With a combination of scientific rigor and passionate advocacy, Brand shows us exactly where the sources of our dilemmas lie and offers a bold … [6] In particular, book influences are Constant Battles by Steven A. LeBlanc with Katherine Register,[7] Shadow Cities: A Billion Squatters, a New Urban World by Robert Neuwirth,[8] and James Lovelock, the author of The Revenge of Gaia and The Vanishing Face of Gaia. (Lovelock's position had been that planetary catastrophe was now unavoidable). Whole Earth Discipline: An Ecopragmatist Manifesto is the sixth book by Stewart Brand, published by Viking Penguin in 2009. With a combination of scientific rigor and passionate advocacy, Brand shows us exactly where the sources of our dilemmas lie and offers a bold … in 1968 and he is the man who inspired Earth Day. Copyright © 2020 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Brand maintains an online version of his book[18] where, as he says "the text (much of it) dwells in a living thicket of its origins and implications. We need a more sustainable future and brand does a good job with advice. Brand's fresh perspective, approachable writing style and manifest wisdom ultimately convince the reader that the future is not an abyss to be feared but an opportunity for innovative problem solvers to embrace enthusiastically. [1] He sees Earth and people propelled by three transformations: climate change (global warming), urbanization and biotechnology. The following are my notes from 2014 on the book "Whole Earth Discipline" by Stewart Brand. In this book Stewart slays several sacred cows of environmentalism, and celebrates the city as the best tool for energy and resource efficiency. Whole earth discipline. Urbanization, or the move to cities, requires grid electricity, which one chapter discusses, in particular nuclear power. This book was recently recommended by Marc Andreessen along with a handful of other great books related to progress and building the future. Whole Earth Discipline shatters a number of myths and presents counterintuitive observations on why cities are actually greener than countryside, how nuclear power is the future of energy, and why genetic engineering is the key to crop and land management. Whole Earth Discipline: An Ecopragmatist Manifesto by Stewart Brand: The World We Live in Volume 1: The First Four Billion Years by Lincoln Barnett: Worlds in Collision by Immanuel Velikovsky: A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle In light of these changes, Brand suggests that environmentalists are going to have to reverse some longheld opinions and embrace tools that they have traditionally distrusted. Whole Earth Discipline shatters a number of myths and presents counterintuitive observations on why cities are actually greener than countryside, how nuclear power is the future of energy, and why genetic engineering is the key to crop and land management. Brand believes environmentalists must embrace nuclear energy expansion and other inevitable technological advances, and refreshingly suggests a shift in the environmentalists' dogmatic approach to combating climate change. [12], Amory Lovins published a critique at the Rocky Mountain Institute,[13] saying on NPR that nuclear energy is not the most cost-effective solution, that it is too expensive and slow to build. He suggested among other things that environm… Whole Earth Discipline shatters a number of myths and presents counterintuitive observations on why cities are actually greener than countryside, how nuclear power is the future of energy, and why genetic engineering is the key to crop and land management. [9], In an interview with American Public Media, Brand said, "...in [Whole Earth Catalog] I focused on individual empowerment, and in [Whole Earth Discipline] the focus is on the aggregate effects of humans on things like climate. The ecomodernist project is centrally predicated on decoupling. Whole Earth Discipline shatters a number of myths and presents counterintuitive observations on why cities are actually greener than countryside, how nuclear power is the future of energy, and why genetic engineering is the key to crop and land management. With a combination of scientific rigor and passionate advocacy, Brand shows us exactly where the sources of our dilemmas … Whole Earth Discipline shatters a number of myths and presents counterintuitive observations on why cities are actually greener than countryside, how nuclear power is the future of energy, and why genetic engineering is the key to crop and land management. He sees Earth and people propelled by three transformations: climate change , urbanization and biotechnology . [14] Jim Riccio, a spokesman for Greenpeace speaking with Green Inc. of The New York Times, called Brand's arguments "nonsensical, especially concerning the abysmal economics of nuclear power. Subscribe now to get more book reviews in your mailbox! [21] Brand explains that Lovelock changed his mind because of two things: he read a book, The Climate Caper, by Garth Paltridge,[22] and he read a paper by Dr. Kevin Trenberth,[23] which was published in Science. Whole Earth Discipline shatters a number of myths and presents counter-intuitive observations on why cities are actually greener than countryside, how nuclear power is the future of energy, and why genetic engineering is the key to crop and land management. Whole Earth Discipline: An Ecopragmatist Manifesto. Whole Earth Discipline: An Ecopragmatist Manifesto is the sixth book by Stewart Brand, published by Viking Penguin in 2009. Whole Earth Discipline: An Ecopragmatist Manifesto The first part of this review serves as an introduction to Environmentalism’s Impact on World Poverty section of book recommendations. For one thing, he says: "history that has moved on from what I described in 2009 should be indicated" But his Afterword is also a place where he can record changes in his views: "I did promise in this book that I would change my mind as needed....", Brand says his views on climate are influenced most by his old friend James Lovelock. This eye-opening book by the legendary author of the National Book Award-winning Whole Earth Catalog persuasively details a new approach to our stewardship of the planet. "[10], Speaking on "Rethinking Green", Brand provided a short version of his book:[11]. It's an easy read and makes you think about your values. With a combination of scientific rigor and passionate advocacy, Brand shows us exactly where the sources of our dilemmas lie and offers a bold … The book challenges traditional environmentalist thinking around four major issues: And he summarized the book. "[25] Library Journal's verdict: "Despite the occasional flippant comment, Brand's tough but constructive projection of our near future on this overheating planet is essential reading for all. He also published an online "Afterword". [24], Publishers Weekly said, "Rejecting the inflexible message so common in the Green movement, he describes a process of reasonable debate and experimentation. In Whole Earth Discipline, he combines his deep concern for the environment, his pugnacious search for windmills to tilt at, and his technological optimism to produce an intriguing, confounding, utterly Brand-type book. And biotechnology is becoming the world?s dominant engineering tool. A discipline must have a subject and an object. Reviewer Information. Whole Earth Discipline: An Ecopragmatist Manifesto is the sixth book by Stewart Brand, published by Viking Penguin in 2009. Rejecting the inflexible message so common in the Green movement, he describes a process of reasonable debate and experimentation. Alana Westwood. And that aging old friend of his who has so influenced him, Lovelock, he doesn't seem to understand what recent debate among leading climate scientists means. But it should be read as much for its dissection of the way ideologies … A whole earth discipline implies a discipline that accounts for humans and non-humans, trade-offs and synergies. However, during 2005 he criticized aspects of the international environmental ideology he had helped to develop. "[4], The author cites numerous other authors both in the recommended reading section[5] and in live lectures. He wrote an article called "Environmental Heresies" in the May 2005 issue of the MIT Technology Review, in which he describes what he considers necessary changes to environmentalism. And some of these issues are of such scale that you got to have the governments doing things like making carbon expensive. Whole Earth Discipline Quotes Showing 1-27 of 27 “California was a great place to get over mysticism in the 1960s and 1970s. Lifelong ecologist and futurist Stewart Brand relies on scientific rigor to shatter myths concerning nuclear energy, urbanization, genetic engineering, and other controversial subjects, showing exactly where the sources of our dilemmas lie … He sees Earth and people propelled by three transformations: climate change (global warming), urbanization and biotechnology. The Whole Earth Catalog implied an ideal of human progress that depended on decentralized, personal, and liberating technological development—so‑called "soft technology". [20] In the Afterword, Brand writes that Lovelock has "softened his sense of alarm about the pace of climate change". Whole Earth Discipline. "[26] One Energy Collective reviewer disagreed: "What's Brand doing telling people to pay attention to a second rate climate science denier like Paltridge? thinkers: Stewart Brand (The Whole Earth Discipline), Bruce Sterling (The Difference Engine, Beyond the Beyond), Sherry Turkle (Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other), Bruce Mau (Incomplete Manifesto for Growth, Massive Change Network), Neal Stephenson (Snow Crash, The Diamond Age, Reamde) and ASU Whole Earth Discipline, Stewart Brand, New York: Penguin, 2010, 352 pages. [3], Brand said in an interview with Seed magazine, "...I'd accumulated a set of contrarian views on some important environmental issues—specifically, cities, nuclear energy, genetic engineering, and geoengineering—and that it added up to a story worth telling. Viking, $25.95 (336p) ISBN 978-0-670-02121-5. Fifth is a chapter on restoration of natural infrastructure and benevolent ecosystem engineering. An icon of the environmental movement outlines a provocative approach for reclaiming our planet According to Stewart Brand, a lifelong environmentalist who sees everything in terms of solvable design problems, three profound transformations are under way on Earth right now. Such an endless parade of gurus and mystics came through, peddling their wares, that they canceled each other out. Whole Earth Discipline shatters a number of myths and presents counterintuitive observations on why cities are actually greener than countryside, how nuclear power is the future of energy, and why genetic engineering is the key to crop and land management. Another two chapters explain the need for genetic engineering. Brand haphazardly organizes his "manifesto" into chapters that address environmental stewardship opportunities, exhorting environmentalists to "become fearless about following science"; his iconoclastic proposals include transitioning to nuclear energy and ecosystem engineering. Whole Earth Discipline: Code of Service Discipline: Conduct prejudicial to good order and discipline: Creative Correction: Extraordinary Ideas for Everyday Discipline: Buddhist ethics (discipline) List of psychology disciplines: Inquiry: Critical Thinking Across the Disciplines: In a talk recorded in Vancouver, he told the audience "maybe nothing" will happen as a result of the accumulating greenhouse gases, although he said it would be "like playing Russian Roulette with five cylinders loaded, to not reduce emissions". While Whole Earth Discipline is surpassed, content-wise, by the books mentioned previously, it has an unparalleled value in that its author has changed their mind about the issues and can see both sides fairly and argue on facts rather than prejudice and sentiment. Whole Earth Discipline shatters a number of myths and presents counterintuitive observations on why cities are actually greener than countryside, how nuclear power is the future of energy, and why genetic engineering is the key to crop and land management. Brand's fresh perspective, approachable writing style and manifest wisdom ultimately convince the reader that the future is not an abyss to be feared but an opportunity for innovative problem solvers to embrace enthusiastically. Whole Earth Discipline shatters a number of myths and presents counterintuitive observations on why cities are actually greener than countryside, how nuclear power is the future of energy, and why genetic engineering is the key to crop and land management. [2] It takes national governments. First published in 2010. A "sermon" on science and large-scale geoengineering is a fourth chapter. It requires science.… Stewart Brand. Brand, co-author of the seminal 1969 Whole Earth Catalog, compiles reflections and lessons learned from more than 40 years as an environmentalist in this clumsy yet compelling attempt to inspire practicable solutions to climate change. Arguably, Stewart Brand can be called the father, or at least the godfather of modern environmentalism. And individuals can't do that, individual communities can't do that. "[15] David Lewis, a former Speaker of the Green Party of British Columbia and former prominent Canadian ozone activist, who believes Brand's views on nuclear power have a sound foundation, asks "How can Brand champion the views of a climate science denier who denounces climate scientists and expect to be taken seriously by environmentalists? Stewart Brand is co-founder of Revive & Restore, The Long Now Foundation, The WELL, Global Business Network, and founder/editor of the Whole Earth Catalog. Whole Earth Discipline: an Ecopragmatist Manifesto is a rich, compelling guide to how old wisdom can combine with new technologies to help civilisation survive man-made climate change. More information about Whole Earth Discipline. Whole Earth Discipline: An Ecopragmatist Manifesto Ecological balance is too important for sentiment. Or making coal expensive to burn and putting all that carbon into the atmosphere. Only a radical rethinking of traditional green pieties will allow us to forestall the cataclysmic deterioration of the earth?s resources. Whole Earth Discipline: from the land back to town: A review of Whole Earth Discipline by Stewart Brand, the author of the 1970’s classic Whole Earth Catalog. With a combination of scientific rigor and passionate advocacy, Brand