The Condor and the Eagle: Uniting Heart and Mind in Search of a New Science Worldview

In this extensive work that expert reviewers have called a "treatise" and a "thesis," Duran reflects on more than a decade of exploring the relationship between modern physics, particularly physical cosmology, and the knowledge and beliefs of Indigenous Peoples—descendants of the earliest human populations which survive in each area of the earth—who have always embraced a land ethic because the Earth sustains all life. The connection to the land is what renders this relationship crucially important at this time in human history when we direly need something that can inspire and unite the world’s peoples and governments in a common cause that focuses on the welfare of future generations as well as our own. This book presents such a possibility. It is intended for readers from all backgrounds but should be of particular interest to those in science. It proposes a paradigm that is based on the sacredness of the web of life, is free of religion yet intensely spiritual, and is premised on the belief that there is a link between a correct understanding of nature and the proper way to live—a tenet long held by Indigenous peoples, as well as some of the early Greek masters of wisdom from the fifth century BCE, but was unfortunately abandoned by Western culture. Modern physics has revealed facts and mysteries about the Universe that are spiritually significant to tribal peoples whose worldviews contrast widely with Western culture’s assumptions and practice of science. Whereas the non-intuitive nature of quantum theory is considered a paradox in physics, the concepts that such behavior represents are very similar to those which arise out of Native American paradigms. Using his identity and experience as a Native American with a substantial background in physics, coupled with his incisive and intense yet personal way of communicating, Duran has produced a book that uniquely links together important truths which others have missed.