Syllabus

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Contents

Welcome

The degree to which we live and die well because of what we do in this course is the measure of our success. Humans live and die well by discerning and realizing value: what we want and how to get it. Because we are changing organisms in a changing environment what we value - the ends and means of our lives - also changes. In our era of unprecedentedly rapid change to social, natural, artificial, and informational environments, becoming more proficient in bringing to awareness, questioning, and where adaptive, evolving ideas about value to be more accurate is key to living and dying well.

In this course we re-examine ideas about value we’ve taken for granted, consider alternatives, and assess the merits of each. More importantly we consider ways that we’ve come to current ideas about value, and evaluate which of these we consider reliable enough to warrant continued use. If you are engaged or want to engage in honing these skills, we welcome your partnership in valuescience.

Class Details

  • Time: MW, 11:00-12:15
  • Place: 160-321
  • Units: 3 units, 4 units with optional lab
  • Grading Options: Letter, C/NC
  • Students with Documented Disabilities: Students who may need an academic accommodation based on the impact of a disability must initiate the request with the Office of Accessible Education (OAE). Professional staff will evaluate the request with required documentation, recommend reasonable accommodations, and prepare an Accommodation Letter for faculty dated in the current quarter in which the request is being made. Students should contact the OAE as soon as possible since timely notice is needed to coordinate accommodations. The OAE is located at 563 Salvatierra Walk. Phone: (650) 723-1066, URL: http://studentaffairs.stanford.edu/oae

Instructional Team

Office Hours

During the quarter, members of the instructional team are usually able to accommodate requests for consultation within 24 hours of the time we receive them. We encourage you to bring us your thoughts and questions for individual attention.

People Page

Please create a People Page, where you can tell us about yourself and why you're taking the class, and post writings, lab reports, and anything else you want to share with the class. We've set it up so that only students from this quarter can see your people pages (as long as you put [[Category:Spring14]] on the bottom, as mentioned in the instructions on the People page). In addition, we give you the option of submitting your writings anonymously (with your name going only to the teaching team). To create a People Page, you'll need a log-in. Email Nick (nickenge@ {stanford}) with your desired username for this site. Once you have a login, please follow the instructions on the People page to create your People page. Please let Nick know if you have any questions or concerns about the site.

Questions and Readings

We've constructed this course around questions. Many are too broad to address in a single class meeting, and some merit attention for a lifetime. During the quarter, we will post primary and subordinate questions for upcoming class meetings (usually 1 to 4 classes at a time). We encourage you to bring forward your own questions. You can find a comprehensive (short of exhaustive) list of questions you may be asked on the final here: Final Exam Questions

To afford a common basis for responding to questions we offer core readings. Please complete those listed on the Next Class page (or alternatives to which the instructor has consented) so that you'll be prepared to learn and contribute to others' learning as we discuss their contents during our meetings. Readings will be available online or on reserve at the Stanford libraries. You can access the reading for this course without purchasing anything.

For most topics, we've assembled additional readings to facilitate your pursuit of ideas you've encountered in core readings and discussion and that you want to explore more fully. In past quarters, each course participant has found at least some of these worthwhile, and many have introduced us to materials new to us that we are now able to offer you. Please assist us in adding to these resources.

This course is very much a work in progress. We have in the past altered the syllabus, sometimes extensively, during each quarter as we became more familiar with current enrollees' backgrounds and interests.

Class Periods

Interacting with each other to create a valuescience learning community is a key aspect of the course. You can be a valued course participant by listening carefully. If you have prepared thoughts and questions about a day's topics and core readings, you are better able to learn and contribute to others' learning.

If you plan to miss class, please email robin@ {ecomagic}. To receive credit for up to three classes that you miss, we ask that you devote the equivalent of one class period to doing independent research on the topic of the day, and recording your sources and findings on your People page, in addition to completing all of the regular assignments for the day.

Learning Log

Members of the instructional team want to know what you are doing and what you are learning. Please post to your People page twice per week (before 11am Monday for Monday's readings and other Monday assignments; before 11am Wednesday for Wednesday's readings and other Wednesday assignments) what you have read and done for the course, and what new ideas you consider worthwhile that you have learned. Respond to questions posed in the syllabus, reference core and, if appropriate additional readings, discuss how you are applying what you’ve learned. Learning Logs can be submitted up to one week late for half credit.

From time to time we may ask you to write to a specific topic in your learning log. These writings will be brief (about 500 words), and will be in lieu of other Learning Log entries.

Your Learning Log will be a basis for the Writing portion of your grade (see below). In accordance with Stanford guidelines for academic credit, we suggest that you read for 4-5 hours and write for 1-2 hours each week. We are grateful to students who enter beginning and ending times on Learning Log entries to assist us in assessing the workload of the course.

Sample Learning Logs: These learning logs were written by students who took the course fall quarter and wish to remain anonymous.

Final Exam

Each student stands for an oral final exam. You can think of it as analogous to the qualifying exam that candidates for advanced degrees take at the end of their coursework. In it, we ask you to demonstrate competence in presenting the full range of topics we address in the course. You will score well if you can respond briefly and informatively to a wide range of questions based on core readings and respond in greater depth to questions about narrower portions of each broad topic that you found particularly relevant to your life. You can find a comprehensive (short of exhaustive) list of questions you may be asked on the final here (top 20 questions are here).

Grading

All Participants

Total: 100% (100 pts)

  • 40% Writing (40 pts)
    • 10 learning logs (4 pts each)
      • Graded on your ability to assess sources' credibility, evidence accurate understanding of authors' ideas, describe how you can incorporate them in your own valuescience inquiry, connect them to other ideas pertinent to valuescience inquiry, and most importantly, apply them to live better.
  • 40% Class Participation (40 pts)
    • ~20 class periods (2 pts each)
      • Graded on evidence of your own learning and contribution to others' understanding by listening and speaking.
  • 20% Oral Final
    • 20 pts total
      • Graded on your ability to communicate course themes clearly and apply them to your and others' benefit.

Lab Enrollees

  • 33% Lab (33 pts total)
    • Lab points are awarded both for a lab proposal and nine lab reports submitted weekly (3 pts each, 30 pts total, 3 pts for free as an incentive to enroll in the lab)
    • Points earned in lab and through participation, final, and writings are totaled and multiplied by .75 to normalize grades for lab enrollees

Alternatives

By arrangement with instructor, students may establish individual criteria consistent with Stanford University academic guidelines for demonstrating learning sufficient to warrant credit and grade.

Work Load

Members of the instructional team aim for every student to earn an A; however, you will be prudent to assume that you will require 6 hours of reading and writing each week outside of class, regular class attendance, thorough preparation, and thoughtful participation to achieve this objective. If you've enrolled for 4 units, plan to devote 3 hours per week to lab activity and write-ups.

If at any point during the quarter you have questions about whether you're earning the grade you want, please ask a member of the instructional team. We strongly encourage you to include in your Learning Log (see above) a record of date and time you begin to read or write, time you finish, and what you read or wrote. In conference, we will likely review your Learning Log with you, and dates and times on entries will be useful information about how much life you devoted to reading and writing for the course.

Lab

Lab

Class by Class Topics

1. Education for Wholeness

2. Valuescience: What, Why, How?

3. Worldview: Source, Impact, Choice

4. Language: Foundation and Constraint

5. Paradigm Shift to Science-Based Consilience

6. Scientific Worldview: Matter, Energy, Cosmos

7. Science of Mind

8. Cognitive Biases: Genetic and Cultural

9. Biophysical Economics

10. Science-Based Religion

11. World Modeling: Status and Trends - Physical

12. Status and Trends - Social/Cultural

13. Green History

14. Money, Debt, Banking

15. Scenarios: Best, Worst, Middling

16. What Global Social Contract?

17. Evolving Society

18. Evolving Self

19. Celebrating Learning

Reading Assignments

Class 1 - Education for Wholeness

Objectives

  • Identify parties with interests in what we do in this course, and state interests of each.
  • List 5-10 common obstacles to personal and social change and describe at least one technique for overcoming them.
  • Formulate one or more goals for change during this quarter and describe how you can use research about wisdom to measure your success.

Questions

Class 1 Questions

With what purposes have we come together and how will we act to realize them?

  • What are we aiming to do together?
  • How do you propose we assess our success?
  • With what purposes do you matriculate at Stanford?
  • How do you want to be different at the end of the quarter or at the end of your current degree program?


Class 2 - Valuescience: What, Why, How?

Objectives

  • Present an argument for valuescience.
  • Describe Maslow's hierarchy of needs.
  • Sketch a diagram representing an "ecological function" and justify a claim for the special importance of culture in human life.

Questions

Class 2 Questions

What questions do we consider important to us personally and for humankind?

  • What do you want?
  • How can you get it?
  • How do you know?
  • How may we benefit from another approach to value?
  • What shall we mean and understand by "valuescience"?

