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== Course Description ==
 
== Course Description ==
This is a course about living and dying well. We speak of living and dying well because living and dying are ongoing and contemporaneous in each of us, and we've evidence that acknowledging this is essential to doing either well. We address this topic because we perceive it to encompass most, perhaps all human concerns.
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We apply scientific methods and principles to questions of value. By questions of value we mean: What do I want? How can I get it? How do I know? Here we inclusively define "want" to encompass material and ethical considerations, narrow individual and broader humanitarian, biophilic, and environmental interests, near and distant ends and means.
  
Humans live and die well by discerning and realizing value, by knowing what we want and getting it, and by wanting what we get. Because we're evolving organisms in a dynamic environment what we value—ends and means of our lives—also changes.
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Many of us want to live well and die at peace. To do these things we accurately discern and effectively realize value. We figure out what we want, get it, and feel satisfaction when we do. Each of us sometimes falls short at one or another point in this process. With valuescience practice we can reduce frequency and severity of such failures. To that end course participants examine methods by which we've responded to questions of value, and learn to practice valuescience with growing consciousness and consistency to evolve our responses to be better bases for living well and dying at peace.
  
We live in an era of unprecedentedly rapid, large, and novel changes. Many of these we've set in motion. We're altering society, other parts of nature, artifact fashioned from nature, and information accumulated by humans. Today more than ever before we live and die well by cultivating proficiency in bringing to awareness, questioning, and evolving to be more reliable information about value, especially ideas about how we can know and realize value.
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The valuescience thesis is:
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(1) Ideas about what we want and how to get it rest on predictions that when we get what we want we'll feel as we anticipate, and that we will be effective when we act to satisfy want;
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(2) Science is sole demonstrated means for predicting with success greater than we can achieve by chance; therefore,
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(3) Science is how we better know and get what we want; it is how we more accurately discern and more fully realize value.
  
This course is an opportunity to bring accurate, pertinent findings from many disciplines to bear upon three central questions of our lives: "What do I want?" "How can I get it?" and most importantly, "How do I know?" We frequently ask the first two questions about everything from big choices like career and marriage to little ones like what we'll eat for lunch today. We ask the third far less often. Yet only to the degree that we rely upon sound means of knowing can we make what we think we know as faithful a representation of self and surrounds as we're able.
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For more, please see: [[Course Description]].
 
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All of us have experienced getting what we thought we wanted and feeling disappointed, and all of us have sometimes done what we thought sufficient and come up short. Again and again we think we know how to secure satisfaction only to discover that we're mistaken. With current approaches to value we repeatedly generate overconfidence and error. Though we work to learn from missteps, we rarely delve deeply enough to re-examine our approaches. Even when we do ask, "How do I know?" we're often quick to answer with long-held, well-practiced justifications yet to be critically examined to their roots, and poorly able to withstand such scrutiny.
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In this course we explore history, philosophy, ecology, economics, sociology, linguistics, psychology, and more to learn how we may apply science, defined here as behaviors by which we predict with success greater than we can achieve by chance, to discern value—what we want and how to get it—more accurately and to realize it more fully.
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We begin by framing our inquiry within a larger context of ecology, evolution, culture, and education. We consider how we've come to current ideas about value, about science, and about their relationship. We examine how we underpin personal, social, and environmental well-being and ills with those ideas.
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We then present a case for valuescience, and apply it to achieve more accurate understanding of human past, present, and prospects, to know better what we want, and to get it. We pay particular attention to perceptual, cognitive, and social impediments to valuescience, and to strategies for overcoming these, and we offer opportunity to create sangha, community of practice while doing so, and while contributing to others' doing so.
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If you are engaged or want to engage in such inquiry and practice, we welcome your partnership in valuescience.
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== Course Objectives ==  
 
== Course Objectives ==  
  
We aim for each participant to learn to write and speak cogently about each of the following topics, evidencing some familiarity with historical and contemporary trends and events as described in published works of others, and demonstrating independent thought grounded at least to some degree in personal practice:
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* Construct an ecological framework for understanding self and surrounds, and use this framework to explain the evolutionary import of human culture, and to describe how culture is embodied and communicated, and how we can evolve individual and collective cultural information to be more adaptive. For more, please see: [[Framework]].
  
:(1) State a valuescience thesis, beginning with definitions of “value” and “science” to emphasize their nexus, prediction, and concluding with an argument based upon evidence and reason that science is sole demonstrated means to more accurately discern and more fully realize value.
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* Evolve a more inclusive, consilient, science-based worldview which includes a method for discerning and realizing value—for living and dying well—and a set of ideas about value generated by this method. For more, please see: [[Worldview]].
:(2) Outline key elements of world-view common today with reference to their historical roots, methods by which they are promulgated and reinforced, interests served by their persistence, conflicts with science, and consequences for human well-being.
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:(3) Describe how emergent consilience of natural science, social science, and humanities can be basis for constructing a more accurate world-view, for shedding illusion about value and contributing to others' doing so, and for thereby improving our and their lives.
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:(4) Outline key elements of a consilient science-based world-view, describe how you have altered your own world-view to incorporate more of it as a result of participating in this class, and give examples of how you have relied upon it, how you can rely more heavily upon it, and how you can contribute to others' relying more heavily upon it to live and die well.
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== Class Details ==
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* Practice valuescience to realize value more fully, and communicate to others how they can do this. For more, please see: [[Praxis]].
 
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*'''Time:''' T/Th, 10:30-11:50
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*'''Place:''' Building 160, Room 322
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*'''Units:''' 3 units, 4 units with optional (highly recommended) lab
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*'''Grading Options:''' Letter, C/NC
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*'''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. 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 http://studentaffairs.stanford.edu/oae]
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== Instructional Team ==
 
== Instructional Team ==
  
*'''Instructor:''' [[David Schrom]] (dschrom@ {stanford})
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*Instructor: [[David Schrom]] (david@ {ecomagic.org}) 650 323-7333
*'''Teaching Team Members:''' [[Robin Bayer]] (robin@ {ecomagic.org}), ([[Nick Enge]] (nickenge@ {stanford}), [[Hilary Hug]] (hilary@ {ecomagic.org}), [[Andrew Nepomuceno]] (andrew.nepo@ {gmail}), [[Toan Tran]] (dtoan@ {alumni.stanford})
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*Teaching Team Members: [[Robin Bayer]] (robin@ {ecomagic.org}), [[Hilary Hug]] (hilary@ {ecomagic.org}), [[Andrew Nepomuceno]] (andrewn1@ {stanford.edu})
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Teaching team members typically check email once(!) per day M-F and less often on weekends. Please plan accordingly. For urgent matters, call 650 323-7333.
  
