology

Marian Ambrozy

269-276

Principle of greatest happiness

Katalin Martinás

277-282

Astronomy: brightest and most fascinating shining path for mankind future

H. Minoo, Bathaee

283-288

A theistic model of physical temporality

Tony Stone

289-295

Humanity en route to the glorious unity of our universe

Ion Soteropoulos

297-304

Name index

Subject index