Readings

Class 2 Core Readings

  • Schrom, David. (2008). Valuescience Booklet. - Schrom outlines a basic valuescience argument and briefly touches upon applications to selected fields. Download
  • Schrom, David. (1981). "An Ecological Function." - Simple framework for ecological analysis of the situation of a person or of humankind. Link
  • Wikipedia. (2009). "Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs." - A widely used framework for characterizing human desires. Link
  • Bonner, John Tyler. (1980). Evolution of Culture in Animals. excerpt. - A Princeton biologist more than 30 years into his research and teaching career steps back from his narrow specialty and describes in sweeping terms with many examples how animals evolved capacity for teaching and learning and the critical role of these in evolution. Link for more: Link

Class 2 Interest Readings

  • Harris, Sam. (2007). "We Are Making Moral Progress." - A vehement advocate for a scientific approach to morality makes his case that others are adopting it to good effect. Link


Class 3 - Worldview: Source, Impact, Choice

Objectives

  • Outline your and the hegemonic world-views by responding to the seven basic questions of world-view.
  • Describe how people form and reform our world-views.
  • Identify risks and benefits of world-view, giving examples of failures resulting from errors of world-view.

Questions

Class 3 Questions

What costs and benefits do we accrue from worldview?

  • What shall we mean and understand by worldview?
  • How do we construct and sustain a worldview?
  • How conscious are we of the contents of our worldview, or even of the fact that we have one?
  • How have humans evolved the current globally hegemonic worldview?
  • What are some examples of worldview as impediment to accurate perception?
  • How readily do we alter ideas related to worldview?

Readings

Class 3 Core Readings

  • Tart, Charles. (2001). "Consensus Trance." Waking Up. pp. 85–103. Link
  • Edwards, David. (1999). "The Limits of the Possible." Burning All Illusions. pp. 1-3. Link
  • Questions of Worldview Summary Link
  • Gardner, Howard. (2006). "The Power of Early Theories." Changing Minds. 49-69. Link
  • Parry, Robert. (2014, March 14). "The Danger of False Narrative." Consortium News. - Parry discusses how media personnel have slanted information about Ukrainian-Russian relations, with reference to prior slanting of information about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Link
  • Levitt, Steven D. (2005). "The Hidden Side of Everything," Freakonomics. 2-19. Link

Class 3 Interest Readings

  • Rheingold, Howard. "Charley Tart on Consensus Trance." Link
  • Project Worldview. (2013). - Exercise to characterize one's own or others' worldviews by selecting applicable descriptors from a menu. Link.
  • Worldview Study Guide
  • Worldview Admin

Class 4 - Language: Foundation and Constraint

Objectives

  • State the Whorfian hypothesis of linguistic relativity and give evidence from at least three scientific studies to support a claim that it is an accurate description of reality.
  • Describe how propagandists manipulate language to shape thought and perception.
  • Identify one or more elements of your idiolect that you can alter to be more compatible with being as you intend.

Questions

Class 4 Questions

How can we gain by being more attentive to language?

  • How shall we describe interplay of language with worldview, and with thought and perception generally?
  • How do we evolve language individually and collectively?
  • What personal and social consequences of linguistic evolution can we identify?

Readings

Class 4 Core Readings

  • Wikipedia. (2009). "Linguistic Relativity." - Easy introduction to the concept. Please read at least the opening 3 paragraphs. Link
  • Whorf, Benjamin Lee. (1956). "The Relation of Habitual Thought and Behavior to Language." Language, Thought and Reality: Selected Writings of Benjamin Lee Whorf. pp. 134-137; optional 137-159. - Key paper by a seminal thinker. Beyond page 137 Whorf requires careful reading. If you're interested in linguistic relativity, you may find the effort worthwhile. Link
Whole Book (If you want even more)
  • Boroditsky, Lera. (2006). "Language and Perception." World Question Center. - Stanford researcher acknowledges surprise at power of language-thought-perception interdependence. Link
  • Boroditsky, Lera. (2009). "How Does Our Language Shape the Way We Think." The Edge. - Many examples of linguistic relativity by SU linguist. Link
  • Deutscher, Guy. (2010). "Does Your Language Shape How You Think?" New York Times. - Deutscher recaps history of Whorfian hypothesis and gathers findings from numerous researchers. Link
  • Lakoff, George. (2003). “Metaphor and War, Again.” Alternet. - Lakoff discusses how people in the U.S. government uses particular words to frame the war in Iraq in a manner that elicited popular support. Link
  • Boroditsky, Lera. (2011). "How Language Shapes Thought." Scientific American. - Boroditsky gives examples from contemporary U.S. events. Link
  • Donges, Jan. (2009). "You Are What You Say." Scientific American. - Donges describes how word choice and syntax can be used to ascertain a speaker's/writer's mental state. Link
  • Slashdot. (2009). "Babies Begin Learning Language in the Womb." - Brief article with links to research reports that babies emerge with vocalizations tuned to the mother's tongue. Link
  • Magic. (1999). Language We Live. - Changes to idiolect advocated by people living in ecologically-based community and aiming to cultivate health, cooperation, and environmental stewardship. Link
  • "Frank Luntz." Wikipedia. - Article on right-wing cognitive activist. Link
  • "George Lakoff." Wikipedia. - Article on left-wing cognitive activist.Link

Class 4 Interest Readings

"We dissect nature along lines laid down by our native language. The categories and types that we isolate from the world of phenomena we do not find there because they stare every observer in the face; on the contrary, the world is presented in a kaleidoscope flux of impressions which has to be organized by our minds—and this means largely by the linguistic systems of our minds. We cut nature up, organize it into concepts, and ascribe significances as we do, largely because we are parties to an agreement to organize it in this way—an agreement that holds throughout our speech community and is codified in the patterns of our language. The agreement is, of course, an implicit and unstated one, but its terms are absolutely obligatory; we cannot talk at all except by subscribing to the organization and classification of data which the agreement decrees. . . . We are thus introduced to a new principle of relativity, which holds that all observers are not led by the same physical evidence to the same picture of the universe, unless their linguistic backgrounds are similar, or can in some way be calibrated."

From Whorf, Benjamin; Carroll, John B. (ed.). (1956). Language, Thought, and Reality: Selected Writings of Benjamin Lee Whorf. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. 213- 214.


  • Robb, Alice. (April 23, 2014.) "Multilinguals Have Multiple Personalities." Link
  • Orwell, George. (1946). "Politics and the English Language." Link
  • Pennebaker, James. (2007). "Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count Program." Link 1 Link 2
  • Google N-gram Viewer - Here we can search a large library for given words and obtain a graphical display of changing frequency of use. I see this as a window onto trends in thought. Search for example: "free market, externalities." Link

Class 5 - Science & Paradigm Shift To Science-Based Consilience

Objectives

  • define science as we do in this course
  • describe how practicing science is different from other ways of knowing
  • describe how humans are furthering a paradigm shift to a consilient science-based worldview which we can make a basis for more accurately discerning what we want and for more fully realizing it

Questions

How shall we recharacterize and practice science to reshape our worldviews to live better and contribute to others' doing so?

  • What shall we mean and understand by a scientific worldview?
  • How might you make the case that a paradigm shift to a consilient science-based worldview is currently underway?

Class 5 Additional Questions

Readings

  • Enge, Nick. (2011). "How Do We Know?" A Scientist's Bible. Link
  • Wilson, Edward O. (1998). "The Great Branches of Learning," "To What End?" Consilience. pp. 8-14, 291-326. Link
Also Available on Reserve at the Green Library Circulation Desk.
  • Paradigm Shifts. Link
  • AAAS. (1990). "The Scientific World View." Link
  • Enge, Nick. (2011). "Why A Modern Scientific Worldview?" A Scientist's Bible. Link
  • Wikipedia. (2009). "Propaedia." Link
  • Sagan, Carl. "Last Interview with Charlie Rose." - Sagan warns that widespread scientific ignorance coupled with accelerating development of technology is a "combustible mixture" and advocates for science as a "way of thinking. 2:33 long" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iyFw8UF85A&feature=youtu.be

Class 5 Interest Readings

  • Gilbert, Daniel. (2006) "Journey to Elsewhen." Stumbling on Happiness. pp. 3-29. Link
  • Magic. "Reflections on Science, Value, and Loving." Link
  • Wikipedia. (2009). "Science." Link
  • Wikipedia. (2009). "Scientific Method." Link
  • Shermer, Michael. (2006). "Wronger Than Wrong: Not All Wrong Theories are Equal." Link
  • Wilson, E.O. (1998). "Scientists, Scholars, Knaves, and Fools." (Argument for Valuescience) Link
  • Walker, Marshall. (1963). "A Survival Technique." Nature of Scientific Thought. pp.14-20. [Library]
  • Glantz, Kalman & John K. Pearce. "Overview." Exiles from Eden. pp. 3-11
  • Wikipedia. (2009). "Consilience." Link
  • Wikipedia. (2009). "Consilience (book)." Link
  • 2Think. "Reconstruction in Philosophy by John Dewey." Link
  • 2Think. "Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge." Link
  • Dawkins, Richard. (1996). "Science, Delusion, and the Appetite for Wonder." The Edge. Link
  • Pinker, Steven. (2002) end of "Silly Putty," "Last Wall to Fall." The Blank Slate. pp. 28-58. [Library]

Class 6 - Scientific Worldview: Cosmos, Earth, Life, Humans--Individual and Society, Body and Mind, Part 1 of 3

Objectives (classes 6-8)

  • outline in general terms the contents of a scientific worldview with reference to evolution of universe, planet, life, humans, and self, and to basic laws, concepts, and processes by which to understand and continue to evolve these
  • discuss how you’ve benefitted since the beginning of the course, and how you plan to continue benefitting by evolving your own world-view to be more consilient with a scientific worldview

Questions

How do people who rely upon information which can be a basis for successful prediction describe the structure and processes of the world without—universe, life, Earth, society—and the world within—mind, conscious and subconscious? (classes 6-8)

  • Over what scales of time and space have scientists demonstrated natural laws to apply?
  • How might you organize an outline of human knowledge?
  • How may we describe in general terms the flow of energy through the biosphere?
  • What are the first and second laws of thermodynamics?
  • What limits to, and possibilities for human existence and action can we infer from these laws?
  • How may we describe the cycling of matter (e.g., water, carbon) through the biosphere?
  • Over the past 100,000 years, how have humans affected the flow of energy and cycling of matter through the biosphere?
  • How do you define cognitive bias? What are three cognitive biases you're aware of exhibiting in your own behavior?
  • How might you make the case that Buddhism can be part of a scientific worldview?

Class 6 Additional Questions

Readings

Class 6 Core Readings

  • Huang Twins. (2012). "The Scale of the Universe." 2012 Version 2010 Version
  • AAAS. (1990). "Chapter 4. The Physical Setting." Link
  • Curtis, Helena. (1983). "The Flow of Energy." Biology. pp. 157-164. Link
  • Energy Flow Diagram Link
  • Windows to the Universe. (2010). "Carbon Cycle." (review diagram) Link
  • USGS. (2014). "The Water Cycle." (review diagram). Link
  • Cooper, Belle Beth. (2013). "8 Subconscious Mistakes our Brain Makes Every Day—And How to Avoid Them." Fast Company. Link
  • Cialdini, Robert B. (1998). "Scarcity." Influence: Science and Practice. pp. 213-221. Link
  • Gilbert, Daniel. (2006). "If Only Gay Sex Caused Global Warming." Los Angeles Times. Link.
  • Hagen, Steve. (1999). "Introduction," "Journey Into Now," "Wisdom," "Practice." Buddhism: Plain & Simple. pp. 1-11, 63-76, 95-109. Link Link Link
  • Dunn, Elizabeth, et. al. (2008). "Spending Money on Others Promotes Happiness." Science. Link.
  • "Psychological Science Explains Uproar over Prostate-Cancer Screenings" Link - Summary of research findings about disbenefit of PSA tests, and analysis of public rejection of research. Excellent graphic representation to counter cognitive biases about risk which also illustrates counterproductive medicine. 5 min

Class 6 Interest Readings

  • Wikipedia. (2009). "Outline of Knowledge." Link
  • Wikipedia. (2009). "Universe." Link
  • Wikipedia. (2009). "Laws of Science." Link
  • Wikipedia. (2009). "Earth." Link
  • Wikipedia. (2009). "Ecology." Link
  • Wikipedia. (2009). "Evolution." Link
  • Wikipedia. (2009). "Evolutionary History of Life." Link
  • Wikipedia. (2009). "Human." Link
  • Powers of Ten Video Link

Class 7 - Scientific Worldview: Cosmos, Earth, Life, Humans--Individual and Society, Body and Mind, Part 2 of 3

Objectives (classes 6-8)

  • outline in general terms the contents of a scientific worldview with reference to evolution of universe, Earth, life, humans, and self, and to basic laws, concepts, and processes by which to understand and continue to evolve these
  • discuss how you’ve benefitted since the beginning of the course, and how you plan to continue benefitting by evolving your own world-view to be more consilient with a scientific worldview

Questions

How do people who rely upon information which can be a basis for successful prediction describe the structure and processes of the world without—universe, life, Earth, society—and the world within—mind, conscious and subconscious? (classes 6-8)

  • What are geomorphological and biological evolution? What are three notable changes resulting from each?
  • What is the theory of continental drift?
  • What are several qualities of living things that we can use to distinguish them from non-living things?
  • What did Dawkins mean by selfish gene?
  • How do you define self-justification? What are Totman's main ideas about self-justification?
  • What are three scientific findings that you might use to improve the quality of your life?

Class 7 Additional Questions

Readings

Class 7 Core Readings

  • Ponting, Clive. (1993). "Foundations of History." Green History of the World. pp. 8-18. Link.
  • "A Timeline of Life's Evolution." Exploring Life's Origins. Link
  • AAAS. (1990). "Chapter 5. The Living Environment." Link
  • Wikipedia. "The Selfish Gene." (read the first two paragraphs).Link
  • Brafman, Ori and Rom. (2008). "Preface," "The Anatomy of an Accident." Sway: The Irrestible Pull of Irrational Behavior. pp. 2-24. Link
  • Kahneman, Daniel. (2011). "Don't Blink! The Hazards of Confidence." New York Times. Link
  • Widrich, Leo. (2013). "The Secrets of Body Language: Why You Should Never Cross Your Arms Again." Buffer. Link
  • Totman, Richard. (1985). "Notes." "Translation." "Distillation." Social and Biological Roles of Language: The Psychology of Justification. (Read "Distillation." If you want to explore, read David's translation and notes. Link
  • "The Roseto Effect." Link
  • Gilbert, Daniel, et. al. (2009). "The Surprising Power of Neighborly Advice." Science. Link
  • Emmons, Robert; McCullough, Michael. (2003). “Counting Blessings Versus Burdens: An Experimental Investigation of Gratitude and Subjective Well-Being in Daily Life.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Link.
  • Scientific Worldview Interest Readings Day 7
  • Scientific Worldview Admin Day 7
  • Scientific Worldview Outline

Class 7 Interest Readings

  • "Secrets of Body Language Documentary." (2013). Link
  • Goleman, Daniel. (1996). "Foreward," "Introduction," "Serenity." Vital Lies, Simple Truths. pp. 1-25, 51-54. Link
  • Axelbank, Rachel. (2009). "Professor Happiness." Princeton Alumni Weekly.
  • Gilbert, Daniel. (2004). "Why Are We Happy?" TED.
  • Krakovsky, Marina. (2007). "The Science of Lasting Happiness." Scientific American. Link
  • Fontaine, Nancy. (2007). "Review of Train Your Mind, Change Your Brain by Susan Begley." Link

Class 8 - Scientific Worldview: Cosmos, Earth, Life, Humans--Individual and Society, Body and Mind, Part 3 of 3

Objectives (classes 6-8)

  • outline in general terms the contents of a scientific worldview with reference to evolution of universe, planet, life, humans, and self, and to basic laws, concepts, and processes by which to understand and continue to evolve these
  • discuss how you’ve benefitted since the beginning of the course, and how you plan to continue benefitting by evolving your own world-view to be more consilient with a scientific worldview

Questions

How do people who rely upon information which can be a basis for successful prediction describe the structure and processes of the world without—universe, life, Earth, society—and the world within—mind, conscious and subconscious? (classes 6-8)

  • How might you define carrying capacity? What are several key factors upon which global carrying capacity for humans depends?
  • What are the qualities of Earth that make it suitable for life?
  • What are several similarities and differences regarding reproductive strategies of human males and females?
  • How may we apply ecology and evolutionary biology to frame human existence?
  • How do you define psychological defenses? What are three examples?
  • What is group think? What are three contexts in which you might be vulnerable to group think? How might you defend against it?

Readings

Class 8 Core Readings

  • Birdsell, J.B.. (1975) "The Universe and Our Place in It." Human Evolution. pp. 11-19. Link
  • Wikipedia. "Carrying Capacity." (read the first few paragraphs and whatever else you find of interest.) Link
  • W.W. Norton and Company. "Reproductive Strategies and Parental Investment." How Humans Evolved. Link
  • Wikipedia. "Incidence of Monogamy in Humans." (read the first two paragraphs). Link
  • Wikipedia. "Defense Mechanisms." (read the first few paragraphs and whatever else you find of interest. I like Vaillant's analysis which is outlined down the page.) Link
  • Thaler, Richard H. and Sunstein, Cass R. (2008). "Biases and Blunders." Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness. pp. 17-37. Link
  • Janus, Irving L. (1971) "Groupthink." Psychology Today. Link
  • Killingsworth, Matthew; Gilbert, Daniel. (2010)."A Wandering Mind Is an Unhappy Mind." Science. Link
  • Fisher, Helen. (1994). "Courting." Anatomy of Love. pp. 19-36. Link
  • Fowler, James; Christakis, Nicholas (2008). “Dynamic Spread of Happiness in a Large Social Network: Longitudinal Analysis over 20 Years in the Framingham Heart Study.” BMJ. Link.
  • Keltner, Dacher. (2010). "The Science of Touch." Greater Good. Link
  • Scientific Worldview Interest Readings D
  • Scientific Worldview Admin D

Class 8 Interest Readings

  • AAAS. (1990). "Chapter 6. The Human Organism." Link
  • Swedell, Larissa. (2012). "Primate Sociality and Social Systems." The Nature Education Knowledge Project. (read first section, "Why Be Social.") Link
  • Lowenstein, George. (2002). "Behavioral Economics: Past, Present, Future." Link
  • Daydov, Dmitri. (2008). "10 Best Books on Human Irrationality." Link
  • Gertner, Jon. (2009, April 16). "Why Isn't the Brain Green." New York Times. Link

Class 9 - Science-Based Consilience: Evolving Economics and Religion

Objectives

  • Demonstrate how we may apply science to religion and economics.

Questions

  • In what ways may we apply science to religion?
  • How shall we move towards making economics more consilient with the rest of science?
  • What benefit may we and others reap by understanding economics and religion in a manner consistent with a consilient science-based world-view?

Readings

Class 9 Core Readings

  • The Economist. (2008, March 19). "The Science of Religion: Where Angels No Longer Fear to Tread." The Economist. Link - EU funding study of biological basis for religion. Summary of prior research to understand "religious experience" scientifically.
  • Chetty, Raj. (2013, October 20). "Yes, Economics is a Science." The New York Times. Link - Harvard economist argues that economics is increasingly evidence-based and experimental, though he notes large areas of disagreement about central issues.
  • Gyatso, Tenzin. (2005, November 12). "Our Faith in Science." The New York Times. Link - Dalai Lama writes that Buddhism must be conformed to science, and while he disavows a fusion of religious ethics with scientific inquiry, he calls for a science-based secular ethics (valuescience).
  • Harkin, Sean. (2010, October 21). "Evidence-Based Economics." World Finance. Link - A cell and molecular biologist turned financial risk consultant calls for evidence-based economics.
  • Costanza, Robert, et. al. (1997). "The Value of the World's Ecosystem Services and Natural Capital." Nature 387. Link - An ecologist makes a crude and very incomplete approximation of the monetary value of currently "externalized" services humans draw from nature.
  • Daly, Herman. (1968). "On Economics as a Life Science." The Journal of Political Economy 76(3). Link Daly explains that the economy is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the ecosystem.

Class 10 - Basics of Biophysical Economics & Science-based Religing

Objectives

  • Make a case for biophysical economics and redefine key economic terms in a manner consistent with biophysical economics.
  • Make a case for science-based religion and describe how we can bring current religious practices into consilience with science.

Questions

  • What are some ways scientists are addressing religion?
  • How can we bring the benefits of scientific practice to our own religing?
  • What are some changes to economics by which we can make it more consilient with a science-based world-view?

Readings

Class 10 Core Readings

  • Enge, Nick. (2011). "A New (and Ancient) Kind of Religion." A Scientist's Bible. Link - Enge makes a case for science as a basis for religion.
  • Magic. (1995). "Economics Terms and Concepts Examined." Link - Schrom radically redefines everyday words with an eye to evolving a language of political economy better suited to valuescience.
  • Andrews, Frank; Enge, Nick. (2010). "Foreword," "Preface," "Loving—A Heartfelt Yes!" The Art and Practice of Loving. p. 1-20. Link - Andrews takes a fresh look at loving, drawing together wisdom from many traditions and practices.
  • Gronewold, Nathanial. (2009, October 23). "New School of Thought Brings Energy to 'the Dismal Science.'" New York Times. Link - Grunwald chronicles conference of biophysical economists, providing thumbnail sketch of their thesis, historical context, and reason to heed them.
  • Barber, Nigel. (2011). "Does Religion Make People Happier?" Psychology Today. Link - Barber explores the putative link between religion and happiness and offers evidence that wealth and sharing trump religion as predictors of happiness.
  • Daly, Herman. (1993). "Steady State Economics: A New Paradigm." New Literary History 24. 811-816. Link - Daly simply and succinctly describes the necessity for steady state economics in a finite world.
  • Hauser, Marc; Singer, Peter. (2005). "Morality without Religion." Free Inquiry. Link - Hauser and Singer argue that we can approach morality and ethics scientifically (i.e., with valuescience).
  • Cleveland, Cutler; Costanza, Robert (ed.). (2010). "Biophysical Economics." Encyclopedia of Earth. Link - Cutler traces roots of biophysical economics from 18th century physiocrats to present.
  • Bloom, Paul. (2012). "Religion, Morality, Evolution." Annual Review of Psychology. Link - Bloom argues that we can attribute diverse effects to religion, some of which will be widely termed "moral" and others of which will be equally widely termed "immoral."
  • Krugman, Paul. (2011). "Markets Can Be Very, Very Wrong." New York Times. Link - Krugman reports researchers found costs of coal-fired electricity exceed benefits when even some externalities are internalized.
    • If you're interested in the details of this analysis, see: Muller, Nicholas Z., Robert Mendelsohn, and William Nordhaus. (2011). "Environmental Accounting for Pollution in the United States Economy." American Economic Review, 101(5). Abstract. Link - Authors detail externalized costs of coal burning to show that actual costs far outweigh benefits.

Class 10 Interest Readings

  • Brooks, David. (2011). "It's Not About You." New York Times. Link
  • Franzen, Jonathan. (2011). "Liking Is for Cowards. Go for What Hurts." New York Times. Link
  • Seligman, Martin. (2004). "Eudaemonia: The Good Life." The Edge. Link
  • Brooks, David. (2009, May 12). "They Had It Made." New York Times. Link
  • Shermer, Michael. (1992). Excerpt. The Soul of Science. Link
  • Reconsidering Value Admin D
  • Daly, Herman. (1991). "Growth, International Trade, and Destruction of Community." The Social Contract. Link
  • Daly, Herman. (1995). "Review of "Small is Stupid."" Population and Development Review. Link
  • Daly, Herman. (1995). "The Irrationality of Homo Econimus." Developing Ideas. Link
  • Daly, Herman. (2003). "Policy, Possibility, and Purpose." The Social Contract. Link
  • Daly, Herman. (2003). "Selected Growth Fallacies." The Social Contract. Link
  • Daly, Herman. (2003). "The Economics of Julian Simon." The Social Contract. Link
  • Daly, Herman. (2003). "Globalization and Its Inconsistencies -- Does Free Trade Mean Free Migration?" The Social Contract. Link
  • Daly, Herman. (2003). "Steady-State Economics Concepts, Questions, Policies." The Social Contract. Link
  • Daly, Herman. (2003). "Population and Economics -- A Bioeconomic Analysis." The Social Contract. Link
  • Daly, Herman. (2003). "Uneconomic Growth in a Full World." The Social Contract. Link
  • Daly, Herman. (2004). "Offshoring in the Context of Globalization." The Social Contract. Link
  • Daly, Herman. (2005). "Economics in a Full World." Scientific American (September 2005). Link
  • Daly, Herman. (2008). "The Crisis." Adbusters. Link
  • Daly, Herman. (2008). "A Steady State Economy." Sustainable Development Commission. Link
  • Costanza, Robert; Daly, Herman. (1992). "Natural Capital and Sustainable Development." Conservation Biology 6(1)." Link
  • Mill, J.S. (1848). "Of the Stationary State." Principles of Political Economy. Link
  • Reconsidering Value Study Guide A
  • Reconsidering Value Admin A

Class 11 - Why Model the World?

Objectives

By the end of this class, you will be able to

  • Describe world-modeling as a universal human activity and make a case for devoting more life to making our models more accurate.
  • Describe "The Limits to Growth" modeling process, its outputs, the response to it, and its import for our times.
  • Outline the process of scenario construction for world modeling, including some factors you deem important to include in world models.

Questions

  • How may we make our world models more accurate?
  • What was "The Limits to Growth" and what, if any, benefit do you perceive it to have had?
  • How may we construct and draw benefit from future scenarios for our world models?

Readings

Class 11 Core Readings

  • Brief introduction to concept of carrying capacity and its applicability to humans. (5 min) Link
  • Brief introduction to concept of overshoot and its applicability to humans. (5 min) Link
  • Introduction to concept of ecological footprint. Take a few minutes to view the footprints of a handful of countries in which you are interested. (5 min) Link
  • Ugo Bardi reminds us that 40 years later the projections in the Limits to Growth remain valid. (5 min) Link
  • Single chart showing reality confirms Limits model from 1972-2000 and showing projections to 2100. (5 min) Link
  • Full book Limits to Growth. Figures 32-48 on pages 132-169 show outputs of model under various assumptions. Figures 47 & 48 show predicted effect of delay in implementing policies: unsustainability. (20 min - look at figures and read captions; read other text as desired) link to view PDF
  • Wm. Ophuls asserts that humans solve problems by increasing complexity, which at some point becomes unmanageable and unsustainable. (5 min) Link
  • Complexity, Problem Solving, and Sustainable Societies. Wikipedia. - This entry describes a 1996 paper by Joseph Tainter in which he argues that energy underpins capacity for adaptation by means of more complex responses, that such responses give rise to more complex problems, and that this cycle eventually runs afoul of energy input limits and leads to collapse. (5 min) Link
  • "Industrialization, Prelude to Collapse" from Overshoot by William Catton. Discusses carrying capacity and overshoot. (10 min) Link

Class 11 Interest Readings

  • Jorgen Randers interview in which he describes his book 2052 and talks about his prior book Limits. Randers says we've blown it. Link (10 min)
  • In a paper published in 2000 Matt Simmons reviews the lasting controversy stimulated by "Limits," confirms the soundness of the authors' analysis, and warns that the future will be grim. Simmons includes lots of graphs depicting hard data on energy and economic growth. Link (20-30 min)
  • UK futurist consultancy lays out scenarios for 2025 and 2040. Link (10-100 min)
  • A new Club of Rome report guided by one of the authors of Limits, Jorgen Randers, offers a variety of scenarios for the next 40 years. (10-100 min) Link
  • Tainter, Joseph. "Complexity, Problem Solving, and Sustainable Societies." 1996. - Tainter argues that we are addicted to complexity, that diminishing returns are available by this strategy, and that we are unlikely to avoid collapse. (10 min) [1]
  • A physicist analyzes Tainter's collapse theory from a thermodynamic perspective. (15 min)Link

Class 12 World Modeling: Physical Statuses and Trends

Objectives

At the end of this class you will be able to

  • Sketch an overview of changes to factors in the human ecological framework that have occurred to date or are predicted to occur in your lifetime.
  • Explain the concepts: energy return on energy invested, peak oil, energy slaves, and describe their import for your life.
  • Define "carrying capacity" and relate it to the human present and future.
  • Make your understanding of dire global challenges to humankind a basis for positive action (includng feeling better, not worse).

Questions

  • How is human population size important to our living and dying well?
  • How are trends in energy and other resource extraction important to our living well?
  • How do you think humans can transition from overshoot without enduring collapse?


Core Readings (2 hours)

Energy (30 min)

  • Peak Energy & Resources, Climate Change, and Preservation of Knowledge. "EROEI Downward Spiral" (3 pp) Link - A primer on EROEI, and more importantly a hint about RRORI. (5 min) Source article at: Link
  • Murphy, David. (2010). "Does Peak Oil Even Matter?" The Oil Drum. Link - Murphy argues that EROEI is the critical factor. (5 min)
  • Graph to Understand Peak Oil. Link - (5 min)
  • Vitousek, Peter, et. al. (1986). "Human Appropriation of the Products of Photosynthesis." Bioscience 36(6). Link - Thirty years ago, when we were only 5 billion, humans claimed 40% of net primary terrestrial photosynthesis. (5 min - skim)
  • Read one of the following: Jancovici, Jean-Marc. (2005). "How Much of a Slave Master Am I?"; Manicore. Link; RAP Burruss. (2005). "100-Watt Virtual People." Link; Nikiforuk, Andrew. (2011). "You and Your Slaves." Link (10 min)

Population (10 mins)

  • "A Graphic Simulation of World Population Growth." Link - (5 min. - start at 2 minutes and go to end)
  • Raven, Peter. "Part 1: Overview." Atlas of Population and Environment. Link - Peter Raven addresses human population growth and impacts, and warns of limits. (5 min)

Disease (21 min)

Integration (20 min)

  • Harvey, Joe. (1990). "Growth in Perspective." Rocky Mountain Institute Newsletter. p. 4, 7. Link - Harvey draws one-day analogy to 3.5billion years of life on Earth and shows destructiveness of what humans have done and impossibility of continuing. (10 min)
  • Rising Energy Costs Lead to Recession and Finally to Collapse Link (9 pp) - Tverberg integrates ecology and economics to predict collapse as inevitable result of energy impoverishment. (10 min)

Forecasting (50 min)

Interest Readings

  • Link - Matt Ridley argues in the Wall Street Journal the familiar claim "The World's Resources Aren't Running Out" citing prior escapes from predicted shortages and promising more of the same. (5 min)
  • Link - Emissions on track with IPCC worst case projections and may be more of a limit than peak oil. (5 min)
  • Link - Stanford researcher demonstrates falling US corn yields with drought, more of which is predicted for US corn belt as humans continue to change climate. (5 min)
  • Link - In study using widely scatter sites throughout Arctic, researchers show increased emissions of methane as permafrost thaws. Methane is many times more potent than CO2 as a greenhouse gas. (5 min)
  • Link - Real time estimates of changes in global, population (births, deaths from various causes), health, spending, etc. (1-5 min)

Class 13 - Status and Trends, Personal and Social

Objectives

  • Discern, adapt to, and shape trends in individual consciousness and social relations.
  • Deconstruct current narrative and create an alternative by which you and others can live and die well.

Questions

  • How do distributions of wealth and income in US today compare with those of the past, and with what people imagine them to be and want them to be?
  • By what mechanisms do a small proportion of the populace exert disproportionate influence and perpetuate ability to do so?
  • What evidence have we that the current narrative is failing and are searching for, and shaping a new one?

Readings

Core readings (2h 5min)

Wealth concentration and distribution (40 min)

  • Stiglitz, Joseph E. (2011). "Of the 1%, By the 1%, for the 1%." Vanity Fair. Link - Stiglitz chronicles the increasing concentration of wealth and describes its unsustainable quality. (10 min)
  • Rampell, Catherine. (2011). "The Haves and the Have-Nots." New York Times. Link - US and other countries compared by income distribution and absolute income. Single chart shows even US poor to be more affluent than most others. I think dollar comparisons are misleading. (5 min)
  • Gilson, Dave and Perot, Carolyn. (2011). "It's the Inequality, Stupid." Mother Jones. Link - Pages of simple graphics describing growing concentration of wealth and income in US. (5 min)
  • Foulkes, Imogen. (2013). "Swiss to vote on incomes for all - working or not" Link Swiss activist Enno Schmidt, a leader in the movement to place a guaranteed income referendum on the ballot in Switzerland, said: "a society in which people work only because they have to have money is no better than slavery." I think it worthy of note that American political figures including Tom Paine and Richard Nixon proposed guaranteed incomes. (5 min)
  • Weissman, Jordan. (2014). "Jobless in Seattle"Link - Scroll down for graph showing history of minimum wage in real (peaked in 1968) and nominal dollars. Weissman cites perils of higher minimum wage. I find ironic that we argue so vehemently about these and say nothing of the perils of the absence of a maximum wage. (5 min)
  • Norton & Ariely. (2011). "Building a Better America−One Wealth Quintile at a Time." Perspectives on Psychological Science. Link - The authors report that Americans from across various age, background, and political spectra want greater equality, and imagine current inequality to be less than it is. (5-10 min) Alternatively, watch this 6 min video

Power concentration and distribution (35 min)

  • James, Brendan. (2014). "Princeton Study: U.S. No Longer An Actual Democracy" Link - Princeton researchers claim US no longer a democracy. Original research report here: Link - Multivariate analysis of US society refutes claims to democracy and supports claims of economic domination by narrow interests and wealthy elite. (2 min for summary; 15 min for original study)
  • Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) (2014). "The Facts About the Koch Brothers."Link US Senator for Nevada Harry Reid reports on research describing the thoughts and actions of the Koch brothers, who use their wealth to shape law and policy to advantage the rich. (5 min)
  • Hazen, Don. (2013). "The Four Plagues: Getting a Handle on the Coming Apocalypse." Link Criminalization, financialization, militarization, privatization: four plagues. Hazen chronicles these trends and wonders how to reverse them. (20 min)
  • Agence France-Presse. (2012). "Al-Qaeda blamed for Europe-wide forest fires." Link Forest fire terrorism, perhaps a prelude to other low-cost, low-tech, high damage terrorism. National security through military and industrial strength insufficient. (5 min)

Old narrative failing (40 min)

  • Reich, Robert. (2014). "The 'Paid-What-You're-Worth' Myth." Link Robert Reich writes about "the system": According to the Institute for Policy Studies, the $26.7 billion of bonuses Wall Street banks paid out last year would be enough to more than double the pay of every one of America’s 1,085,000 full-time minimum wage workers. The remainder of the $83 billion of hidden subsidy going to those same banks would almost be enough to double what the government now provides low-wage workers in the form of wage subsidies under the Earned Income Tax Credit. The “paid-what-your-worth” argument is fundamentally misleading because it ignores power, overlooks institutions, and disregards politics. As such, it lures the unsuspecting into thinking nothing whatever should be done to change what people are paid, because nothing can be done. (5 min)
  • Herszenhorn, David and Kotz, David. (2008). "Shocked Disbelief." LinkGreenspan's 20/20 hindsight in the same vein as Robert McNamara's admission that US military intervention in Vietnam was "error" is evidence that the old narrative about individual self-interest and common good is failing. (5 min)
  • Wonkblog, Washington Post. (2013). "Robert Rubin’s graph(s) of the year." Link Graphs showing 1/3 of people in poverty are high school grads; fewer than half of people have a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in the church, the presidency, the medical system, fewer than 1/3 in the Supreme Court, the public schools, the criminal justice system, banks, fewer than 1/4 in tv news, newspapers, big business, organized labor, HMOs, Congress (10%!). (5 min)
  • Stanford News Service. "Generation X not so special: Malaise, cynicism on the rise for all age groups." Link Stanford sociologists assert that people of different generations, not just Gen Xers, are feeling malaise and cynicism more commonly. (5 min)
  • Rossi, Luca. (2014). "Global investor disillusionment rising, says Legg Mason survey." Link Investors worldwide disappointed with returns (as reality of ecological impoverishment penetrates economics and finance.) (5 min)
  • Brooks, David. (2014). "The Republic of Fear." Link NYTimes columnist David Brooks describes pervasiveness of everyday violence for large segment of humanity and questions whether economic growth and "market capitalism" can substantially limit it. (5 min)
  • Urban Institute. (2012). "Nonprofit Sector is Growing Faster than Rest of the Economy." LinkCharitable sector fastest growing in economy. We know that "the market" is inadequate to address issues we consider important. We're resurrecting gift. (5 min)
  • Volunteering and Civic Life in America. (2013). "Volunteering and Civic Life in America 2013 National, Regional, State, and City Information." Link Stats on increase in volunteering. (5 min)