== Office Hours ==
 
  
We offer regular office hours before (by appointment) and after (drop-in) class Tu and Th from 10-10:30am and from 11:50am-1pm. We are usually able to respond to requests for consultation within 24 hours of the time we receive them, and to schedule in-person conferences within a day or so of receipt of a request. We encourage each student to meet briefly (~15 minutes) with a member of the teaching team at least bi-weekly, and to bring us your thoughts and questions for individual attention.
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==Resources ==
  
== People Page ==
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Valuescience is a synthesis of work in many disciplines, and we tap diverse learning resources. During a typical quarter participants read, listen to, and view excerpts (often brief) from more than one hundred sources. We've listed below a representative selection containing key ideas.
  
Please use your People Page to tell us about yourself and why you're taking the class, and to post writing, lab reports, and anything else you want to share. Only teaching team members and students enrolled with you in current quarter can see your people pages (as long as <nowiki>[[Category:Autumn16]]</nowiki> is on the bottom of your page. In addition, you may submit anonymously (with your name known only by teaching team members). Click here to find your page: [[People]]. Please let Andrew know if you have any questions or concerns about the site.
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For more detail on resources and questions we address with them please see: [[Resources]].
  
== Questions and Resources ==
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Books
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*Andrews, Frank. (1990). ''The Art and Practice of Loving.''
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*Bonner, John Tyler. (1980). ''Evolution of Culture in Animals.''
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*Brafman, Ori. (2009). ''Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior.''
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*Catton, William. (1980) ''Overshoot: The Ecological Basis of Revolutionary Change.''
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*Cialdini, Robert. (1984). ''Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion.''
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*Duhigg, Charles. (2012). ''The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business.''
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*Edwards, David. (1999). ''Burning All Illusions.''
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*Frankl, Viktor. (1959). ''Man’s Search for Meaning.''
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*Graeber, David. (2012). ''Debt: The First 5,000 Years.''
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*Hagen, Steve. (1998). ''Buddhism Plain and Simple.''
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*Heilbroner, Robert. (1999). ''The Worldly Philosophers.''
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*Kelly, Marjorie. (2003). ''The Divine Right of Capital: Dethroning the Corporate Aristocracy.''
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*Meadows, Donella H., et al (1972). ''The Limits to Growth.''
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*Ponting, Clive. (1991). ''A Green History of the World: The Environment and the Collapse of Great Civilizations.''
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*Schrom, David. (2008). ''Valuescience.''
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*Seavoy, Ronald. (1986). ''Famine in Peasant Societies.''
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*Shepard, Paul. (1996). ''The Only World We’ve Got.''
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*Totman, Richard. (1985). ''Social and Biological Roles of Language.''
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*Whorf, Benjamin Lee. (1956). ''Language, Thought and Reality.''
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*Wilson, Edward O. (1998). ''Consilience.''
  
This quarter, autumn 2016, we plan to structure class meetings explicitly around preparation for quizzes and final exam. You will have opportunity to review quiz questions with teaching team members and fellow students prior to taking quizzes, and you will receive comment on quizzes after you take them. Quiz and final questions are identical. If you learn to respond to quiz questions successfully, you will be prepared for final. You can find these questions here: [[Final Exam Questions]].  
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Online Resources
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*AAAS Atlas of Population and Environment [https://www.amazon.com/Atlas-Population-Environment-Peter-Raven/dp/0520230817 link]
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*AAAS Science for All Americans Online [http://www.project2061.org/publications/sfaa/online/sfaatoc.htm link]
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*US Debt Clock.org History of Money and Banking [http://www.usdebtclock.org/money-history/money-timeline1100-1791.html link]
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*Wikipedia [https://www.wikipedia.org/ link]
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*Worldometers [http://www.worldometers.info/ link]
  
We've included below a course outline from spring 2016 to give you an idea of resources—texts, videos, podcasts, or other media—we'll be referencing in autumn 2016. Specific assignments for autumn 2016 class meetings will be posted at least one week in advance on [[Next Class]]. Resources are available online. You can access materials assigned for this course without purchasing anything.
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Videos
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*Beck, Roy. (2010). ''Immigration, World Poverty and Gumballs.'' [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPjzfGChGlE link]
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*Global Footprint Network. (2015). ''Sustainable Development: 1980-2011.'' [http://www.footprintnetwork.org/our-work/sustainable-development/ link]
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*Martenson, Chris. (2014). ''Exponential Growth.'' Video segment from 8:12 to 10:12. [http://www.peakprosperity.com/crashcourse/accelerated link]
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*Population Connection. (2000). ''A Graphic Simulation of World Population Growth.'' [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_9SutNmfFk#t=2m05s link]
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*Reilly, John. (2006). ''Bystander''. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oKzAsVh-Bu9RzhlMKr6SMICwrX8Ff361/view?usp=sharing link]
  
We've collected and in some cases annotated additional materials to facilitate your exploring more fully ideas you encounter in core resources and class meetings. In past quarters, many course participants have found at least some of these worthwhile, and many have introduced us to items new to us that we now offer you. We welcome suggestions for improving and augmenting this collection.
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Articles
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*Daly, Herman. (1993). "Steady State Economics: A New Paradigm." ''New Literary History''. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrcGFETGw5cVN4OTA/view?usp=sharing&resourcekey=0-zm8iiSkFXCB6o6QT3U-YkQ link]
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*Emmanuel, Ezekiel. (2014). "Why I Hope to Die at 75." ''The Atlantic.'' [http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2014/09/why-i-hope-to-die-at-75/379329/ link]
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*Engelman, Robert. (2011). "An End to Population Growth: Why Family Planning Is Key to a Sustainable Future." ''Solutions for a Sustainable and Desirable Future.'' [https://thesolutionsjournal.com/an-end-to-population-growth-why-family-planning-is-key-to-a-sustainable-future/ link]
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*Gilbert, Daniel, et. al. (2009). "The Surprising Power of Neighborly Advice." ''Science.'' [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrMGZEMHRES0NnNEk/view?usp=sharing&resourcekey=0-aGyV3h5UpuUSTRujsuxDdQ link]
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*Harvey, Joe. (1990). "Growth in Perspective." ''Rocky Mountain Institute Newsletter.'' [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8dQDga7c8qYTHA0WlpkQ2VfSDg/view?usp=sharing&resourcekey=0-9l4xfOUMhef_6dPwoYZ4rQ link]
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*Ioannidis, John P. (2005). "Why Most Published Research Findings Are False." [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16060722 link]
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*Krugman, Paul. (2011). "Markets Can Be Very, Very Wrong." ''New York Times.'' [http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/30/markets-can-be-very-very-wrong/ link]
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*Leeb, Steven. (2013). "Dangerous Times As Energy Sources Get Costlier To Extract." ''Forbes Magazine.'' [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrZTlCRkdSaHk3Tlk/view?usp=sharing&resourcekey=0-j-S4XloKT6IWq6q2x1mVsA link]
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*Nikiforuk, Andrew. (2011). "You and Your Slaves." ''The Tyee.'' [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrV1JCQWlwX3piR0E/view?usp=sharing&resourcekey=0-_EtjTDNwh2qRYWSTOw_8dQ link]
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*Norton, Michael and Ariely, Dan. (2011). "Building a Better America−One Wealth Quintile at a Time." ''Perspectives on Psychological Science.'' [https://www.hbs.edu/ris/Publication%20Files/Norton_Michael_Building%20a%20better%20America%20One%20wealth%20quintile%20at%20a%20time_4c575dff-fe1d-4002-b61a-1227d08b71be.pdf link]
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*Strauss, Mark. (2012). "Looking Back on the Limits of Growth." ''Smithsonian Magazine.'' [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmreDFQM2FlQmlhdU9nOHJ4ckdHZlFZclR2bUtZ/view?usp=sharing&resourcekey=0-rpxuqWFwqdpNbJAdKSj0xA link]
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*Tainter, Joseph. (1996). "Complexity, Problem Solving, and Sustainable Societies." ''Getting Down to Earth: Practical Applications of Ecological Economics.'' [https://www.combusem.com/TAINTER.HTM link]
  
This course is very much a work in progress. We revise it between quarters, and we alter it during quarters we teach as we became more familiar with current enrollees' backgrounds and interests. You can rely upon [[Next Class]] page entries updated throughout the quarter to reflect all changes to date. We welcome suggestions for improvement.
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==Course Policies and Expectations==
  
== Class Meetings ==
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<big>Presentations</big>
  
While valuescientists confront a number of challenges, some of which to date have proven intractable (e.g., finding a biophysical value metric), our most common and most limiting impediment to honing valuescience practice is that most of us identify self with ideas incompatible with a scientific approach to value. Shedding these is doubly difficult because they are in substantial part a result of intense and incessant indoctrination to which we've become so desensitized as to take it for granted if we are aware of it at all.  
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View or listen to pre-recorded presentation(s) prior to class meeting for which they are assigned. [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxj-Eb_bSLraMUNZyo7FrUtT_03Ocq5Pg Link]
  
Learning together in an atmosphere of mutual support and trust we are better able to set aside long and closely held ideas and consider different ones. Teaching team and students in this course can create sangha, community of practice. If you've prepared thoughts and questions about a day's questions and resources, you're better able to learn and to further others' learning. You are welcome to prepare with others. We aim to afford each student ample opportunity to contribute.
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For more, please see: [[Presentations]].
  
== Quizzes ==
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<big>Class Meetings</big>
  
We provide opportunity to demonstrate and clarify learning with weekly or semi-weekly (twice weekly) written quizzes. Quiz questions are taken directly from the final exam to assist you in preparing for the final. We encourage students to use teaching team comments on quizzes to improve understanding and to write a better final.  
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We devote class meetings to discussion and other interaction. Please notify a member of the instructional team prior to any class from which you will be absent.
  
Quizzes can comprise up to one-third of your grade (25% if you're enrolled in lab). Each quiz is equally weighted. Only quizzes submitted on or before time and date due count towards your grade. If you submit fewer than all quizzes we weight your final exam more heavily in your grade. (e.g., zero quizzes, final weighted an additional 33% [25% for lab enrollees]; half of quizzes, final weighted an additional 17% [12.5% for lab enrollees]).
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For more, please see: [[Class Meetings]].
  
== Project ==
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<big>Quizzes</big>
  
Students working independently or in teams of 2-4 research and create educational media to communicate key valuescience ideas. A project is opportunity to share something you learned with an audience you think will appreciate and benefit from it. We publish projects with attribution on an open course website. A project comprises 25% of your grade (20% if you're enrolled in lab).
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Students complete weekly or semi-weekly written quizzes. Quiz questions are taken directly from final exam.  
  
More detail about project purpose, criteria, and grading can be found here: [[Valuescience Final Project]]
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For more, please see: [[Quizzes]].
  
[https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxngE8UAOIeBcU5DUFBTalg5dnc/edit Sample Video] <br>
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<big>Project</big>
[https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8dQDga7c8qYNldaTjlKQkdXTlU Sample Brochure]
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== Final Exam ==
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Students working independently or in teams of 2-4 research and create media to communicate a valuescience argument.
  
Each student completes a written, closed-book final exam on Wednesday, December 14th, 12:15pm-3:15pm. We make available on or before first day of class a list of questions from which final exam questions will be drawn. [[Final Exam Questions]]
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For project purpose, criteria, and grading please see: [[Project]].
  
A final exam comprises a minimum of 33% of your grade (25% if you're enrolled in lab) and a maximum of 67% (60% if you're enrolled in lab). With some exam questions you will receive full credit only if you respond with very specific words. With other questions you can earn full credit by evidencing that you've learned ideas well enough to explain them clearly and persuasively.
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<big>Final Exam</big>
  
== Lab ==
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Each student completes a written, closed-book final exam. For a current list of potential final exam questions please see: [[Media:AllPotentialFinalQuestionsCurrent.pdf|Final Questions]].
  
We can make knowledge more complete with action. By including a lab component in this course we provide opportunity to experiment with personal change in partnership with others. We use "experiment" to denote consciously chosen behavior that we carefully observe, record, and analyze. Please design experiment(s) to be completed, including recording and analysis, in three hours per week, Stanford's benchmark for one academic unit of credit. Plan to engage in experimental behavior, to journal your practice, and to note differences in other aspects of life that you perceive to be possibly related to practice. For example, you might:
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For more, please see: [[Final Exam]].
  
*Sleep an additional 15-20 minutes each night
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<big>Practicum</big>
*Exercise 40 minutes on each of three days
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*Meditate 30 minutes on each of four days
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*Write emails or letters of appreciation for an hour on each of two days
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*Take a two-hour hike or bike ride once a week
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*Alter idiolect to affect feeling, thought, and perception (e.g., use negative words less often)
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*Change dietary pattern (e.g., eliminate corn syrup)
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*Do an electronic device "fast" (e.g., during meals, for an hour before bed, FB one day per week)
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*Do some combination of the above.
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Choose a lab about which you can be wholehearted. Feel free to mix and match - you may choose to adopt one practice for ten weeks, or you may choose one for two weeks, another for two weeks, or different ones on different days of the week, etc.. Author a life you want with experiment(s) you deem well-suited to you. Please consider what keystone habit (see excerpt from "The Power of Habit" in class 1 resources, below) you might address in lab. For more ideas, see [[Shake Up Your Life]].
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Practicum enrollees practice personal behavioral change, record practice, and write reflections.
  
Each instructional team member is engaged in her or his lab. We've more than a century of practice among us. We're glad to share this experience. You may also find one or more partners among other course participants.
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For more, please see: [[Practicum]].
  
As soon as you've even preliminary ideas about your proposed experiment(s), please describe them on your People page, and email lab coordinator hilary@ {ecomagic.org} to let her know that you've done so. We look forward to sharing satisfaction generated by being and doing more as each of us intends.
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<big>Grading</big>
  
Lab comprises up to 25% of your grade. You can earn up to 100 lab points, which are divided by four to calculate a lab component of your grade. (e.g., Earn 80 lab points; receive 20% of a possible 25% towards your grade.) Lab points are awarded equally for a lab proposal (10 points) and for nine lab reports (10 points each) submitted weekly. Each week you can earn 1 point by submitting by 10am Thursday, 1 point by logging your lab activities, 1 point by reflecting on your lab, 1 point by submitting a plan for next week, and 6 points for lab activity. You can submit a late lab report up to one week late. Penalty for a late report is 1 of 10 possible points. If you submit a late lab report, please write "LATE LAB REPORT" as first line.
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Participants Enrolled for 3 Units
 
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If you enter lab after first week of the quarter and/or fail to submit one or more lab reports your lab will count 2.5% less and your final exam 2.5% more for each report fewer than nine that you submit. For example, if you enter lab in week three and submit a proposal and seven lab reports, your lab will count 20% and your final will count 55% of your grade. If you are on track to submit fewer than five lab reports we will drop you from lab and change your enrollment to three units.
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More detail about lab purpose, criteria, and grading can be found here: [[Lab purpose, criteria,and grading]]
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== Grading ==
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=== Participants Enrolled for 3 Units ===
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*0-33% Quizzes
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*33% Project
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*34-67% Final exam
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(Please see explanations above under  "Quizzes" and "Final Exam.")
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=== Participants Enrolled for 4 Units (Lab) ===
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*0-25% Class participation
 
*0-25% Quizzes
 
*0-25% Quizzes
 
*25% Project
 
*25% Project
*25-60% Final exam
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*25-75% Final exam
*15-25% Lab
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(Please see explanations above under  "Quizzes," "Final Exam," and "Lab.")
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=== Grading Scale ===
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*A+: 97.5 - 100
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*A: 92.5 - 97.4
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*A-: 90 - 92.4
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*B+: 87.5 - 89.9
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*B: 82.5 - 87.4
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*B-: 80 - 82.4
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Only a few students have earned grades below this level; we extend the pattern if necessary through C(<80) and D(<70).
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=== Grading Alternatives ===
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With consent of instructor, students may establish individual criteria consistent with Stanford University academic guidelines for demonstrating learning sufficient to warrant credit and grade.
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=== Work Load ===
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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 thorough preparation (reading, writing, discussion and project work) each week outside of class to achieve this objective. If you've enrolled for 4 units, plan to devote 3 hours per week (beyond the 6 hours of preparation) to lab activity and write-ups, for a total of nine hours per week.
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If at any point during the quarter you have questions about whether you're earning a grade you want, please ask a member of the instructional team. We strongly encourage you to maintain a record of date and time you begin valuescience work outside class, time you finish, and what you did. In conference, we will likely review this with you. We use this information to assist you in learning more effectively, and to assist us in gauging what we're asking of you and others.
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Teaching team members consider learning how to live and die well a privilege and a pleasure. We work to shape a course that you will regard in these ways. Please assist us in doing so by sharing your thoughts, feelings, and questions with us.
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== Topics, Autumn, 2016 ==
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1. Valuescience: What? Why? How?
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2. Human Ecology: Framework for Valuescience
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3. World-view: Import, Sources, Evolving [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8dQDga7c8qYTGQ1Y09MZFNzODQ Day 3 Lecture Slides]
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4. Paradigm Shift to a Consilient, Science-based World-view [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8dQDga7c8qYbmp0ZVNKV1FRb1E Day 4 Lecture Slides]
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5. Tools for Cognitive Activism [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8dQDga7c8qYc1NXdFY1WHBfWmM Day 5 Lecture Slides]
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6. Universe, Earth, Life
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7. Mind [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8dQDga7c8qYelFnY1REd0gxWE0 Day 7 Lecture Slides]
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8. H. sapiens' First 100,000 Years
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9. Money and Dominance [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8dQDga7c8qYZkhkTFJNa2NRQk0 Day 9 Lecture Slides]
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10. Scientific World-modeling
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11. Biosphere: Conditions and Trends [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8dQDga7c8qYRnEtbnYtdlpOZkU Day 11 Lecture Slides]
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12. Society: Conditions and Trends [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8dQDga7c8qYRnUzb3ZmbWdBd1U Day 12 Lecture Slides]
+
 
+
13-14. Scientifically Consilient Religion and Economics [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8dQDga7c8qYdG1UTnN2YjBzems Day 13 Lecture Slides]
+
 
+
15. Biosphere and Society: Vision
+
 
+
16-10. Evolving Self and Society [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8dQDga7c8qYblFsWjkyb0oyN2c Day 16 Lecture Slides]
+
<br>
+
 
+
=Course Outline, Autumn, 2016=
+
 
+
== Class 1 - Overview, Education for Living/Dying Well ==
+
Note: Historically, few students have prepared for class 1 by reading. Typically the instructor responds to questions about course content and format and about his motivations and approach. We offer the materials below both to students who attend the first class and to those who enter the course later. While we omit questions about their content from quizzes and final exam, we encourage you to read them so that you will be better prepared to learn ideas presented later in the course.
+
 
+
*Course syllabus. Please read the syllabus carefully through end of week 1 (class 2). Skim remainder of syllabus for an overview of later course material. [http://www.valuescience.org/wiki/index.php?title=Syllabus Link] 5 pp. (through week 1); 20 pp.(weeks 2-10). We've aimed to create a thoroughly descriptive syllabus where you can find information about course format and content, grading, etc..
+
*Schrom, David. "Evolving Science, Evolving Value."  [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmraWZrREpiaU4wSnM/view?usp=sharing Link] 1 page. Schrom makes a succinct argument for valuescience. Please read to become able to recreate this argument.
+
*Edwards, David. (2006). "Dangerous Minds." ''Atlantic Free Press.'' [http://www.medialens.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=58:dangerous-minds&catid=4:cogitations&Itemid=36 Link] 7 pp. Edwards argues that we shape society with pursuit of profit and power. He asserts that we structure education to strip away freedom and make us willing slaves. He encourages us to see this and break free.
+
*Jensen, Derrick. (2004). "Reading, Writing, Revolution." ''Orion Magazine.'' [http://high-road-artist.com/8532/wisdom-wednesdays/reading-writing-revolution-derrick-jensen/ Link] 3 pp. Jensen urges us to look deeply within as we contemplate what to learn and how to use it. He cautions that much education is of little worth in learning to live and die well.
+
*Solnit, Rebecca. (2014). “By the Way, Your House Is On Fire.” ''Nation of Change.'' [http://www.nationofchange.org/way-your-house-fire-1394552326 Link] 10 pp. Solnit ties 9/11 events and responses to climate disruption, noting that survivors of World Trade Center attacks disregarded authorities’ commands and suggesting that we do so now.
+
*Duhigg, Charles. (2012). "Keystone Habits, or the Ballad of Paul O'Neill." (Chapter 4, pp. 46-56). ''The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business.''[http://solucaoperfeita.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/The-Power-of-HABIT.pdf Link] 11 pp., Duhigg makes a case that some habits are so central that by altering them we can make other change much more readily.
+
<br>
+
 
+
==Class 2 - Valuescience: What? Why? How?==
+
Note: For class learning objectives please see questions 1 and 2 in [[Final Exam Questions]]
+
 
+
*Schrom, David. (2008). ''Valuescience Booklet.'' [http://www.valuescience.org/wiki/images/6/68/ValueScienceBklet.pdf] 24 pp. Schrom outlines a basic valuescience argument and briefly touches upon applications to selected fields.
+
*Bonner, John Tyler. (1980). ''Evolution of Culture in Animals.'' excerpt. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bxga4s6EabfMT3JMSjNfLUxOakE/edit?usp=sharing Link] for more: [http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=sUeNR4mqMYwC&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=evolution+of+culture+in+animals&ots=0ATJWbs_yN&sig=l_Bf8p07Jgc-_lAZBV_rZWj7HWY#v=onepage&q&f=false Link] 5 pp. Bonner, a Princeton biologist more than 30 years into his research and teaching career, steps back from narrow specialized inquiry and describes in sweeping terms and with many examples how animals evolved capacity for teaching and learning, and critical roles of these behaviors in adaptation and evolution.
+
*Schrom, David. (1981). "A Framework for Human Ecology." [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8dQDga7c8qYSV9qallxajg5ZzA/view?usp=sharing Link] 1 p. Schrom suggests a simple framework for ecological analysis of individual lives and human condition so that we may more accurately foresee consequences of behavior.
+
<br>
+
 
+
==Class 3 - Worldview: Import, Sources, Evolving==
+
'''Question'''<br>
+
Why is understanding world-view, becoming aware of our world-views, and evolving our world-views important to valuescience practice? Please include responses to the following (<100 words): <br>
+
# What do we mean and understand by “world-view”? (~10 words)
+
# What are some benefits and costs of a world-view? (~10 words)
+
# On responses to what (six) questions do people typically found a world-view? (<30 words)
+
# On what basis—relying upon what sources—do people respond to these questions? (3 words)
+
# What do we mean and understand by “consensus trance”? (~10 words)
+
# How are we induced to consensus trance? (~10 words)
+
# How is consensus trance an impediment to valuescience practice? (~10 words)
+
 
+
'''Readings'''
+
*Rifkin, Jeremy (1980) "World Views" and "The Architects of the Mechanical World View" pp. 5-9, 19-29  [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrbW5MdThmeFl1cWc/view?usp=sharing Link] 15pp. '''25 min'''
+
Rifkin is a social and economic theorist and activist, and a prolific author of two dozen books, some of which have been award-winning best-sellers. He defines world-view as a universal characteristic of human societies, discusses what he deems important elements of a current globally hegemonic world-view, traces their roots to writings of a handful of Western European thinkers, and asserts that an emergent world-view is in the process of upending the old.
+
 
+
*Tart, Charles. (2001). "Consensus Trance." ''Waking Up.'' pp. 85–106. [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8dQDga7c8qYMWFCdFBkZFpFUGM Link] 22pp. '''35 min'''
+
Tart, a psychologist, describes the process of enculturation and cultural maintenance as analogous to that of hypnotic induction, and encourages readers to escape bounds on thought and action imposed by accident of birth to become more consciously constructed selves.
+
 
+
*Edwards, David. (1999). "The Limits of the Possible." ''Burning All Illusions.'' pp. 1-3. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrR2tsTS1WMkJzbk9DQlJLdWJsYTRwOGw3OVJB/view?usp=sharing Link] 3pp. '''5 min'''
+
Edwards, a journalist, asserts that the illusion of freedom is an impediment to freedom. He warns us that chains of our era, more subtle than of those prior, are of equal or greater strength, and urges us to question within and without so that we may loosen or break them.
+
 
+
*Questions of Worldview Summary [http://www.valuescience.org/wiki/index.php?title=Worldview_Elements Link] <100 words '''5 min''' (Think about these questions. Maybe learn a bit of vocabulary.)
+
I've digested and summarized a few central ideas of Belgian philosopher Leo Apostel to provide a starting point for examining and for reconstructing world-view.
+
 
+
==Class 4 - Paradigm Shift to a Consilient, Science-based Worldview==
+
'''Question'''<br>
+
4. What evidence have we that a paradigm shift to a consilient, science-based world-view has been underway for centuries and is accelerating? Please include responses to the following (~100 words):<br>
+
# What do we mean and understand by “paradigm shift”? (~10 words)
+
# What do we mean and understand by “consilience”? (~10 words)
+
# What are some examples of past steps in a paradigm shift to consilience? (<20 words)
+
# What are some benefits you’ve reaped as a result of these? (<20 words)
+
# What ten headings may we use to outline human knowledge? (<20 words)
+
# What are three disciplines whose emergence may be viewed as evidence for acceleration of a paradigm shift to science-based consilience? (<10 words)
+
# What benefits may you reap as valuescience is further incorporated into a consilient scientific worldview? (15-20 words)
+
 
