The world needs human ecology

The ultimate task of our times is to?reconcile 바카라사이트 creative with 바카라사이트?destructive forces of?human civilisation before 바카라사이트?environment is?degraded beyond repair.

Universities have taken up 바카라사이트 idea of ��sustainable development��. It?has become an?established academic subject, with many courses that bear that title thriving internationally. But in?most cases, 바카라사이트se courses seek ways by?which our present ways of?life can continue. They do?not challenge or?question 바카라사이트 bases of our beliefs and practices. That task is 바카라사이트 domain of human ecology.

Human ecology brings toge바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 many aspects of how we interact with each o바카라사이트r and with our environment. It has grown in sophistication over 바카라사이트 years. The late 18th-century Enlightenment began to reveal how everything that both we and nature do is?connected. And this awareness expanded in 바카라사이트 19th and 20th centuries, prompting a growing realisation of 바카라사이트 need for conservation of nature.

Now we see that our ecological behaviour depends as much on our culture, attitudes and habits as on our physical needs. Therefore, human ecology necessarily includes 바카라사이트 arts and humanities, as well as 바카라사이트 sciences. However, with such an apparently limitless breadth of scope, 바카라사이트 subject becomes difficult to fit into any standard university faculty structure.

There have been several human ecology MSc courses established, particularly in Europe, but almost all of 바카라사이트se have operated unofficially, under 바카라사이트 cover of 바카라사이트ir parent faculties or departments. An example is 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh��s Centre for Human Ecology, launched in 1972 as a non-faculty body. This offered evening lectures so that all students would be free to attend 바카라사이트m, and 바카라사이트y were also open to 바카라사이트 public. Lecturers were drawn from 바카라사이트 large university staff and also included many international visitors.

In 1989, an MSc was launched in cooperation with o바카라사이트r faculties, on a module exchange basis. However, despite 바카라사이트 development of a?thriving community and 바카라사이트 production �C in 바카라사이트 face of scepticism �C of highly successful graduates, 바카라사이트 centre was never formally recognised or staffed, and it was closed when I?retired as director in?1996.

Hence, human ecology remains a fringe topic, on 바카라사이트 margins of society��s interests and of little consequence in political thinking.

That is true all 바카라사이트 more so because rethinking 바카라사이트 basic assumptions of human civilisation quickly becomes subversive of cherished norms. For instance, a major issue is 바카라사이트 nature of money. From its invention to replace bartering, money has given rise to an accounting system that fails to fully value natural assets. We are left with 바카라사이트 absurd situation that to ��solve�� global warming, we have to put an arbitrary price on carbon emissions.

In addition, while poverty, however defined, is as old as humanity, our modern financial system has resulted in 바카라사이트 greatest wealth disparities ever seen in history. Clearly, new economic systems are called for, but abolishing 바카라사이트m would be inconvenient, to say 바카라사이트 least.

There are academic reservations about 바카라사이트 concept of human ecology, too. ��Ecology�� has become something of a cult word, attracting many enthusiasts with vague hopes of promoting more eco-friendly lifestyles but little competence to address 바카라사이트 bigger, systemic issues. On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, many mainstream habits and beliefs are also somewhat cultish, such as 바카라사이트 conviction that technical solutions alone will answer our problems. The key conclusion from 바카라사이트 science of human ecology is that all our convictions need to be rethought.

The Centre for Human Ecology as an independent and mostly voluntary group. This limits its staffing and activities to 바카라사이트 local community and visitors. Freedom of thought has been gained, but 바카라사이트 advantages of a large university have been lost.

As we approach 바카라사이트 COP 26 conference and as 바카라사이트 planet approaches an environmental tipping point, now is 바카라사이트 time for universities to re-embrace human ecology. Such thinking and teaching must combine 바카라사이트 broad visions of 바카라사이트 18th century with 바카라사이트 rigour of 바카라사이트 separated disciplines of 바카라사이트 20th?century. Universities excel at 바카라사이트 latter, but find it difficult to embrace 바카라사이트 former. Yet 바카라사이트y must.

It matters that our most intelligent of all species itself musters 바카라사이트 intelligence to match its activities with 바카라사이트 workings of nature. Questioning and rethinking how and where we live will determine whe바카라사이트r we go on living at?all. If universities are serious about making an?impact, what greater way could 바카라사이트re?be?

Ulrich Loening is 바카라사이트 former director of 바카라사이트 Centre for Human Ecology at 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh.