Each sermon gives a poetic introduction to a field of knowledge that has something to say about what we are. They are integrated in an arrangement loosely inspired by the Open Systems Interaction model.
- 🌌 Adrift in Space and Time (2013) – Astrophysics
The physical atoms that everything runs on.
🔊 Audio. – In German: Im Flug durch Raum und Zeit, 🔊Audio. - 🧬 The Games of Entropy (2015) – Molecular Biology
The self-replicating patterns of links between atoms.
🔊 Audio.In German: Von Entropie gespielt, 🔊Audio. - 🌳 One of Us (2016) – Evolutionary Biology
The network of relations between all life on Earth.
🔊 Audio. – In German: Unsereins, 🔊Audio. - 💖 The Love that guides Humanity (2022) – Biological Anthropology
The relationships and exchanges between us.
🔊 Audio. - 🗣️ The Words our Voices Raise (2023) – Cultural Anthropology
The dialogues between individuals that give rise to culture.
🔊 Audio. - 🧠 Our Maps and Territory (2024?) – Cognitive Science
The mental representations that give rise to the mind. - 💥 The Universe Machine (2025??) – Philosophy
The relationship of reason and reality.
The Seven Secular Sermons are:
- the only artistic attempt to replace religion as a frame for Mystical Experience
- the only guided meditations in verse and rhyme
- by far the longest poems ever written in the strict classical style of the common meter
- entirely in line with the current state of scientific knowledge
- based on 25 years of meditation experience, 20 years of experience writing guided meditations and a few years of academic research into the psychology of religious ritual
- best enjoyed when listened to rather than read
- …and so mindblowing they frequently move listeners to tears.
To the extent possible under law, Daniel Böttger has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to Seven Secular Sermons and all works derived from it. This work is published from: Germany.
This means you may freely copy, modify and use these Sermons any way you like, including commercially and without attribution.
This work was inspired by Lucretius, Richard Dawkins, Rudyard Kipling, Carl Sagan, Neil DeGrasse Tyson, the Symphony of Science project, Daniel Dennett, Christopher Hitchens, Alan Moore, Gustav Theodor Fechner and too many more to mention.
There is a project blog with occasional updates on progress, other poetry and assorted thoughts.