+
'''Readings'''
+
*Enge, Nick. (2011). "How Do We Know?" ''A Scientist's Bible.'' pp. 82-91. 10pp. '''10 min.''' [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0By0w-ttO7JmrNUVPbVhrd2ZYZHM Link]
+
Enge gives a readily understandable, lucid, and succinct description of scientific practice, distinguishing it from other ways of knowing.
+
*Wilson, Edward O. (1998). "The Great Branches of Learning," "To What End?" ''Consilience.'' pp. 8-14, 291-326. 43pp. Read only highlighted text. '''30 min.''' [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrOW9Gdmd6X09TcU0/view?usp=sharing Link]
+
Wilson issues a call to unify knowledge into a single internally consistent and inclusive world-view. He also explores questions of meaning and purpose, and of ends in general--questions of value--from the perspective of a biologist.
+
*Google. "Paradigm Shift." Definition of paradigm shift according to google dictionary. [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8dQDga7c8qYWUVZMXJrVGk4NUU Link] '''10 seconds'''
+
*''Paradigm Shifts.'' 15pp. '''20 min.''' [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmremtHX0RMb0I5S3M/view?usp=sharing Link]
+
Schrom offers observations about past paradigm shifts and those who led them as guidance to any who contemplate or lead a paradigm shift to science-based consilience by practicing and advocating valuescience.
+
*Enge, Nick. (2011). "Why A Modern Scientific Worldview?" ''A Scientist's Bible.'' 4pp. '''5 min.''' [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrNm5VOUlTMjktQjQ/view?usp=sharing Link]
+
Enge contrasts the immense scope and predictive power of a modern scientific world-view with other world-views and celebrates the gains we realize by embracing the former.
+
*Wikipedia. (2009). "Propaedia." 3pp. '''15 min.''' [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prop%C3%A6dia Link]
+
The authors of ''Encyclopedia Britannica'' organize what they recognize as the accumulated knowledge of the human species, providing us opportunity to reflect upon their rationale for this organization, upon those parts of their scheme we know best and least, upon which are more or less consilient with each other, and upon other possible ways of organizing knowledge. Please think on these things.
+
 
+
'''List of disciplines evidencing growing science-based consilience'''<br>
+
behavioral economics, biochemistry, biomechanical engineering, evolutionary biology, evolutionary psychology, biophysical economics, ecological anthropology, ecological economics, ecological history, evidence based practice in social work, evidence-based medicine, evidence based practice in education, evidence based practice in nursing, evidence based practice in psychology, evidence based practice in mental health, evidence based research, evolutionary psychology, neuroscience, neuroeconomics, physical chemistry
+
 
+
==Class 5 - Tools for Cognitive Activism==
+
'''Question'''
+
<br> 5. What means may we use to further incorporate valuescience into our and others’ world-views? (~250 words)<br>
+
# What do we mean and understand by “semiotics”? (<15 words)
+
# How may we use study of semiotics to become more aware of world-view and to evolve it? (~30 words)
+
# What do we mean and understand by “deconstruction”? (~15 words)
+
# How may we deconstruct signs to reveal meaning? (~20 words)
+
# What do we mean and understand by “linguistic relativity”? (~10 words)
+
# How may we use linguistic relativity to become more aware of world-view and to evolve it? (~20 words)
+
# Give one or more examples of how you might evolve idiolect to live and die well.  (5-20 words)
+
# What do we mean and understand by “narrative paradigm”? (10-15 words)
+
# How may we deconstruct and reconstruct narrative to evolve world-view? (15-30 words)
+
# What do we mean and understand by “metanarrative”? (30 words)
+
# What are some metanarratives of which you are aware? (5-10 words)
+
# How can we make valuescience basis for a metanarrative? (~15 words)
+
# In narratives that you embrace, what are some elements that you have yet to make reflect and communicate a consilient scientific world-view? (<20 words)
+
# What do we mean and understand by “ideology”? (~30 words)
+
# How can we apply valuescience to avoid and suppress dogmatic, and to support pragmatic ideology? (<20 words)
+
# What do we mean and understand by “propaganda”? (~15 words)
+
# How can we defend against adverse influence from propaganda and use propaganda to further common good? (~20 words)
+
# What do we mean and understand by “groupthink”? (~15 words)
+
# List three ways we can lessen risks of groupthink. (15-25 words)
+
# What do we mean and understand by “cognitive bias”? (<30 words)
+
# What are three cognitive biases of which you are aware in your own thinking? (~10 words)
+
# How can you mitigate one of these and reduce its adverse effects? (10-20 words)
+
# What do we mean and understand by “self-observation”? (10-15 words)
+
# How can we practice self-observation to evolve a more consilient science-based world-view? (15-30 words)
+
# What do we mean and understand by “cognitive activism”? (20-30 words)
+
# What are some ways you can practice cognitive activism to further practice of valuescience? (20-30 words)
+
 
+
'''Readings'''
+
# Note: We highly recommend interest readings by Brafman, Kahneman, and Thaler, which we’ve highlighted for your convenience.
+
 
+
*"Semiotics." Wikipedia. Read highlights in first three paragraphs, and teaching team note. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8dQDga7c8qYLVJaOHpVQVplZjA/view?usp=sharing Link] '''2 min'''
+
 
+
*"Deconstruction." Read the intro paragraph and the two paragraphs under "According to Derrida." [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8dQDga7c8qYd0NtREJpYUNWQTQ/view?usp=sharing Link] '''3 min'''
+
 
+
*"Linguistic Relativity." Read first into paragraph. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8dQDga7c8qYZmNCRC1QdWUxazQ/view?usp=sharing Link] '''1 min'''
+
 
+
*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. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrSVA1aU1YVnNjVTg/view?usp=sharing Link] '''10 min''' Key paper by a seminal thinker. Beyond page 137 Whorf requires careful reading. If you're interested in linguistic relativity, you may find this extra effort worthwhile.
+
 
+
*Magic. (1999). ''Language We Live.'' [http://www.ecomagic.org/language.shtml Link] People living at Magic, an valuescience-based community, and aiming to cultivate health, cooperation, and environmental stewardship describe deliberate changes to idiolect they're making and advocate, and explain their rationales for doing so.
+
 
+
*"Narrative Paradigm." Wikipedia. Read intro paragraph and section titled "Overview." [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8dQDga7c8qYMTdybWlfMDBMdm8/view?usp=sharing Link] '''3 min'''
+
 
+
*"Metanarrative." Wikipedia. Read intro paragraph. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8dQDga7c8qYckFkY0ZKR3pzNEU/view?usp=sharing Link] '''1 min'''
+
 