shows us exactly where the sources of our dilemmas lie and offers a bold and inventive set of policies and solutions for creating a more sustainable society. With a combination of scientific rigor and blazing advocacy, Brand reveals us exactly where the sources of … Im a student that studies the environment and this book gives a very different outlook on what we should be doing in this world. We have to learn how to manage the planet?s global-scale natural infrastructure with as light a touch as possible and as much intervention as necessary. [19] He asks: "What belongs in an afterword?" Finally, Brand concludes with humans' obligation to "learn planet craft", to enhance life and Earth like an earthworm. Stewart Brand. With a combination of scientific rigor and passionate advocacy, Brand shows us exactly where the sources of our dilemmas … There is an article by Stewart Brand who created the premiere issue of the Whole Earth Catalog (anyone but me remember that?) Ecologist Stewart Brand presents a bold and creative set of solutions for producing a more sustainable society. "[16], "(Environmentalists) are viewing what I'm saying more in sorrow than in anger," Brand told the Toronto Star.[17]. Whole Earth Discipline shatters a number of environmental myths, and presents some radical, counterintuitive observations - cities are actually greener than the countryside, nuclear power is the future of energy, and genetic engineering is the key to crop and land management. Instead of static footnotes there are live links to my sources, including some better ones that turned up after the writing". Subjects. Whole Earth Discipline shatters a number of myths and presents counterintuitive observations on why cities are actually greener than the countryside, how nuclear power is the future of energy, and why genetic engineering is the key to crop and land management. Whole Earth Discipline shatters a number of myths and presents counterintuitive observations on why cities are actually greener than countryside, how nuclear power is the future of energy, and why genetic engineering is the key to crop and land management. Whole Earth Discipline By Stewart Brand Atlantic Books £19.99 316 pages FT Bookshop price: £15.99. Alana Westwood is a Ph.D. candidate doing endangered species research in Nova Scotia. "[27], "Ecopragmatism" redirects here. It also, unavoidably, entails an anthropocentric worldview. Brand quotes from an email he got from Lovelock: "Something unknown appears to be slowing down the rate of global warming", Brand's current position on climate change is unclear. In the end, says Brand, the environmental movement must become newly responsive to fast-moving science and take up the tools and discipline of engineering. Whole Earth Discipline shatters a number of myths and presents counterintuitive observations on why cities are actually greener than countryside, how nuclear power is the future of energy, and why genetic engineering is the key to crop and land management. Climate change is real and is pushing us toward managing the planet as a whole. Biotechnology , Human ecology , Climatic changes , Environmental aspects , Urban ecology (Sociology) , Klimatförändringar , Humanekologi , Genetic engineering , Climatic change , Energy resources , Urban environment , Urban ecology (sociology) Urbanization?half the world?s population now lives in cities, and eighty percent will by midcentury?is altering humanity?s land impact and wealth. [2] Brand tackles "touchy issues" like nuclear power, genetic engineering and geoengineering, "fully aware that many of the environmentalist readers he hopes to reach will start out disagreeing with him". Brand tackles "touchy issues" like nuclear power, genetic engineering and geoengineering, "fully aware that many of the environmentalist readers he hopes to reach will start out disagreeing with him". For further information about the ideology, see, CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (, "Whole Earth Discipline: An Ecopragmatist Manifesto", "Author and environmental icon Stewart Brand on four green heresies, developing-world ingenuity, and the new face of environmentalism", "Transcript: Brand vs. Lovins On Nuclear Power", Stewart Brand: Fearless Follower of Lovelock, not science, "Why greens need to grow up if they want to save the planet", Whole Earth Discipline: An Ecopragmatist Manifesto, online version, Radio Ecoshock interview with Stewart Brand, Tracking Earth's Energy, Science "Perspectives" April 16, 2010, Annotated extracts and footnotes on sbnotes.com, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Whole_Earth_Discipline&oldid=916546701, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 19 September 2019, at 12:40. Of static footnotes there are live links to my sources, including some better ones that up! 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