The Evolution Of Meaning Book Launch
Meaning is not a human invention. It is what the universe has been learning for 13.8 billion years.
That is the claim at the heart of The Evolution of Meaning, a three-volume history of humanity's engagement with matters of ultimate concern. Volume I: Cosmos to Culture is out on October 1, and we are marking the release with a live conversation.
The event is hosted by author Brendan Graham Dempsey and Nick Hedlund, Co-Directors of Research at the Institute of Applied Metatheory. Together they will take you inside the book:
Why meaning can be defined in terms of information and energy, and what that changes
The four kinds of learning, from matter to life to mind to culture
How meaning-making can be measured, in individual minds and across 165 historical texts spanning five thousand years
A developmental theory of the sacred, and what it means to say that God has a history
Where Volumes II and III take the story
Bring your questions. The second half of the session is open for Q&A with Brendan and Nick.
When: Friday, October 2, 2026, 12:00 PM Eastern (9:00 AM Pacific, 5:00 PM UK, 6:00 PM Central Europe)