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Sun Nov 8 20:45:29 CET 2015
ifi.it</a>><br>
<br>
-------------------------------------------------------<br>
[Moderator's Note: Thanks again for all of the thought-provoking commen=
ts so far. Just a reminder that the open discussion will close at the end o=
f Monday <a href=3D"tel:%2811%2F30" value=3D"+661130">(11/30</a>), after wh=
ich Norgaard will have the opportunity to respond. -- Jonathan]<br>
<br>
Dear colleagues,<br>
<br>
I am a recent member of this forum, and, so far, I have been just lurking, =
but I have been following the discussion. Now, I thought I might intervene =
with a comment, directed in particular to the concept of "econocene.&q=
uot;<br>
<br>
First of all, we are all familiar with the concept of Anthropocene, an idea=
that has been incredibly successful in the recent debate. As Randy Hayes p=
oints out in a previous message, the idea of Anthropocene has led to a bran=
ching of different concepts, with some people seeing it as proof of how dan=
gerous we are as human beings, while others take it as meaning "Look h=
ow great we are: man wins, nature loses."<br>
<br>
Among other things, the Anthropocene has generated a specific version of th=
e concept of "decoupling" that assumes that humans do not really =
need nature in order to survive - they can build up their own artificial li=
fe support system. It is the attitude, among others, of the<br>
"ecomodernists," <a href=3D"http://www.ecomodernism.org/" rel=3D"=
noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">www.ecomodernism.org/</a>.<br>
<br>
The idea of humans "decoupling from nature" arises strong feeling=
s of horror in many, but, the way it is proposed, it may be seen as a genui=
ne attempt to preserve nature from the human assault that has generated the=
disasters of the Anthropocene. If Man does not need Nature, then Man can l=
eave Nature in peace (and Nature can leave Man in peace).<br>
<br>
This would be, in my opinion, the embodiment of the concept of "econoc=
ene." While economics as a science is often accused of not including N=
ature in its models, this is the true revenge of the<br>
economists; who can then respond, "but who needs Nature?"<br>
<br>
In a sense, all this has a certain veneer of elegance; the problem is that =
elegant theories have a way of getting mauled when clashing against a reali=
ty that may not be elegant at all - rather, ugly and clumsy =E2=80=93 but t=
hat appears to be made of somewhat harder materials than the stuff dreams a=
re made of.<br>
<br>
So, can human beings really decouple from nature and peacefully abandon the=
destructive Anthropocene to enter the peaceful Econocene? That would be tr=
uly the triumph of the church of economics. On the other hand, we might as =
well see the revenge of the Anthropocene and the dismissal of economics as =
a heretical subset of biology (that might well entail also the dismissal of=
humans as a species).<br>
<br>
On this point, I can suggest to you my paper (presently being submitted to =
a scientific journal): "What future for the Anthropocene" - <a hr=
ef=3D"http://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1510/1510.02040.pdf" rel=3D"norefer=
rer" target=3D"_blank">arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1510/1510.02040.pdf</a>, =
where I argue that the time subdivision called Anthropocene in its strong d=
ependence of fossil fuels will be short lived because of depletion and dest=
ined to transform itself into something very different that I called the &q=
uot;stereocene" (the age of solid state devices).<br>
<br>
Ugo Bardi<br>
University of Florence, Italy<br>
<a href=3D"mailto:ugo.bardi at unifi.it">ugo.bardi at unifi.it</a><br>
<br>
><br>
> ***********************************************<br>
><br>
> Friday, October 30, 2015<br>
><br>
> > From Paul Raskin<br>
><br>
><br>
-----<br>
> GTN Friends:<br>
><br>
> I write to launch our NOVEMBER DISCUSSION, which will consider Richard=
