An Analysis of Big History: Cosmic Evolution and Human Existence

This essay explores the concept of Big History, focusing on the theme of cosmic evolution and related concepts such as complexity, energy, and thresholds. It delves into the nature of the universe before human life, the characteristics of Earth, the emergence of life, and the nature of the human world. The paper highlights Big History's aim to understand the origin of the universe and life forms, using the Big Bang as a starting point. It further discusses the evolution from physical and biological to cultural phases, emphasizing the importance of empirical research in understanding the cosmos and the human world. The essay concludes by asserting that Big History seeks to answer complex questions about the origin and formation of the world, providing a holistic view of how life emerged on Earth and the role of human culture in shaping the present world.

Running head: BIG HISTORY AND COSMIC EVOLUTION
Big History and cosmic evolution
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Introduction
The various subjects as existing within the field of education enables the student to learn
about the world and their surrounding environment. For instance, history provides the student
with the important information about the development and progress of the human civilization
since times immemorial while geography gives them an idea about the landscape of the world
and its physical features. Similarly other school subjects have different aspects to talk about and
discuss which increases the knowledge span of the individuals with regard to their understanding
of the world (Spier 2015). In this context, it needs to be noted that among all the various
subjects, the academic subject of history is often considered to hold a significant place. This is
due to the reason that it allows the individuals to be aware of the various developments that have
occurred within the broader aspect of the society (Rogers 2016). Furthermore, it also outlines the
different mistakes which have been made by the human community and this acts as a guideline
which prevents the present generation from repeating the same mistake. The purpose of this
paper is to understand the concept of Big History. To this extent, the paper focuses on a
particular theme of Big History which talks about the evolution of the world and human life.
Meaning of Big History
Big History forms a part of the academic field whereby this discipline seeks to explain
the development and evolution of history from the age of the Big Bang to that of the present
world order (Hesketh 2014). One of the characteristics features of Big History is that it does not
focus on specialization but rather seeks any kind of universal trend or pattern. It examines the
long span of time with the aid of a multidisciplinary approach whereby it combines many
disciplines from that of humanities and science. In doing so, it seeks to explain the nature of the
human society and the individuals living in it from a bigger perspective (LePoire 2016). Big

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History is noted to accommodate within itself the study of the entire cosmos, the Earth, the living
organisms that exist in it and most importantly that of humanity. It undertakes empirical research
in order to explore the cause and effect relationships that might occur in the society.
The term “Big History” was first coined by an historian named David Christian and he
was the first professor to have taught this course at the Macquarie University. It was an all-
encompassing academic approach to the issue of the relationship shared between humanity and
cosmology and to that of natural history (Christian 2018).
Themes of Big History
The purpose of Big History is to reevaluate the story of the human civilization from the
perspective of the scientific advances. For this purpose, it makes use of the tools such as that of
radiocarbon dating, thermodynamic measurement of the free energy rate density and that of
genetic analysis (Crawford 2018). Furthermore, it also uses the measures involved in the field of
anthropology, archeology and that of world history. To this extent, David Christian was under
the impression that the recent past of the human civilization can be examined and analyzed in a
holistic manner when the entire fourteen billion span of time is taken in to consideration
(Collado-Ruano 2016). Thus, the historical background provided the foundational basis of the
present societal world order.
David Baker, one of the colleagues of David Christian in the Macquarine University,
stated that there is a flow of physical energy and its complexities connects the history of the
human world to the origin of the Universe (Turnbull 2015). Furthermore, he also opined that the
general view of human history can also provide a unifying theme to the entire discipline of
history whereby it takes the form of collective learning.

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There is also the prevailing view that the subject matter of Big History explores and
examines that combination of the individual human action with that of the environmental and
social forces (Christian, Brown and Benjamin 2014). To this extent, Big History seeks to
understand and discover any kind of repeating patterns that have occurred in the past fourteen
billion years since the origin of the Big Bang (Christian, Brown and Benjamin 2014). It explores
the various core trans-disciplinary themes of the rapidly increasing complexity which has been
described by Eric Chaisson of the Harvard University.
The various themes which are dealt with the academic discipline of Big History are those
of time scales and questions, cosmic evolution, complexity, energy, thresholds and the goldilocks
conditions (Collado Ruano 2016). There are other themes also present within this field as a result
of the inclusion of the other subjects of social studies. This paper would look in to the theme of
cosmic evolution and complexity, energy and thresholds. To this extent, it would look in to the
nature of universe before human life, the characteristic nature of Earth and the emergence of life
and the nature of the human world.
Theme of cosmic evolution
Cosmic evolution signifies the scientific study related to the change in the universe.
Many researchers are of the idea that cosmic evolution is significantly different and vaster than
the entire idea of Big History (Lent and Capra 2017). This is due to the fact that Big History is
related to the study of the historical evolution from the era of Big Bang to that of the origin of the
Milky Way, the Sun, the Earth and that of the human life. On the other hand, cosmic evolution
refers to the complex systems including all life forms on Earth and not merely that of human life
(Martinez 2014). To this extent, cosmic evolution is considered to be the intellectual frame work
that that show cases a majestic synthesis of the changes in the semblance and the composition of

