Science, Wisdom, and the Future: Humanity's Quest for a Flourishing Earth (Humanty Series) Hot

There is an undeniable global sense of imminent and frightening change, and yet few of us can put a finger on exactly what, where, and how this change is manifesting. We are grasping for a handle on what is happening to our planet, our climate, our species, and our connection to the Earth and to each other.

SCIENCE, WISDOM, AND THE FUTURE brings together 41 authors from diverse backgrounds – experts in philosophy, psychology, business, religion, sustainability, the arts—who attempt to bring some definition to the vague uneasiness we’re experiencing. Editor Cheryl Genet expresses a hope that “this book will provoke, intrigue, and inform each reader.” Given the broad scope and level of expertise provided by the contributors, that hope will surely be fulfilled.

These essays are loosely divided into four categories: what we know about ourselves and our world, searching for solutions, the role of corporations in establishing sustainability, and the importance of raising consciousness.

Although the book kicks off with a short piece by Duane Elgin entitled “Time is Up!” the tone of SCIENCE, WISDOM, AND THE FUTURE is not at all pessimistic. The first section is not so much a needs statement as an assessment of available resources, with wisdom topping the list. Given that we weren’t wise enough to prevent the mess we’re in, it may seem an odd choice for our salvation; the overwhelming consensus, however, is that our collective wisdom is evolving at a rate sufficient to meet our immediate and near-future need for creative solutions.

Having established the parameters of our situation, we must ask: What comes next? Can we change our trajectory or is it already too late to save ourselves? Here you’ll find optimistic thoughts about a multitude of possible paths toward a healthier destination. From examples of grassroots efforts in food production, education, spirituality, and politics, the writers featured in this section go beyond mere speculation and feel-good theory to offer suggestions for change that can be implemented immediately and effectively.

“Making international corporations more sustainable and more responsible to the global ecology in which we all live is likely one of the most critical, complex, and difficult challenges facing us in our efforts to create a path to a flourishing Earth,” writes Cheryl Genet. Corporations exist to make money; contributing to a sustainable environment is seldom believed to be in their best financial interest. And yet, Victoria L Zelin dashes off a list of corporate leaders—Ray Anderson, Yvon Chouinard, Gary Hirshberg, Jeffrey Hollender, to name a few—who have taken responsibility for their companies’ environmental actions and benefitted by their community engagement. Other essays in this section address the importance of paradigm shift within the corporate culture, with an emphasis on the financial gains to be made through ethical, sustainable management.

In the final section, wisdom again comes into play as essayists explore the role of awareness in building a sustainable future. “Thinking about the future is the most enlightening and practical topic the human mind can entertain,” writes Tom Lombardo. “The best way to enhance its capacities is through the strengthening of character, virtues, and in particular, wisdom.”

Essays in this collection run the gamut from scholarly to gentle philosophical musings, from musical meditations to soul-baring spirituality. SCIENCE, WISDOM, AND THE FUTURE does not spout platitudes or suggest that wishful thinking will save us; it does, however, express a firm conviction that humanity is fully capable of doing what must be done if our species is to continue a worthwhile existence on this planet.