Online research in philosophy

This radical reinterpretation of the formative stages of Chinese culture and history traces the central role played by cosmology in the formation of China's early empires. It crosses the disciplines of history, social anthropology, archaeology, and philosophy to illustrate how cosmological systems, particularly the Five Elements, shaped political culture. By focusing on dynamic change in early cosmology, the book undermines the notion that Chinese cosmology was homogenous and unchanging. By arguing that cosmology was intrinsic to power relations, it also challenges prevailing theories of political and intellectual history.

Physical cosmology purports to establish precise and testable claims about the origin of the universe. Thus, cosmology bears directly on traditional metaphysical claims -- in particular, claims about whether the universe has a creator (i.e. God). What is the upshot of cosmology for the claims of theism? Does big-bang cosmology support theism? Do recent developments in quantum and string cosmology undermine theism? We discuss the relations between physical cosmology to theism from both historical and systematic points of view.

The purpose of this paper is to review, clarify, and critically analyse modern mathematical cosmology. The emphasis is upon the mathematical structures involved, rather than numerical computations. The opening section reviews and clarifies the Friedmann-Robertson-Walker models of General Relativistic Cosmology, while Section 2 deals with the spatially homogeneous models. Particular attention is paid to the topological and geometrical aspects of these models. Section 3 explains how the mathematical formalism can be linked with astronomical observation. Sections 4 and 5 provide a critical analysis of Inflationary Cosmology and Quantum Cosmology, with particular attention to the claims made that these theories can explain the creation of the universe.