Mental Health (10 min)

  • Coleman, Flynn. (2013). "Yoga, Meditation, and Mindfuless: "Trends" That Could Change Everything." Link Mindfulness trend in myriad aspects of society, including business and medicine, may portend and reflect important change. (5 min)
  • Luhrmann, Tanya. (2014). "Is The World More Depressed?" Link Stanford professor T.M.Luhrmann examines global data on the rise of depression and suicide, and speculates about cause. (5 min)

Interest readings

  • Lowrey, Annie. "Study Finds Greater Income Inequality in Thriving Cities." NYTimes. Link - Rich are richer in boom towns where technology and finance are large parts of economy. Poor are as poor or poorer as elsewhere.
  • Rank, Mark. (2013, November 2). "Poverty in America is Mainstream." The New York Times. Link - Rank presents data on poverty that is incompatible with widespread misunderstanding of the phenomenon. (5 min)
  • Madar, Chase. (2013, December 8). "The Overpolicing of America." TomDispatch.com. Link - Madar provides a litany of examples of how we are restricting freedom by criminalizing all manner of behavior and discriminatorily enforcing harsh laws. (15 min)
  • Chomsky, Noam. (2013, August 17). "The U.S. Behaves Nothing Like a Democracy." Salon. Link - Chomsky dissects US domestic and foreign policy with an eye to which elements are supported by a majority (few) and which are in furtherance of the interests of the elite. (10 min)
  • Dropp, Kyle; Kertzer, Joshua; Zeitzoff, Thomas. (2014). "The less Americans know about Ukraine’s location, the more they want U.S. to intervene." Link- The less able Americans are to locate Ukraine on a map, the more likely they are to advocate military intervention there. (5 min)
  • Styles, Ruth. (2014). "The models in masks: Shocking images show women forced to don medical garb for fashion event in smog-hit city of Nanjing." Link Images of addiction. Evidencing little appreciation for a rapidly worsening predicament, people continue to imagine advantage in dressing expensively when air pollution has become bad enough for government officials to insist that we wear surgical masks to filter out particulate. (Incidentally, I've yet to see evidence that these are effective.) Check out these "fashions" and models. (5 min)
  • Madar, Chase. (2013). "Tomgram: Chase Madar, The Criminalization of Everyday Life." Link Militarization and criminalization.
  • Energyskeptic. "Homer-Dixon Key findings on resources and war / violence" Link - Resources, war, government failure w/ case studies. Makes the connection between physical factor trends (resource scarcity) and cultural trend (violent struggle, war for resource).
  • History.com. (2014). "Militia slaughters strikers at Ludlow, Colorado." Link- A reminder on the 100th anniversary of the Ludlow massacre, in which dozens of miners, women, and children were slaughtered by Colorado national guardsmen being paid by the Rockefeller owners of the Ludlow mine to break their strike and prevent their organizing a union. We've moved away from this level of overt violence to enforce property rights and dominance. Where do we go from here?
  • Irwin, Neil. (2013). "The typical American family makes less than it did in 1989." Link Median family income in 2012 same as 25 years ago. Lost generation of economic gains for US families.
  • Yen, Hope. (2013). "Rich-Poor Employment Gap Now Widest On Record" Link
  • Confessore, Nicholas. (2013). "Tax Filings Hint at Extent of Koch Brothers’ Reach." Link Billionaire brothers use tax loopholes to fund right-wing causes and hide source of gifts.
  • Lowrey, Annie. (2013). "The Rich Get Richer Through the Recovery." Link Income concentration in the US is unprecedentedly high. The 1 percent has captured about 95 percent of the income gains since the recession ended.
  • Sen. Bernie Sanders Vermont Progressive Part, VT. (2014). "Immoral Income Inequality." Link US Senator Bernie Sanders decries global and US wealth concentration and offers latest statistics (2013) from Forbes, US Dept of Labor.

Interest for class 12 (this week, after the fact) http://energyskeptic.com/2014/peak-food-in-america-2014/ - Review of rising US food prices and causes.

Class 14 - Historical Perspective - how we got here

Objectives

  • Recount a narrative of the evolution of our current social and economic systems in which you challenge the current dominant narrative.
  • Better understand the monetary underpinnings of our system and their key role as a foundation for much of our personal and social existence.

Questions

  • How have we in the "1st world" created the "3d world"?
  • How may we view the most recent 10,000 years of human evolution as regress rather than progress?
  • What is the "subsistence compromise" and how do we enable or limit its practice today?
  • What are some important factors in the "economic revolution" in Europe that Heilbroner describes?
  • How might we connect denial of the subsistence compromise, poverty, and "economic development"?
  • How do we create money in the US, and what are some consequences of creating it in this way?

Readings

Class 14 Core Readings (2h 10 min)

  • Ponting, Clive. (1993). "Creating the Third World." Green History of the World. pp. 194-224. Link - The "1st world" has been created by simulaneously creating the "3d world." Understanding this is key to charting a course to a future in which all thrive. (30 min)
  • Shepard, Paul. (1998). "10,000 Years of Crisis." The Tender Carnivore and the Sacred Game. pp. 1-26. link - Shepard portrays the shift to agriculture as a key element in decline of humanity and planet. (30 min)
  • McAlpin, Michelle. Review of Seavoy, Ronald E. (1986). Famine in Peasant Societies. pp. 237-239. Link - McAlpin recounts how Seavoy explains peasant commitment to leisure over security even to the point of accepting periodic famine, and why this commitment makes denial of the "subsistence compromise" essential to sever peasants from the land and enlist them in the commercial exchange economy. (5 min)
  • Heilbroner, Robert. (1999). "The Economic Revolution." The Worldly Philosophers. pp. 18-41. Link (Also available at Stanford Libraries.) - Heilbroner chronicles the emergence of mercantilism in Europe that marked the beginnings of the transformation from agrarian to industrial society. (25 min)
  • Wikipedia. "Workhouses." Roots of 'social Darwinism', class, and the 1% in 17th-19th century England. "Poverty ... is a most necessary and indispensable ingredient in society, without which nations and communities could not exist in a state of civilisation. It is the lot of man – it is the source of wealth, since without poverty there would be no labour, and without labour there could be no riches, no refinement, no comfort, and no benefit to those who may be possessed of wealth." Patrick Colquhoun, English aristocrat. -- We've stopped openly thinking this way, though we continue to act this way. Link (skim 5 min)
  • Enge, Nick. (2010). "Money Makes the World Grow." Link - Enge provides a lucid, concise description of a central difficulty in our monetary system. (5 min)
  • U.S. National Debt Clock - History of Money and Banking Link - Quotations from well- and lesser-known political and banking figures revealing the power of, and opposition to our current monetary system. (skim - 10 min)
  • Eisenstein, Charles. (2008). "Money and the Crisis of Civilization." Reality Sandwich. Link - Eisenstein describes how our current monetary system is inextricably tied to unsustainable aspects of our society, and suggests ways to prepare for and contribute to its replacement. (20 min)


Class 14 Interest Readings

  • "When all the trees have been cut down, when all the animals have been hunted, when all the waters are polluted, when all the air is unsafe to breathe, only then will you discover you cannot eat money." -- Cree Prophecy

Class 15 - Evolving Self, Evolving Society

Objectives

  • Develop a vision for self and society.
  • Shape a plan for realizing that vision.

Class 15 Questions

  • How might we more broadly define addiction, apply that definition to ourselves and to contemporary society, and shed, and contribute to others' shedding addiction?
  • How may we embrace responsibility and enjoy freedom by living in a manner increasingly consistent with
  • How may we promote cooperation so that we may more effectively alter individual and collective behaviors to adapt more successfully?

Readings

Core Readings

  • Magic. "Thoughts on Addiction." Link Examines history and current status of addiction. Proposes evolutionary approach. Discusses means to shed addiction. 10 min
  • Aamodt, Sandra; Wang, Sam. (2008, April 2). "Tighten Your Belt, Strengthen Your Mind." New York Times. - Link - Aamodt and Wang say that we've limited willpower and advise us to use it wisely and increase it with practice. 5 min
  • Mooney, Chris. (2011). "The Science of Why We Don't Believe Science." Link 16 min
  • Jensen, Derrick. (2006). "To Give Our Brightest Deepest Truth." Link 7 min
  • Monbiot, George. (2014). "Career Advice." Link 7 min
  • The Yes Men. (2008). "Special Edition of The New York Times." Link Includes stories describing a future in which we held Obama to the values he espoused while campaigning: single-payer national health care, abolition of corporate lobbying, maximum wage for CEOs. (Please note that the site has been corrupted making much of the first page redundant; however, clicking through to any of the pages in the box on the upper left of the front page will bring up a multi-page PDF with the rest of the paper as published.) See this link for more 7 min
  • Jensen, Derrick. (2009). "Forget Shorter Showers." Link 5 min - Jensen calls for collective action to achieve individual change.
  • Sapolsky, Robert. (2006). "A Natural History of Peace." Foreign Affairs. - Link - Sapolsky describes social structure in primates with an eye to explaining cooperation and competition. 15 min
  • Graeber, David. (2014). "Why America's Favorite Anarchist Thinks Most American Workers Are Slaves." Link - David Graeber calls for a guaranteed income. The Making Sen$e program of PBS Newshour, of which this is one example, includes a number of other proposals for reducing inequality in wealth and income. 5 min

Class 16 - Evolving Self, Evolving Society

Objectives

  • List a handful of ideas underpinning corporate organization and proposals for changing them.
  • Make arguments for and against guaranteed income.
  • Give a few examples of alternatives to current practices related to money and finance.

