We humans keep striving to be human. Still, we remain a paradox in many ways.
Showing posts with label Philosophy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Philosophy. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 29, 2020
Tuesday, July 28, 2020
Challenges Faced by Ecological Economics
Preface
The author of the article linked to farther down the page is Professor Brian Czech. Here's a bit about him---
https://steadystate.org/brian-czech/
Not long ago, I became a member of his outfit (of which he's the founding president), CASSE. Here's their Mission statement + their Strategy---
https://steadystate.org/meet/mission/
Join their group and you'll be sent a dynamite, slim volume of essays titled, Best of The Daly News, "from the leading blog in Steady State Economics", and referring to Herman Daly. Read that, and you'll be somewhat of an expert on Steady State Economics. [NOTE: I'm not being paid to promote CASSE.]
.........................................
Ecological Economics and its Challenges
The piece at the link below is an outstanding essay by Professor Czech. It comprehensively describes the history, principles of, and challenges for the academic discipline of ecological economics (eco-econ).
https://steadystate.org/wp-content/uploads/Czech_Ecological_Economics.pdf
If you don't have time now for the entire article, at least read all of Section 5., "Future Directions and Challenges for Ecological Economics" and all of Section 6., "Conclusion". Catch the rest later. You will then have the most concise and cogent understanding of eco-econ I've ever seen.
Some of the topics addressed in the above piece include:
1. a key component of eco-econ, "sustainable scale", which means the size of the economy in relation to the biophysical constraints of its sustaining ecosystem;
2. the influences of classical, neoclassical, and ecological economists on the discipline of macroeconomics;
3. ends, means, and philosophy in economics;
4. allocation of resources;
5. GDP and sustainability;
6. distribution of wealth;
7. ecological implications of the volume and flow of money;
8. de-growth;
9. natural capital valuation in relation to macroeconomics; and more.
......................................
Conclusion
If you really want to be part of the ecological movement, it's necessary to become educated far beyond catch-phrases and sound-bites. On this page alone, you have links to sources which will help advance your eco-socio-education by leaps and bounds. Take advantage. The macro-ecosystem known as Mother Earth needs all the help it can get.
.....................................
Not only my opinion. Be Well, and Happy Trails
The author of the article linked to farther down the page is Professor Brian Czech. Here's a bit about him---
https://steadystate.org/brian-czech/
Not long ago, I became a member of his outfit (of which he's the founding president), CASSE. Here's their Mission statement + their Strategy---
https://steadystate.org/meet/mission/
Join their group and you'll be sent a dynamite, slim volume of essays titled, Best of The Daly News, "from the leading blog in Steady State Economics", and referring to Herman Daly. Read that, and you'll be somewhat of an expert on Steady State Economics. [NOTE: I'm not being paid to promote CASSE.]
.........................................
Ecological Economics and its Challenges
The piece at the link below is an outstanding essay by Professor Czech. It comprehensively describes the history, principles of, and challenges for the academic discipline of ecological economics (eco-econ).
https://steadystate.org/wp-content/uploads/Czech_Ecological_Economics.pdf
If you don't have time now for the entire article, at least read all of Section 5., "Future Directions and Challenges for Ecological Economics" and all of Section 6., "Conclusion". Catch the rest later. You will then have the most concise and cogent understanding of eco-econ I've ever seen.
Some of the topics addressed in the above piece include:
1. a key component of eco-econ, "sustainable scale", which means the size of the economy in relation to the biophysical constraints of its sustaining ecosystem;
2. the influences of classical, neoclassical, and ecological economists on the discipline of macroeconomics;
3. ends, means, and philosophy in economics;
4. allocation of resources;
5. GDP and sustainability;
6. distribution of wealth;
7. ecological implications of the volume and flow of money;
8. de-growth;
9. natural capital valuation in relation to macroeconomics; and more.
......................................
Conclusion
If you really want to be part of the ecological movement, it's necessary to become educated far beyond catch-phrases and sound-bites. On this page alone, you have links to sources which will help advance your eco-socio-education by leaps and bounds. Take advantage. The macro-ecosystem known as Mother Earth needs all the help it can get.
.....................................
Not only my opinion. Be Well, and Happy Trails
Tuesday, July 21, 2020
A Paradigm Shift in Ethics is Needed for the Journey to Sustainability
Preface
Philosophy is the study of knowledge, being, and reality. One of its branches is Ethics, the study of values and behavior. Ethics is concerned with "right" and "wrong", and in particular, with what is "good" for individuals and society. Its three primary principles are: respect for persons, beneficence, and justice. A simple definition would be: a code of conduct for human good. Socrates was the Father of Ethics in the western world.