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the elements of matter, radiation and life forms throughout the historical development of the
universe. The query with regard to the character of the human individuals and the nature of their
origin, the inter-disciplinary subject of Big History attempts to bring together and unify the
natural sciences within the field of natural history (Gilbert 2014). This provides a single and
inclusive scientific narrative related to the origin and the system of evolution of the material
physical matters of the Earth in a time span of fourteen billion years. This evolution is
considered from the point of origin of the Earth to that of the contemporary world order.
Complexity, energy, thresholds
It needs to be noted that cosmic evolution is primarily a quantitative subject while the
academic field of Big History is not. This is due to the reason that cosmic evolution is mainly
practiced by the scientists belonging to the field of natural sciences while the subject of Big
History is taught by the scholars of the field of social science. The two subjects of natural science
and natural history are found to be close associated with each other and significantly overlap and
benefit from one another. The cosmic evolutionists are inclined to treat the universal history
along a linear line where the human society are seen to enter their life story only at the
contemporary times (Choi and Sukyoung 2017). On the other hand, the academic field of Big
History states that humanity and its achievement in the field of culture and social order, is
something which has been in existence since times immemorial.
The differential treatment in time and the separate emphasis on the historical context over
a span of fourteen billion years can be understood in three phases and over seven epochs.
The phases include –
 Physical evolution

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 Biological evolution
 Cultural evolution
The epochs include –
 Particulate
 Galactic
 Stellar
 Planetary
 Chemical
 Biological
 Cultural
This is in contrast with the approach used by the big historians who are of the opinion
that the narrative of the development of the human world and humanity can be divided in to
more thresholds. However, one particular view holds that the narrative of Big Bang to that of the
human kind is one where the emphasis lies in the earlier universe, particularly focusing on the
growth of galaxies, particles and the broader cosmic structure which forms part of the physical
cosmology (Brown 2016).
Eric Chaisson sought to describe the cosmic evolution by the means of quantitative
efforts. He tried to explain the flow of energy through the open, thermodynamic system which
includes the stars, galaxies, planets, the broader society and life forms on Earth (Chaisson 2014).
The increase in the energy rate density among the entire system of the complex, is an
advantageous way to explain and explore the idea of rise in complexity within an expanding
universe. This is seen to be obeying the second law of thermodynamics, thereby continuing to

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accumulate the net entropy. In this regard, the ordered material systems of the society such as
that of the bees and the redwood trees, the stars and the entire gamut of the living beings, are
considered to be temporary presence within the structure of the society.
A characteristics feature about the complexity studies is the presence of ranked order as
found within the recognized material systems within the broader universe. Although, the absolute
energy as present within the astronomical systems are found to be in excess than that present
within the human beings and the mass densities of the planets, stars and the living bodies are
found to be comparable, the energy rate density for the living organisms and the modern world
order is greater than that of the galaxies and the stars. For example, the luminous intensity of the
Sun is 4*10 (33) ergs and it also has a huge mass that of 2*10 (33) grams. Thus, with each
passing second, the energy equivalent to 2 ergs is seen to pass through each gram of the Sun. In
opposition to this, more energy is seen to flow through each gram present in the leaf of a plant
during the process of photosynthesis (Christian, Brown and Benjamin 2014). Furthermore, more
energy, nearly million times more, passes through each gram present within the human brain
while they are thinking.
This empirical research reveals the importance of Big History. The academic field of Big
History tries to understand the origin of the universe and all life forms as is seen to be present
within such universe. To this extent, the issue of Big Bang has been taken as the starting point in
the field of Big History (Christian, Brown and Benjamin 2014). It was this incident which gave
rise to the beginning of humanity and the gradual formation of the entire human race. With time,
the cultures and the traditions of the society came in to focus and the cultural achievement of
such human society was considered to form a part of the present human world.
Conclusion

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In conclusion, it can be observed that the academic discipline of Big History has emerged
in order to answer the difficult questions of life with regard to the origin and formation of the
world as we know it. The Big Bang and the life that followed afterwards are the main concerning
points of Big History. This essay has looked in to the theme of cosmic evolution and that of
complexity, energy and thresholds. To this extent, it has sought to understand the nature of
universe before human life, the characteristic nature of Earth and the emergence of life and the
nature of the human world. As a result, the essay has been able to provide a holistic
understanding to the question of how life emerged within Earth. The field of Big History makes
use of empirical research in order to make sense of the different things related to cosmos and the
human world. It mainly concerns itself with how the human civilization developed and
progressed through the times immemorial. Thus, it can be seen that the essay has been able to
understand the theme of Big History and its distinguishing characteristic from that of
conventional history.

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