+
*"Edward Bernays." Wikipedia. Read intro paragraph and two highlighted quotes. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8dQDga7c8qYOF94TmFxNzJINTA/view?usp=sharing Link] '''2 min'''
+
 
+
*Wordnik. "Ideology." [https://www.wordnik.com/words/ideology LInk] '''1 min'''
+
 
+
*Wikipedia. "Propaganda." Read Introduction. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda Link] '''1 min'''
+
 
+
*Wordnik. "Propaganda." [https://www.wordnik.com/words/propaganda Link] '''1 min'''
+
 
+
*Wikipedia. "Propaganda Techniques." Skim for examples.  [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_techniques Link] '''5 min'''
+
 
+
*Cialdini, Robert B. (1998). "Scarcity." ''Influence: Science and Practice.'' '''pp. 213-221 10 min''' [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8dQDga7c8qYNFF5WjVva00zc1E/view?usp=sharing Link] -Cialdini shows how people panic in face of perceived scarcity.
+
 
+
*Janus, Irving L. (1971) "Groupthink." ''Psychology Today.'' '''6pp 10min''' [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8dQDga7c8qYZko0QnJPUmFUUnM/view?usp=sharing Link] - Janus discusses factors in poor decisions by groups and how to improve group decision-making.
+
 
+
*"Cognitive Bias" [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8dQDga7c8qYY0p3d2FzVmpsX1E/view?usp=sharing Link]. Note how recently that humans have formally developed this field of study.
+
 
+
*"Illusion" [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8dQDga7c8qYWkxodWNEMnQ4Nk0/view?usp=sharing Link]. Yet another hurdle in successfully practicing science.
+
 
+
*"List of Cognitive Biases" [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8dQDga7c8qYaHhPR21tUWUwMk0/view?usp=sharing Link]. Here more for you to see the immense range of pitfalls than for you to learn every single one.
+
 
+
*Thich Nhat Hanh. (1999). "Stopping, Calming, Resting, Healing." The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrRWN1YzVqaVZaQ00/view?usp=sharing Link] pp. 24-27. '''4pp., 8min.'''
+
 
+
*"Cognitive Activism." Wikipedia. Read intro paragraph. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8dQDga7c8qYdDRXR2l4REJBbTg/view?usp=sharing Link] '''1 min'''
+
 
+
 
+
'''Quotations'''
+
*We do not realize what tremendous power the structure of an habitual language has. It is not an exaggeration to say that it enslaves us through the mechanism of s[emantic] r[eactions] and that the structure which a language exhibits, and impresses upon us unconsciously, is automatically projected upon the world around us." - Korzybski, Alfred. (1930). Science & Sanity. 90
+
*"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.
+
 
+
===Class 5===
+
'''Class 5 Interest Readings'''
+
*Brafman, Ori and Rom. (2008).  "The Anatomy of an Accident." ''Sway: The Irrestible Pull of Irrational Behavior.'' '''pp. 10-24 15min''' [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrOFUxbnkyN2M1ekU/view?usp=sharing Link] - Authors describe cascade of factors to which seasoned commercial pilot responded irrationally, causing worst aviation accident in history.
+
 
+
*Kahneman, Daniel. (2011). "Don't Blink! The Hazards of Confidence." ''New York Times.'' '''10pp 10 min''' [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrY3IxQzU0bVVzdzA/view?usp=sharing Link] - Kahneman cites numerous examples of cognitive bias.
+
 
+
*Thaler, Richard H. and Sunstein, Cass R. (2008). "Biases and Blunders." ''Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness.'' '''pp. 17-37. 20min''' [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7Jmrd0tBQ0Nuc1dpWUU/view?usp=sharing Link] - Thaler and Sunstein discuss how predilection for certain ways of thinking compromises human performance and describe how to take advantage of these to shape behavior towards more positive ends.
+
*Cooper, Belle Beth. (2013). "8 Subconscious Mistakes our Brain Makes Every Day—And How to Avoid Them." ''Fast Company''. '''10 pp 15 min''' [http://www.fastcompany.com/3019903/work-smart/8-subconscious-mistakes-our-brains-make-every-day-and-how-to-avoid-them? Link]
+
*Boroditsky, Lera. "How Does Our Language Shape the Way We Think?" (2009). ''The Edge.'' [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrSm1aOW1vS2tFSjg/view?usp=sharing Link]
+
Boroditsky provides examples of linguistic relativity from around the world. For core ideas read highlighted sections. Read the whole article if you like.
+
*Boroditsky, Lera. "How Language Shapes Thought." (2011) ''Scientific American.'' [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrTk45SlBTa2g4RGs/view?usp=sharing Link]
+
More examples of linguistic relativity from around the world. (Read highlighted portions only.)
+
*Lakoff, George. (2003). “Metaphor and War, Again.” Alternet.  [http://www.alternet.org/story/15414/metaphor_and_war,_again Link]
+
Lakoff discusses how people in positions of power in U.S. government used particular words to frame war in Iraq to elicit popular support.
+
*Donges, Jan. (2009). "You Are What You Say." ''Scientific American.'' [http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=you-are-what-you-say Link]
+
Donges describes how word choice and syntax can be used to ascertain a speaker's/writer's mental state.
+
*Google N-gram Viewer [https://books.google.com/ngrams Link]
+
Here we can search a large library for given words and obtain a graphic display of changing frequency of use and more broadly evolution of language, and by dint of linguistic relativity, trends in thought. Search for example: "free market," "externalities," "browser," and "mouse." Search at least three other words of your choosing.
+
*[[Linguistic Relativity Study Guide]]
+
*"It's No Accident: Advocates Want to Speak of Car 'Crashes' Instead." NYTimes. (22 May 2016). [http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/23/science/its-no-accident-advocates-want-to-speak-of-car-crashes-instead.html?_r=0 Link]
+
Here's linguistic evolution underway, with those pressing for change clearly stating interests they're aiming to further. I find interesting historical pressures out of which current usage arose. Please reflect upon import of this change, and think about other ways you might evolve language to reshape your and others' thought and perception.  5pp., 5 min.
+
*Wikipedia. (2009). "Linguistic Relativity." [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linguistic_relativity Link]
+
Introduction to concept. Detailed history of development. For overview read first paragraph and "Present Status."
+
*Boroditsky, Lera, "Language and Perception." (2006) ''World Question Center.'' [http://edge.org/q2008/q08_16.html#boroditsky Link]
+
Boroditsky writes of how she set out to disprove linguistic relativity and instead confirmed it.
+
*Wikipedia. “Propaganda Model” [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_model Link]
+
Discussion of Herman’s and Chomsky’s model of media as instruments to perpetuate an ideology favorable to a power elite, including supporting examples of media in this role. 10pp., 10min.
+
*"Frank Luntz." ''Wikipedia.'' [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Luntz Link]
+
Article about right-wing cognitive activist.
+
*"George Lakoff." ''Wikipedia.'' [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Lakoff Link]
+
Article about left-wing cognitive activist.
+
*Leanse, Ellen P.. (25 June 2015.) "Google and Apple Alum Says Using This One Word Can Damage Your Credibility." Business Insider [http://www.businessinsider.com/former-google-exec-says-this-word-can-damage-your-credibility-2015-6 Link] '''(2pp., 2 min.)'''
+
I find this an interesting example of how people are becoming more aware of the potential benefits of conscious evolution of idiolect.
+
*Robb, Alice. (April 23, 2014.) "Multilinguals Have Multiple Personalities." [http://www.newrepublic.com/article/117485/multi-linguals-have-multiple-personalities Link]
+
Multilinguals evidence different personality traits when tested in different languages.
+
*Orwell, George. (1946). "Politics and the English Language." 1st two paragraphs. [http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/orwell46.htm Link]
+
Orwell writes of evolution of language, its causes and consequences.
+
*Slashdot. (2009). "Babies Begin Learning Language in the Womb.  [http://science.slashdot.org/story/09/11/07/1727256/Babies-Begin-Learning-Language-In-the-Womb Link]
+
Brief article with links to research reports that babies emerge with vocalizations tuned to mother's tongue.
+
*Pennebaker, James. (2007). "Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count Program." [http://www.liwc.net/liwcdescription.php Link 1] [http://homepage.psy.utexas.edu/homepage/faculty/pennebaker/Home2000/Words.html Link 2]
+
Pennebaker has created a tool for analysis of writers' predilection for particular vocabulary.
+
 