................................
The Ethical Problem in Relation to the Cessation of Environmental Damage
As detailed to a degree in previous posts here, the Powers-That-Be in most countries around the world have opted (for decades) to implement neoliberal economics in their lands... resulting in severe, worldwide environmental damage. Despite efforts to mitigate that damage, it continues to this day. Most ecologists agree that's because, rather than Aldo Leopold's "Land Ethic" (or something similar), countries have chosen to follow the neoliberal path of unlimited growth and overconsumption.
Even in countries that are attempting to "go green", the prevailing ethic is "growthism" not sustainability. More and more perpetual growth apparently is mistakenly viewed as "good" for society. History disagrees with that assessment.
Despite the shrinking of nonrenewable natural resources and the overharvesting of renewable natural resources, human populations (in general) have been indoctrinated to accept without question the idea that economic growth must continually expand for the good of individuals and society. "Going green" supposedly will solve the problems of ecological/environmental damage. That most likely will help a bit, but only a bit. Much more is needed. Here's why.
1. The Law of Conservation of Energy states that energy cannot be created or destroyed; it only can be transformed from one type to another.
2. Because of entropy, every time energy is transformed some of it is lost as dispersed heat. "Lost" means it's no longer available to do "work" because it's too dispersed.
3. As a result, because of entropy nothing can be 100% recycled. So, nonrenewable mineral resources (e.g., rare earth minerals which are gobbled up by high tech industries) will continue to shrink.
4. Although solar energy is renewable, it obviously has to be captured. If the rate of consumption of solar power exceeds the rate of the in-flow and capture of solar energy, then sooner or later, consumption has to be limited.
5. While the stock of solar energy (the sun) is super-abundant, the in-flow and capture of it are limited.
6. Whether "green" or not, all material economic growth consumes resources and produces wastes. That's even true of service industries such as health care, education, taxi service, tourism, and others.
7. Ever-increasing growth results in an ever-increasing flow of "throughput":
resources from Earth's ecosystems to the economic subsystem, and then back to ecosystems as wastes. Sooner or later, throughput will exceed Earth's resource regeneration and waste assimilation capacities.
8. Renewable resources, such as ocean fish and trees, are being overharvested already. More and more economic growth will exacerbate the problem.
All the above means sustainability is nowhere in sight. It also means that, first and foremost, we have a massive ethical problem. Without a paradigm shift in the cultural and ethical thinking & behavior of humans, serious ecological damage on Earth will continue. Why? Because the Powers-That-Be are firmly locked onto the path of unlimited growth and overconsumption. The only way to change that is from the ground up, not the top down... and, in my opinion, that won't happen until a majority of us (or at least a significantly large number of us) adopt what ecologists call "eco-ethics" (or ecoethics). Only then will people gravitate to demanding the implementation of ecological economics.
...................................
Here's a declaration by which to live---
https://www.int-res.com/articles/esep/2002/E21.pdf
[It will warm your heart.]
It's a short read. Have a look, and, as best you can, try to live by it. Thanks. Younger generations thank you as well.
[NOTE--- At the above page, the print can be enlarged by moving your cursor to the lower right-hand side.]
...................................
Not only my opinion. Stay Well
Philosophy is the study of knowledge, being, and reality. One of its branches is Ethics, the study of values and behavior. Ethics is concerned with "right" and "wrong", and in particular, with what is "good" for individuals and society. Its three primary principles are: respect for persons, beneficence, and justice. A simple definition would be: a code of conduct for human good. Socrates was the Father of Ethics in the western world.
................................
The Ethical Problem in Relation to the Cessation of Environmental Damage
As detailed to a degree in previous posts here, the Powers-That-Be in most countries around the world have opted (for decades) to implement neoliberal economics in their lands... resulting in severe, worldwide environmental damage. Despite efforts to mitigate that damage, it continues to this day. Most ecologists agree that's because, rather than Aldo Leopold's "Land Ethic" (or something similar), countries have chosen to follow the neoliberal path of unlimited growth and overconsumption.
Even in countries that are attempting to "go green", the prevailing ethic is "growthism" not sustainability. More and more perpetual growth apparently is mistakenly viewed as "good" for society. History disagrees with that assessment.
Despite the shrinking of nonrenewable natural resources and the overharvesting of renewable natural resources, human populations (in general) have been indoctrinated to accept without question the idea that economic growth must continually expand for the good of individuals and society. "Going green" supposedly will solve the problems of ecological/environmental damage. That most likely will help a bit, but only a bit. Much more is needed. Here's why.
1. The Law of Conservation of Energy states that energy cannot be created or destroyed; it only can be transformed from one type to another.
