We are still reeling from Copernicus. When his revolutionary work knocked the earth out of its "place" as the center of the universe, a gulf between the cosmos and humans opened. Who we were in the universe no longer seemed significant and the science that studied these things seemed disconnected from human endeavor. The View from the Center of the Universe: Discovering Our Extraordinary Place in the Cosmos by Joel R. Primack, Ph. D. and Nancy Ellen Abrams proposes the first radical new view of the cosmos, our place in it, and the urgent meaning and deep purpose that must shape our future decisions here on Earth.

As one of the world's leading cosmologists and an originator and developer of the theory of Cold Dark Matter, now accepted as the standard theory of the structure and evolution of the universe, Primack possesses sterling scientific credentials. Combining his expertise with Abrams's wide-ranging scholarship in the history of science and the arts, The View from the Center of the Universe explores how meaning can be found in the new information coming in daily from the heavens. Lyrical as well as rigorous, this book inspires new ways of approaching this cascade of information and its impact on our planet.

Based on the latest findings in astrophysics and cosmology, Primack's and Abrams's work presents a new picture of the universe for readers regardless of whether they have any scientific background. The View from the Center of the Universe recasts the world as we know it in images and symbols that show how we are indeed central in the universe in ways Copernicus and those who followed never suspected. Cutting edge science is married to metaphors of ancient symbols to capture fundamental characteristics of the new universe. The result is revolutionary: a science-based cosmology that can guide critical decisions here on earth. Ours is the first generation, the authors argue, able to understand what the nature of the universe may mean for earth, and to be able to use that knowledge to protect the long-term future of our planet.

"If greeting card poet Susan Polis Schultz wrote about physics and the universe, this is the book she would produce. Filled with simplistic observations ('In their hearts most people are still living in an imagined universe where... we humans have no special place and often feel insignificant') as well as romantic cheerleading ('We need to overflow with gratitude that our universe... is filled with light and possibilities'), it offers cosmology disguised as a self-help guide to the universe. The authors — Primack is a physicist at UC — Santa Cruz, and Abrams is a philosopher of science — contend that Newton's picture of the universe as shapeless and endless left humans feeling cosmically homeless, but in response they articulate a Peter Pan physics in which humans are intimately related to the universe because we are made of stardust, i.e., we're an integral part of the cosmos. Our place in the universe is extraordinary, they claim, because the universe will never be in this moment of time again, and we have a responsibility to take care of the Earth since there is still time to solve some of our cosmic problems. Attempting to weave science and spirituality into one cosmic fabric, the authors satisfy the reader in neither realm. B&w illus." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

"Joel Primack is one of the pioneers in the development of modern ideas of cosmic evolution. He combines his scientific distinction with a long-standing concern and involvement with societal issues. These qualities, allied with his skill as an expositor, make him superbly qualified to write with Nancy Abrams a book that presents an original synthesis and distinctive perspective on humanity's place in the cosmos." Sir Martin Rees, Astronomer Royal (UK) and President of the Royal Society

"What is remarkable, indeed unique, about this book is that it tells the story of the cosmos, tells it with the authority of those who have ingeniously figured it out, tells it with the clear (and successful) intent of wanting us to understand. And in telling connects matters of cosmic significance with the environment and human life on planet Earth. Joel Primack and Nancy Abrams move easily between matter and spirit. To me this book, as gentle, thoughtful, and interesting as its authors, builds the conditions for being human." Roald Hoffmann, Nobel Prize-winner in Chemistry

"Who better to offer us this connection between science and religion than the authors Joel Primack, a renowned cosmologist, and Nancy Abrams, a brilliant artist and poet." Robert John Russell, founder and director, The Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences, Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, and Minister in the United Church of Christ

"Nancy Abrams and Joel Primack are performing a great service by revealing that it is possible to interpret the astounding truths coming out of cosmology as being about ourselves — as, in fact, they must be." Rabbi Zalman M. Schacter-Shalomi, founder of the Aleph Alliance for Jewish Renewal, author of Jewish With Feeling

"Joel Primack and Nancy Abrams have made a remarkable contribution to communicate the results of advanced exploration into deep space and the origin of the universe and to interpret these results in terms of concepts, symbols, imagery and artistic expression that are relevant to different cultures." Vilhjalmur Ludviksson, Minister of Science, Iceland

"While much has been written about the great breakthroughs in modern cosmology, I believe it is now time to step back and try to put them in a larger intellectual context. This book does just that!" Rocky Kolb, a leading theoretical astrophysicist at the University of Chicago, author of Blind Watchers of the Sky

"One of the world's leading cosmologists joins forces with a scintillating writer to offer us a scientific vision and a practical yet spiritual philosophy of life. Read this book if you've wondered about the perennial questions: 'How did it all begin? What does it all mean?'" Daniel C. Matt, author of God and the Big Bang: Discovering Harmony between Science and Spirituality and The Essential Kabbalah

"This terrific book will appeal to people who are interested in what's out there, — regardless of their background (or lack thereof) in the sciences." Library Journal

"The universe is a big, lonely place. But don't feel too small: Here's a book that reassures us that we all have a part in it." Kirkus Reviews

A world-renowned cosmologist and an innovative writer on the history and philosophy of science present a new, scientifically supported understanding of the universe, one that profoundly changes our relationship to the cosmos.

A world-renowned astrophysicist and a science philosopher present a new, scientifically supported understanding of the universe, one that will forever change our personal relationship with the cosmos.

For four hundred years, since early scientists discovered that the universe did not revolve around the earth, people have felt cut off-adrift in a meaningless cosmos. That is about to change.

In their groundbreaking new book, The View from the Center of the Universe, Joel R. Primack, Ph.D., one of the world's leading cosmologists, and Nancy Ellen Abrams, a philosopher and writer, use recent advances in astronomy,physics, and cosmology to frame a compelling new theory of how to understand the universe and our role in it.

While most of us think of the universe as empty space peppered with stars separated by vast distances, the truth, the authors argue, is far richer and more meaningful. For the first time in history, we know that the universe is more coherent and spiritually significant than anyone ever imagined and that our place in it is actually central to the expanding universe in important ways.

According to Primack and Abrams, this new cosmology clarifies how the universe operates, what it's made of, how it may have originated, and how it is evolving. Even more surprising, these startling ideas spring from both cutting-edge science and the metaphors of ancient symbols. The result is a very human book that satisfies our fundamental need for order and meaning in our world and in our lives.

Joel R. Primack, Ph.D., is an award-winning professor of physics at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and is one of the most respected researchers in his field. He was one of the principal originators and developers of the theory of Cold Dark Matter, and is a Fellow of the American Physical Society.

Nancy Ellen Abrams is an award-winning science philosopher, a writer, an artist, and a lawyer whose work has appeared in journals, magazines, and books.