Norgaard=E2=80=99s new GTI essay, =E2=80=9CThe Church of Economism and Its=
Discontents.=E2=80=9D Please read it at <a href=3D"http://www.greattransit=
ion.org/publication/the-church-of-economism-and-its-discontents" rel=3D"nor=
eferrer" target=3D"_blank">www.greattransition.org/publication/the-church-o=
f-economism-and-its-discontents</a>, and consider commenting.<br>
><br>
> Is orthodox economics akin to a secular religion? Are we living in the=
=E2=80=9CEconocene=E2=80=9D? Is there a way out? Norgaard, a founder of ec=
ological economics, argues yes, yes, and maybe. In so doing, he guides us f=
urther into the terrain of alternative economics we=E2=80=99ve explored rec=
ently in our discussions of GTI pieces by Herman Daly, Giorgos Kallis, Pete=
r Barnes, and John Bellamy Foster.<br>
><br>
> I wonder, though:<br>
> * Is economism still a monolithic ideology? Or are critical currents w=
ithin the economics mainstream increasingly questioning its reductionist fr=
amework and false predictions?<br>
> * As a framing for our contemporary condition, is =E2=80=9Cthe Econoce=
ne=E2=80=9D a useful corrective to the geologic emphasis of =E2=80=9Cthe An=
thropocene=E2=80=9D? How do these compare to GTI=E2=80=99s term, =E2=80=9CT=
he Planetary Phase of Civilization,=E2=80=9D which aims to convey the multi=
-dimensionality of the globalizing social-ecological system?<br>
><br>
> I=E2=80=99d appreciate hearing your thoughts on these and other issues=
raised by Norgaard=E2=80=99s stimulating essay.<br>
><br>
> Comments are welcome through NOVEMBER 30.<br>
><br>
> Looking forward,<br>
><br>
> Paul Raskin<br>
> GTI Director<br>
><br>
> NOTE ON GTI=E2=80=99S PUBLICATION CYCLE:<br>
> GTN discussions occur in ODD-NUMBERED months, and GTI publishes in EVE=
N-NUMBERED months. Each discussion takes up a new essay or viewpoint prior =
to its publication. After the discussion closes, GTI publishes the piece, e=
dited comments from the discussion, and a response from the author (along w=
ith other new articles). You can review all GTN discussions at <a href=3D"h=
ttp://www.greattransition.org/forum/gti-forum" rel=3D"noreferrer" target=3D=
"_blank">www.greattransition.org/forum/gti-forum</a>.<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
-----<br>
> Hit reply to post a message<br>
> Or see thread and reply online at<br>
> <a href=3D"http://www.greattransition.org/forum/gti-discussions/171-th=
e-church-of-economism-and-its-discontents/1406" rel=3D"noreferrer" target=
=3D"_blank">www.greattransition.org/forum/gti-discussions/171-the-church-of=
-economism-and-its-discontents/1406</a><br>
><br>
> Need help? Email <a href=3D"mailto:jcohn at tellus.org">jcohn at tellus.org<=
/a><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
<br>
--<br>
<br>
Keep Calm<br>
and<br>
Use Renewable Energy<br>
<br>
********************************<br>
Prof Ugo Bardi<br>
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Universit=C3=A0 di Firenze<br>
c/o Dipartimento di Chimica, Polo Scientifico di Sesto Fiorentino<br>
Via della Lastruccia 3 - 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Firenze) - Italy<br>
tel <a href=3D"tel:%2B39%20055%20457%203118" value=3D"+390554573118">+39 05=
5 457 3118</a><br>
<a href=3D"http://www.cassandralegacy.blogspot.com" rel=3D"noreferrer" targ=
et=3D"_blank">www.cassandralegacy.blogspot.com</a><br>
****************************************<br>
<br>
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<br>
-------------------------------------------------------<br>
Hit reply to post a message<br>
Or see thread and reply online at<br>
<a href=3D"http://www.greattransition.org/forum/gti-discussions/171-the-chu=
rch-of-economism-and-its-discontents/1425" rel=3D"noreferrer" target=3D"_bl=
ank">http://www.greattransition.org/forum/gti-discussions/171-the-church-of=
-economism-and-its-discontents/1425</a><br>
<br>
Need help? Email <a href=3D"mailto:jcohn at tellus.org">jcohn at tellus.org</a><b=
r>
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