2. Because of entropy, every time energy is transformed some of it is lost as dispersed heat. "Lost" means it's no longer available to do "work" because it's too dispersed.
3. As a result, because of entropy nothing can be 100% recycled. So, nonrenewable mineral resources (e.g., rare earth minerals which are gobbled up by high tech industries) will continue to shrink.
4. Although solar energy is renewable, it obviously has to be captured. If the rate of consumption of solar power exceeds the rate of the in-flow and capture of solar energy, then sooner or later, consumption has to be limited.
5. While the stock of solar energy (the sun) is super-abundant, the in-flow and capture of it are limited.
6. Whether "green" or not, all material economic growth consumes resources and produces wastes. That's even true of service industries such as health care, education, taxi service, tourism, and others.
7. Ever-increasing growth results in an ever-increasing flow of "throughput":
resources from Earth's ecosystems to the economic subsystem, and then back to ecosystems as wastes. Sooner or later, throughput will exceed Earth's resource regeneration and waste assimilation capacities.
8. Renewable resources, such as ocean fish and trees, are being overharvested already. More and more economic growth will exacerbate the problem.
All the above means sustainability is nowhere in sight. It also means that, first and foremost, we have a massive ethical problem. Without a paradigm shift in the cultural and ethical thinking & behavior of humans, serious ecological damage on Earth will continue. Why? Because the Powers-That-Be are firmly locked onto the path of unlimited growth and overconsumption. The only way to change that is from the ground up, not the top down... and, in my opinion, that won't happen until a majority of us (or at least a significantly large number of us) adopt what ecologists call "eco-ethics" (or ecoethics). Only then will people gravitate to demanding the implementation of ecological economics.
...................................
Here's a declaration by which to live---
https://www.int-res.com/articles/esep/2002/E21.pdf
[It will warm your heart.]
It's a short read. Have a look, and, as best you can, try to live by it. Thanks. Younger generations thank you as well.
[NOTE--- At the above page, the print can be enlarged by moving your cursor to the lower right-hand side.]
...................................
Not only my opinion. Stay Well
Wednesday, May 13, 2020
Introduction to Ecological Liberalism
Preface
Neoliberalism may be on its deathbed. The ideology began in the late 1930's, bloomed in the 1970's and 1980's, and essentially has ruled the economics, finance, & politics of the developed world ever since. COVID-19 (SARS-2) has dealt it a blow from which (hopefully) it may never recover.
What will replace it? Here's some insight---
https://mahb.stanford.edu/blog/coronavirus-spells-the-end-of-the-neoliberal-era-whats-next/
https://www.ehn.org/pandemic-population-covid-19-2645518249.html
..........................................
For years I wrote (on another blog) about the disastrous effects of Neoliberalism. Here's the final essay---
http://individualsovereignty.blogspot.com/2020/05/neoliberalism-has-ruled-for-decades-is.html
With this new blog, it's my intention to provide resources enabling open-minded people to educate and inspire themselves (& hopefully, others) on a path forward.
We'll explore subjects which are both social and scientific. Because politics has become so polarized in this Land, we'll stay away from that topic to a large degree. It won't be possible to avoid it entirely.
We'll take it as a given that readers here have a basic Main Street knowledge of natural science, common economics, world affairs, and ethics. Should anyone encounter a term that's unfamiliar (and not defined here), we'll leave it up to them to do a Search for it. That approach is necessary because of time and energy constraints on me. 😊
Here's a very brief introduction to Ecological Liberalism---
1. Liberalism is a moral/ethical philosophy and ideology based on the tenets of liberty, consent of the governed, equality before the Law, and tolerance. Different forms of the belief sometimes depart from one or more of those tenets. Despite that, the general definition is valid.
2. Ecology is the branch of Biology which studies the relationships of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings. It's essentially the study of ecosystems (to be defined/discussed in a later post). There are many sub-branches of Ecology, e.g., wetlands ecology, grasslands ecology, desert ecology, Human Ecology, etc.
Significant parts of Ecological Liberalism have been in existence for decades. To my knowledge, though, those parts never have coalesced into a unified, single ideology. [If I'm in error, someone please correct me.] One of the major parts is Ecological Economics, which has been around for over thirty years. That will be discussed in depth later. A group similar to Ecological Economists refers to itself as Environment and Resource Economists. The noted ecologist, Paul R. Ehrlich, believes the two groups are identical in their principles. Here's a "fair use" quote from his paper, Key issues for attention from ecological economists:
"Environment and resource economists (hereafter 'ecological economists', which I consider to be an identical group) are the scholars examining the most critical problems that will dominate economics in the twenty-first century.". [Emphasis added.] From: https://www.jstor.org/stable/44378980?read-now=1&seq=1
The main components and principles of Ecological Liberalism are: ecology, economics (including finance), ethics and morality (including spirituality, but not "religion"), and social equity. This is the best path forward.
