David Christian author photo

David Christian

Nascido: December 08, 1946 – Brooklyn, New York, United States

David Christian is a historian and pioneer of Big History, known for tracing human and cosmic history across deep time. He is the author of Maps of Time and co-author of Origin Story, and he helped found the Big History Project, bringing interdisciplinary history teaching to classrooms worldwide.

Biografia e Jornada do Autor

David Christian is a historian whose work moved outward from national history to the widest temporal scale imaginable. Born in New York in 1946 to British and American parents, he spent much of his childhood in Nigeria before schooling in England. He took a BA in modern history at Oxford, completed an MA in Russian history at the University of Western Ontario, and returned to Oxford for a D.Phil. awarded in 1974. His early career at Macquarie University was grounded in Russian and Soviet history, producing books on Russian food, drink, and Inner Eurasia. The decisive turn came in 1989, when a discussion about how to introduce students to history pushed him toward a radical question: why not begin at the beginning? That question led him from human history to geology, biology, and finally to the history of the universe itself. ((https://storage.googleapis.com/coursetexts-notion/usmani%20sociol2204/readings/Christian%20and%20McNeill%20-%20Maps%20of%20Time%20An%20Introduction%20to%20Big%20History.pdf))

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Citações

quote
Once you’ve reduced 13 billion years to a 13-week semester, reducing it to 18 minutes is hard … but can be done
-A history curriculum that starts at the beginning of time
quote
Big history is a modern version of all these stories
-What Is Big History?
quote
Life exists in a thin sphere around the surface of the earth
-Life in All Its Forms
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You have to survey the whole history of the Universe. So let’s do it
-The History of Everything - TED
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Big history tries to look at the past on all scales, from those of conventional history up to those of cosmology
-What’s the Use of Big History?
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We need a history of humanity
-We Need A Modern Origin Story: A Big History

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History
PLANO DE APRENDIZADO

History

This plan provides a comprehensive look at how human history is constructed and interpreted beyond just dates and facts. It is ideal for curious learners and students who want to develop critical thinking skills and understand the forces shaping our modern global society.

4 h 25 m5 Seções
History and creation science
PLANO DE APRENDIZADO

History and creation science

This plan bridges the gap between empirical scientific data and philosophical inquiries into our origins. It is ideal for curious minds seeking to reconcile the 13.8-billion-year cosmic narrative with the profound questions of faith and human meaning.

6 h 5 m4 Seções
History as a Living Blueprint
PLANO DE APRENDIZADO

History as a Living Blueprint

This plan is essential for those seeking to understand the recurring patterns of human civilization and the mechanics of systemic change. It is ideal for students of sociology, history buffs, or anyone wanting to decode how past innovations and crises shape our current world.

1 h 36 m4 Seções
The Big Picture of Humanity
PLANO DE APRENDIZADO

The Big Picture of Humanity

This learning plan offers a panoramic view of the human experience, bridging the gap between evolutionary biology and modern data science. It is ideal for curious minds and history enthusiasts who want to understand how our past shapes our current global reality and future potential.

1 h 12 m3 Seções
classic christian authors
PLANO DE APRENDIZADO

classic christian authors

This plan offers a comprehensive journey through the minds that built the Christian tradition, from ancient architects to modern apologists. It is ideal for students of history, theology, or personal faith seeking to ground their understanding in time-tested wisdom.

5 h 42 m4 Seções
Explore world history
PLANO DE APRENDIZADO

Explore world history

This comprehensive exploration of world history provides essential context for understanding our interconnected modern world and the forces that continue to shape human societies. It's ideal for curious learners seeking to develop a big-picture perspective on human civilization, professionals working in international contexts, or anyone wanting to become a more informed global citizen capable of recognizing historical patterns in current events.

5 h 2 m4 Seções
Explore History, Science, Tech & Culture
PLANO DE APRENDIZADO

Explore History, Science, Tech & Culture

This plan offers a panoramic view of human progress, bridging the gap between ancient history and future technology. It is ideal for lifelong learners and professionals seeking to understand the historical and scientific forces that drive today's digital world.

5 h 44 m4 Seções
To widen my history knowledge
PLANO DE APRENDIZADO

To widen my history knowledge

This learning plan provides a structured journey through human history, from our earliest ancestors to contemporary times, offering essential context for understanding today's world. It's ideal for curious learners seeking to make sense of current events, professionals wanting broader perspective in their decision-making, or anyone who believes that understanding where we've been is crucial to navigating where we're going.

5 h 4 m4 Seções

Vozes da Comunidade

"David Christian teaches an ambitious world history course that tells the tale of the entire universe"

TED ((

"David Christian is one of the grandest parachutists of them all—so grand that he's almost a space traveler"

American Scientist ((

"David Christian charts our course from the Big Bang to today"

TED Blog ((

"David Christian covers 13 billion years in 600 pages and poses some suitably weighty questions"

The Guardian ((

"A wave of mainstream media attention shines a spotlight on David Christian, a leading proponent of ‘big history"

Publishers Weekly ((

"David Christian’s approach to understanding history can help all of us learn to prepare for the future that lies ahead"

Bill Gates ((

"David Christian’s ‘big history’ synthesizes several disciplines, from astrobiology to behavioral economics, to tell the story of the universe"

The Washington Post ((

"Big History founder David Christian enthusiastically turns his attention to humanity's short- and long-term future"

Shelf Awareness ((

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