Detailed description Big History and the Future of Humanity presents an original theoretical approach that makes "big history" - the placing of the human past within the history of life, the Earth, and the Universe -- accessible to general readers while revealing insights into what the future may hold for humanity. * Provides an accessible and original overview of the entire sweep of history that places human history within the history of life, the Earth, and the Universe * Features an original theory of "big history" which explains all of history and opens up an entirely new interdisciplinary research agenda * Offers new insights into the future of humanity by better understanding the past * Presents a new approach to complexity studies, which takes into account the greatest galaxy clusters as well as the tiniest sub-atomic particles
From the contents List of Figures.
Preface and Acknowledgments.
1. Introduction to Big History.
2. General Approach.
3. Cosmic Evolution: The Emergence of Simple Forms of Complexity.
4. Our Cosmic Neighborhood: The Emergence of Greater Complexity.
5. Life on Earth: The Widening Range of Complexity.
6. Early Human History: The Emergence of the Greatest Known Complexity.
7. Recent Human History: The Development of the Greatest Known Complexity.