In addition to the terms above, future posts here necessarily will explore the following topics: the biosphere, carrying capacity, biodiversity, unlimited growth, over-consumption, industrial agriculture, corporate globalization, industrial ecology, epidemiological environment, sustainable living, sustainable development, climate disruption, the methane bomb, nuclear problems, food and water problems, ecosystem services, technology, the assault on science, local v. global, ecocentric ideology, the population bomb, the holistic approach, world view, and more.
Because of the current pandemic, the door to serious consideration of alternative views regarding the organization of humanity is wide open. The massive failure of many institutions (public and private) has become glaringly evident. A new approach is needed if our species is to survive (& thrive) the many severe problems we now face. We don't need to throw out the baby with the bath water, but a different path is essential.
......................................
Not only my opinion. Be Well
Neoliberalism may be on its deathbed. The ideology began in the late 1930's, bloomed in the 1970's and 1980's, and essentially has ruled the economics, finance, & politics of the developed world ever since. COVID-19 (SARS-2) has dealt it a blow from which (hopefully) it may never recover.
What will replace it? Here's some insight---
https://mahb.stanford.edu/blog/coronavirus-spells-the-end-of-the-neoliberal-era-whats-next/
https://www.ehn.org/pandemic-population-covid-19-2645518249.html
..........................................
For years I wrote (on another blog) about the disastrous effects of Neoliberalism. Here's the final essay---
http://individualsovereignty.blogspot.com/2020/05/neoliberalism-has-ruled-for-decades-is.html
With this new blog, it's my intention to provide resources enabling open-minded people to educate and inspire themselves (& hopefully, others) on a path forward.
We'll explore subjects which are both social and scientific. Because politics has become so polarized in this Land, we'll stay away from that topic to a large degree. It won't be possible to avoid it entirely.
We'll take it as a given that readers here have a basic Main Street knowledge of natural science, common economics, world affairs, and ethics. Should anyone encounter a term that's unfamiliar (and not defined here), we'll leave it up to them to do a Search for it. That approach is necessary because of time and energy constraints on me. 😊
Here's a very brief introduction to Ecological Liberalism---
1. Liberalism is a moral/ethical philosophy and ideology based on the tenets of liberty, consent of the governed, equality before the Law, and tolerance. Different forms of the belief sometimes depart from one or more of those tenets. Despite that, the general definition is valid.
2. Ecology is the branch of Biology which studies the relationships of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings. It's essentially the study of ecosystems (to be defined/discussed in a later post). There are many sub-branches of Ecology, e.g., wetlands ecology, grasslands ecology, desert ecology, Human Ecology, etc.
Significant parts of Ecological Liberalism have been in existence for decades. To my knowledge, though, those parts never have coalesced into a unified, single ideology. [If I'm in error, someone please correct me.] One of the major parts is Ecological Economics, which has been around for over thirty years. That will be discussed in depth later. A group similar to Ecological Economists refers to itself as Environment and Resource Economists. The noted ecologist, Paul R. Ehrlich, believes the two groups are identical in their principles. Here's a "fair use" quote from his paper, Key issues for attention from ecological economists:
"Environment and resource economists (hereafter 'ecological economists', which I consider to be an identical group) are the scholars examining the most critical problems that will dominate economics in the twenty-first century.". [Emphasis added.] From: https://www.jstor.org/stable/44378980?read-now=1&seq=1
The main components and principles of Ecological Liberalism are: ecology, economics (including finance), ethics and morality (including spirituality, but not "religion"), and social equity. This is the best path forward.
In addition to the terms above, future posts here necessarily will explore the following topics: the biosphere, carrying capacity, biodiversity, unlimited growth, over-consumption, industrial agriculture, corporate globalization, industrial ecology, epidemiological environment, sustainable living, sustainable development, climate disruption, the methane bomb, nuclear problems, food and water problems, ecosystem services, technology, the assault on science, local v. global, ecocentric ideology, the population bomb, the holistic approach, world view, and more.
Because of the current pandemic, the door to serious consideration of alternative views regarding the organization of humanity is wide open. The massive failure of many institutions (public and private) has become glaringly evident. A new approach is needed if our species is to survive (& thrive) the many severe problems we now face. We don't need to throw out the baby with the bath water, but a different path is essential.
......................................
Not only my opinion. Be Well
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)