Questions

  • How might we act to reform money, banking, and corporate structure?
  • How might we more fully share risks and rewards of living resulting from accident of birth?

Readings

Core readings

  • Kelly, Marjorie. (2001). Divine Right of Capital: Dethroning the Corporate Aristocracy. Summary available here at Alchemy of Change: Link - In this book Kelly begins with parallels to royalty, continues with discussion of world-view and paradigm shift, and proceeds to critique the current status and operations of corporations and propose radical reforms. I predict that the ideas she sets forth here will become common currency over the next several decades. 30 min
  • Wikipedia. (2014). "Basic Income." Wikipedia. Link - An excellent summary of arguments for and against and world-wide experiments and advocacy. 10-20 min, depending on how much you read
  • Tribe.net. (2007, April 8). "An Experiment in Worgl." Tribe.net. Link - How a small German town issued its own currency during the Great Depression and flourished as others floundered. 15 min
  • Wikipedia. (2014). "Rotating Savings and Credit Associations." Link - Called the "poor man's bank," these groups provide capital to people otherwise unable to borrow, and promote entrepreneurial activity. (For a more detailed analysis of ROSCA's in the US, see Henever, Christy Chung. (2006). "Alternative Financial Vehicles: Rotating Savings and Credit Associations (ROSCAs)." Skim to grasp the basic concept. Link10 min
  • Jesse, David. (2014, March 19). "Pay It Forward: Plan Would Allow Michigan Students to Attend College for 'Free.'" Detroit Free Press. Link - Jesse describes proposal to fund higher education for all from earnings of high-income graduates. 10 min
  • Foulkes, Imogen. (2013, December 17). "Swiss to Vote on Incomes for All - Working or Not." BBC News. Link - Foulkes describes upcoming Swiss referendum on guaranteed income. 10 min
  • Iceland lets banks collapse and writes off up to $33,000 of every household's mortgage. Link 5 min

Class 17 - Evolving Self, Evolving Society

Objectives

  • Describe ways to lessen adverse human impact on the biosphere.
  • Give examples of how others have, and we can consciously evolve self and society.
  • Discuss meaning and purpose, how we generate them, and their role in living and dying well.

Questions

  • How have authors or subjects of readings for this class meeting reduced their own ecological footprints or advocated that we do so?
  • What are some techniques for personal and social change described in the readings for this class meeting that you consider promising?
  • Which of the ideas about meaning and purpose included in today's readings do you currently use or might you use to benefit you and others?

Readings

Core Readings Fewer People/Less Matterenergy Throughput

  • Engelman, Robert. (2011). "An End to Population Growth: Why Family Planning Is Key to a Sustainable Future." Solutions for a Sustainable and Desirable Future. Link - Engelman performs a careful and well-supported analysis of the possibility and promise of ending population growth short of the 9 billion so many consider inevitable. 20 min
  • Kasser, Tim. (2002). Excerpts. The High Price of Materialism. pp. 4, 22, 28, 40-42. LINK - Kasser argues that we're too attentive to the bottom of Maslow's hierarchy and paying a grim price for ignoring what lies above. He backs his case with statistics from around the world spanning several decades. 10 min
  • Kurutz, Steven. (2014, April 16). "Square Feet: 84. Possessions: 305." New York Times. - Link - Another choice on the menu of the type of home in which you want to live and with what you want to fill it. 10 min
  • "Urban Homestead" Link. - Ideas for living a dream. Look at "Facts and Stats" page, and whatever else you like. 10 min

Finding Meaning and Purpose - Choose Any Three From This Section

  • Seligman, Martin. (2004). "Eudaemonia: The Good Life." The Edge. Link - A leading figure in the positive psychology movement opines about the characteristics of a life lived well. 15 min
  • Frankl, Viktor. (2000). "Preface," "Experiences in a Concentration Camp" Man's Search for Meaning. pp. 7-25. Link 20 min
  • Jampolsky, Gerald. (2004.) Love is Letting Go of Fear. LINK. - A pediatric oncologist writes about ways to become more as we intend. I find illuminating his insight about love and fear being opposites. Skim read what you like from these excerpts. 10 min
  • Das, Ram. (1971). "Journey," Remember, Be Here Now. LINK. Link- A Harvard psychology professor becomes a spiritual teacher. "Journey" is the story of his transformation. "From Bindu to Ojas" is a topsy-turvy agglomeration of text and images with which he attempts to bridge normal everyday experience to that of his new found consciousness. I find in these writings encouragement to look beyond what I currently think and feel to the possibility of a life richer than I now imagine. Skim both and read what you want. 10 min
  • Roush, Wade. (2008, July 23). "Stever Robbins on How to Be a Happy Entrepreneur." Xconomy. Link. - A personal coach/business consultant on "value" and how he works with his clients to ensure that they attend to the upper levels of Maslow's hierarchy. 10 min

Strengthening Willpower/Developing Desired Habits

  • Morin, Amy. (2013, December 3). "Five Powerful Exercises to Increase Your Mental Strength." Forbes. Link - Advice I consider sound about becoming better able to practice valuescience. 5min
  • Baer, Drake. (2014, March 16). "How Incredibly Lazy People Can Form Productive Habits." Fast Company. Link - Tips for habit formation. 5 min

Social Change/Effective Communication

  • Caballero, Maria. (2004, March 11.) "Academic Turns City into Social Experiment." Harvard Gazette. Link. An example of peaceful, positive social change. 15 min
  • Jordan, Chris. (2008, February.) "Turning Powerful Stats into Art." Ted Talk. Link - An artist visually represents some of the human and matterenergy trends of our times in order to assist us in seeing and grasping who we are and what we are doing, and to motivate us to ask, "What and how shall we change to become more as we want to be." 10 min

Interest Readings

  • Brooks, David. (2009, May 12). "They Had It Made." New York Times. Link - Brooks reviews the Grant study and comments on the divergent life paths of seemingly promising young men. 5 min
  • Shenk, Joshua. (2009, June 1). "What Makes Us Happy?" The Atlantic Link - Reflections on the lives of men who were undergraduates at Harvard in the early 1940's and were part of a longitudinal study about mental health shed light on how we change over a lifetime and how we live and die more or less well. 40 min
  • Wikipedia. (2013). "Partnership and Domination Models. Wikipedia. Link - Two contrasting templates for social organization. For more info see, Riane Eisler's The Chalice and The Blade and her website. Link - 5 min

Class 18 - Evolving Self, Evolving Society

Objectives

  • State 3 attitudes conducive to living and dying well
  • Discuss existing & proposed ways people are reshaping work and religion
  • Give examples of impediments & means to realizing a valuescience based society

Questions

  • Why meditate?
  • How might we apply valuescience to make both earning a livelihood and religing consilient paths to fulfillment at all levels of Maslow's hierarchy?
  • How can you overcome & assist others in overcoming internal and external impediments to seeing self and world more clearly and acting to further common good?

Readings

Core Readings

Cultivating Peace Within (35 min)

  • From Nick's Book on Waltzing, thoughts about cultivating consciousness 15 min total
    • Link- Enge describes Abraham Maslow's concept of synergy, as the merging/transcendence of selfishness and altruism.
    • Link- Enge describes the benefits of giving.
    • Link- Enge describes the benefits of gratitude
    • Link- Enge describes the benefits of radical acceptance.
  • Dennett, Daniel C. (2006). "Five Hypotheses about the Future of Religion." Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon. p. 35-36. Link - Dennett offers five alternative futures for religion. 2 min
  • Lee, Adam. (2013, November 27). "Why People Are Flocking to a New Wave of Secular Communities: Atheist Churches." Alternet. Link - Atheism is fastest-growing "religion" in US, and people are creating secular "churches" (often based upon scientific religion) in order to enjoy sangha in ethical practice. 8 min
  • Poswolsky, Adam. "4 Tips to Help Millenials Find Meaningful Work." Fast Company. - Link- Poswolsky writes that we CAN create right livelihood by experimenting and learning. As we become more competent and accomplished we find new opportunities. 5 min

Living with Meaning and Purpose (25 min)

  • Alburty, Stevan. "The Ad Agency to End All Ad Agencies." Fast Company. - Link- Alburty describes how a group of employees refused a corporate takeover and created their own venture--the ultimate strike--which they imbued with their values. 10 min
  • Kjerulf, Alexander. "5 Simple Office Policies That Make Danish Workers Way More Happy Than Americans. Link- Kjerulf describes governmental and corporate policies that exist in Denmark and might well exist in the US. We can work towards these in whatever livelihood we choose and with collective action to influence enterprise and government policies. 5 min


Impediments/Means to Seeing Self & World More Clearly and Acting to Further Common Good (60 min)

