Cosmological Sources of Critical Cosmopolitanism

Abstract

Critical cosmopolitan orientation has usually been embedded in a non-geocentric physical (NGP), providing a contrast to the underpinnings of centric cosmologies, which see the world as revolving around a particular observer, theorist, or identity. NGP cosmology makes it plausible to envisage all humans as part of the same species. The connection works also through homology and analogy. An astronomic theory can be isomorphic with a political theory. However, the normative implications of the NGP cosmology are ambiguous. Various reactions have encouraged territorial nationalism and geopolitics. I suggest that critical cosmopolitical orientation should now be grounded on the notion of cosmic evolution, which is not only contextual, historical, pluralist, and open-ended but also suggests that humanity is not a mere accident of the cosmos.