  • Konnikova, Maria. "I Don't Want to Be Right." The New Yorker. (19 May 2014.) Link - Konnikova reports on research about resistance to changing inaccurate beliefs and ways to overcome it. Hidden take-home message: people who feel worthy are better able to change. 10 min
  • Lehrer, Jonah. "Why We Don't Believe in Science." The New Yorker. (7 June 2012.) Link - Learning to override arational mental predispositions with thinking based on fact and reason is a teachable skill. In its absence we rely often on naive "intuition" and previous belief, however counterfactual (cognitive biases). Lehrer also reports on research showing that often learning accurate information entails unlearning contradictory, much of which may informed by genes or early experience which we accepted uncritically and with which we are now identified. I read this as more reason to question deeply. 5 min
  • King, Mary Elizabeth. "Gene Sharp Is No Utopian." Satyagraha Foundation for Nonviolence Studies - Link- King summarizes the ideas and work of Gene Sharp, whose books about peaceful change have been widely read and applied. 10 min
  • Sharp, Gene. From Dictatorship to Democracy." Albert Einstein Institution. Link- Sharp explicitly describes how to make a democratic revolution. Appendix I: "The Methods of Nonviolent Action" lists 198. This is a 90-page book that has been translated into dozens of languages and is widely credited by leaders of revolutions in several countries. For all who wonder, "What shall we do?" Sharp provides plenty of suggestions. 5 min to read Appendix 1
  • Sachs, Adam. Grist. (24 August 2009). "The Fallacy of Climate Activism." Link - Sacks calls global warming one of many symptoms, declares the fight against it a failure, and calls for radical truth and radical change. To change other behavior we'll change discourse, speaking "truth" to power. 10 min
  • Link - Critique of Gates Foundation investment policy conflicts with its giving showing how foundation money is invested to finance the very ills foundation grant money is intended to remedy. 10 min
  • Smith, Yves. "Was Marx Right?" Truthout. (14 April 2014) Link - Commentary on concentration of wealth in the US, 1970-2014, ending, "as long as there is a sufficiently large remnant of the American middle class, still socialized to identify with the established order, no matter how beleaguered they are, it’s hard to see how any organized, large scale uprising could occur." 10 min

Interest Readings

  • Brown, Brené. TED. Link- Brene Brown on the power of vulnerability. (20 min)

Class 19 - Evolving Self, Evolving Society

Objectives

  • Give examples of alternative currencies with distinguishing characteristics of each and the social and geographic contexts in which people use them.
  • Describe a few mechanisms by which we obstruct our ability to collectively imagine and realize economic change.
  • Describe a few practices by which we can alter habit to be more effective in securing present and future satisfaction.

Questions

  • What effects do you foresee if we make local currencies a medium for a substantial fraction of transactions?
  • How does the principle of least effort apply to the readings about 30-second habits, working smarter, and 3 tiny habits?

Readings

Alternatives to current economic practices (70 min)

  • Link "FDR's second bill of rights" - Roosevelt imagined us shaping a government designed to ensure social welfare to an extent greater than that enjoyed Western European peoples today. His vision stands in sharp contrast to our current reality, and may be useful to current youths in developing perspective about changes is US politics during the last half-century or so. 5 min
  • Alpervitz, Gar. "The Next System Question and the New Economy." Solutions. (Volume 4, #5, October 2013) Link- Alpervitz makes a case for systemic, rather than superficial change, and gives examples of how we've already begun. 5 min
  • Link - David Graeber of Yale reviews the concept of "gift economy" described by Marcel Mauss in a landmark essay, and details why he thinks Mauss and his modern day intellectual heirs are profoundly radical and pose a threat to key economic ideas in the dominant narrative. 15 min
  • Kaplan, Jeffrey. "The Gospel of Consumption." Orion, September/October 2008. Link - How we've come to be obsessed with working and buying, making historical reference to an early 20th century experiment with a 30-hour week by workers and managers at the Kellogg company. 15 min
  • Link - Wikipedia article with basic ideas about local currency theory and global practice. 5 min
  • Link - CNN article about alternative currencies in the US c. 2012.5 min
  • Link - This list is an indicator of both the diversity and number of experimental local currencies, as well as their fragility and impermanence (note the number that are "inactive"). I consider potentially important the experiences that people gain through such ventures, regardless of whether they endure. 5 min
  • Bay Bucks - The New Economy 2.0. Link - Participants in Bay Bucks promote localism in the SF Bay Area with complementary currency and related initiatives. I consider the books and videos in the "resources" list useful for gaining basic understanding of money and finance, current and potential alternatives. 5 min - ?
  • Shwartz, Mark. "Stanford scientist unveils 50-state plan to transform U.S. to renewable energy." Stanford Report. (26 February 2014) Link - Mark Jacobson of Stanford has devised 50 plans for 50 states to convert to 100% solar, wind, tidal, geothermal, and hydro power by 2050. I hope he's right. 5 min
  • Anderson, L.V.. "What If Everyone in the World Became a Vegetarian?" Mother Jones (1 May 2014) Link - Anderson presents a rough yet useful analysis of the mixed effects of a universal shift to a meatless diet. 5 min

Action for social change (30 min)

  • "Journalism is printing what someone else [more powerful than you -ds] does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell 5 sec. (Read quotation only.)
  • Speth, Gus. "Change Everything Now." Orion, September/October 2008. Link - Dean of Yale School of Forestry calls for mass political action to fundamentally restructure corporations and society. 10 min
  • Krugman, Paul. "Europe's Secret Success," NYTimes. (25 May 2014.) Link - Krugman accuses US media personnel of systematic misrepresentation to discredit European welfare states, and notes their successes in employment and well-being. 5 min
  • Link - A corporate insider writes about obstacles to altering current destructive patterns of behavior evident in people operating and supporting businesses. 10 min
  • Link - Self-billed as people with "a practical approach to ending poverty," creators of this site offer statistics on major causes of death among poor people and concrete ways to reduce mortality among the poor. 5 min

Cultivating “big picture” consciousness (25 min)

  • Link - Stanford GSB grad '82, survived injury in Boston Marathon bombing, shifted gears, and offers advice for living. 5 min
  • Jacobs, Tom. "Sense of Purpose Lengthens Life." Pacific Standard. (13 May 2014) Link - Jacobs reviews a well-done study in which researchers found purpose a buffer against mortality risk across adult years. 5 min
  • Mowe, Sam. "The Long Good-bye." The Sun (24 April 2014.) Link - Interview with Katy Butler, author of Knocking on Heaven's Door: The Path to a Better Way of Death, in which she discusses death and dying with reference to the American medical system. 15 min

Becoming as we intend - opportunities for daily practice (20 min)

  • Link - The author describes a procedure for distilling and clarifying social experience which she claims has proven beneficial for her and others. 5 min
  • Link - Advice on working smarter (e.g., like an athlete!) by emphasizing energy rather than time. 5 min
  • Fogg, BJ. Link Stanford professor BJ Fogg provides a formula for forming habits. 5 min
    • Follow this format to create your Tiny Habit recipes. “After I [existing habit/anchor], I will [new tiny behavior]” Once you identify a tiny behavior you want, you then find where it fits in your life. Plan to do the new tiny behavior after an extremely reliable habit you have, an “anchor.” Matching the new tiny behavior to an anchor routine is vital. You may require several trials get this match right. And that’s okay. You can revise until you do. 5 min


Interest Readings

  • Original Mothers' Day Proclamation by Julia Ward Howe. Link - Mother's Day, initiated by a feminist, pacifist, suffragette as a call to peace, has been hijacked into yet one more orgy of consumption. 5 min
  • Dunning Kruger Effect. Link- When we're ignorant and incompetent we think we know and perform better than we do; when we're knowledgeable and competent we think we perform less well. This is called the Dunning-Kruger effect (cognitive bias). Although the Dunning–Kruger effect was put forward in 1999, Dunning and Kruger have noted similar historical observations from philosophers and scientists, including Confucius ("Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance."),[3] Bertrand Russell ("One of the painful things about our time is that those who feel certainty are stupid, and those with any imagination and understanding are filled with doubt and indecision", see Wikiquote),[12] and Charles Darwin, whom they quoted in their original paper ("ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge").[2] Geraint Fuller, commenting on the paper, noted that Shakespeare expressed similar sentiment in As You Like It ("The Foole doth thinke he is wise, but the wiseman knowes himselfe to be a Foole." (V.i)).[15
  • Link- Stephen J. Bergman, MD, PhD, novelist, radical critic of medical training and practice looks back at 70 and reflects upon what is important to him in medicine and life. Bergman's speaks to his own experience practicing peaceful and courageous resistance.
  • Link- More from the same person, on Fiction as Resistance and the meaning of taking a stand for empathy and love. NOTE: He's a psychiatrist fascinated with how people change.
  • "Change Everything Now." Link- More essays from contributors to Orion about roots of current predicament and ways out of it.
  • Link - Gutsy artists communicate radicalism in ways from which we may draw inspiration. (see also: Link)
  • Link - Researchers studying teens find evidence that kindness and meaningful service to others are protective of mental health.
  • Koru Kenya Link- Here's an example of a small NGO working in diverse ways and at many levels to improve the human condition. I think we can make it inspiration to think creatively about how we can give. 5 min

Class 19

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