+
==Class 6 - Matter, Energy, Cosmos, Earth, Life==
+
'''Question'''
+
6. Outline a modern scientific worldview with respect to origins and structure of universe, Earth, life, humans, and flows of energy and cycling of matter in biosphere.<br>
+
# What general term do we use to describe the "stuff" in the universe? (2 words)
+
# What is the periodic table and what does it reflect about the “stuff” in the universe? (50 or fewer)
+
# What general term do we use to describe the general framework within which we locate this "stuff"? (one or two words)
+
# If we take the size of the smallest phenomenon we describe with a contemporary scientific world-view to be one unit, the size of the universe as we currently perceive it is about 10^n units across; what approximately is n? (one number, hint: Huang twins)
+
# What are four fundamental forces we've identified in the universe? (4 words)
+
# With which two of these do we explain most everyday phenomena? (2 words)
+
# State a first law of thermodynamics. (20 or fewer)
+
# State a second law of thermodynamics. (20 or fewer)
+
# How can we use understanding of laws of thermodynamics to live better? (20 or fewer)

+
# Describe in broad terms geological and biological evolution to date? (~50 words)
+
# What did Dawkins mean by "selfish gene"? (30 or fewer)
+
# Describe in broad terms how energy flows through the biosphere? (50 or fewer, hint: include the source of most energy input to the biosphere and the kind of energy that leaves it.)

+
# Describe three important ways humans are currently affecting the cycling of carbon? (25 or fewer)
+
# What are some consequences of our growing impact upon the carbon cycle? (25 or fewer)
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# Define carrying capacity in terms of population, environmental quality, and time. (20 or fewer)
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+
'''Readings'''
+
*Harvey, Joe. (1990). "Growth in Perspective." ''Rocky Mountain Institute Newsletter.'' p. 4, 7. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8dQDga7c8qYTHA0WlpkQ2VfSDg/view?usp=sharing Link] - Harvey draws one-day analogy to 3.5 billion years of life on Earth and shows destructiveness of what humans have done and impossibility of continuing. '''(10 min)'''
+
*Huang Twins. (2012). "The Scale of the Universe." [http://htwins.net/scale2/ 2012 Version] '''5 mins'''
+
*AAAS. (1990). "Chapter 4. The Physical Setting." [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8dQDga7c8qYTEhYSzRiR29lOVk Link] '''30 mins'''
+
*''Wikipedia''. "Periodic Table." Read introduction. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Periodic_table Link] '''2 mins'''
+
*AAAS. (1990). "Chapter 5. The Living Environment." [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrYVAzak5JTkF3UG8/view?usp=sharing Link] '''15 mins'''
+
*''Wikipedia''. "Evolution." Read introduction [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution Link] '''5 mins'''
+
*Curtis, Helena. (1983). "The Flow of Energy." ''Biology.'' pp. 157-164. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrLTZtS1JiNlRwdUU/view?usp=sharing Link] '''10 mins'''
+
*"Wikipedia." "Second Law of Thermodynamics." Read introduction. [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8dQDga7c8qYbFJXMkswc1NWN2M Link] '''1 min'''
+
*Energy Flow Diagram [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrV3Z5T1E3UE9GaGM/view?usp=sharing Link] '''5 mins'''
+
*''Wikipedia''. "Geological History of Earth." Read Introduction. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geological_history_of_Earth Link]
+
*''Wikipedia''. "Timeline of the Evolutionary History of Life." Read introduction. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_evolutionary_history_of_life Link]
+
*''Wikipedia.'' "The Selfish Gene." (read the highlights only, if you like).[https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrWnNQb2t2ZnBuQTQ/view?usp=sharing Link] '''<5 mins'''
+
*''Wikipedia.'' "Carrying Capacity." (read the highlighted text and whatever else you find of interest.) [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrbWk4NVo4NkFtelU/view?usp=sharing Link] '''5 mins'''
+
 
+
==Class 7 - Science of Mind==
+
'''Questions and Readings'''<br>
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'''Describe a few key elements of a modern scientific worldview with respect to our “inner world” of thoughts, feelings, and unconscious mental processes, and to how observable individual and group behaviors and environmental interactions arise from and influence these.''' (~300 words)
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+
Intro: We’ve evidence that people in ancient civilizations were attentive to an inner world of thoughts, feelings, and unconscious mental processes, and to how observable individual and group behaviors and environmental interactions arise from and influence these. Ever since humans around the world have continued to express interest in these topics. As nineteenth century investigators fruitfully applied scientific methods and principles to a host of questions about natural phenomena like electromagnetism and heat, and even life itself, a handful of seminal thinkers began to attempt a more rigorous scientific approach to human cognition. Twentieth century researchers developed a substantial, albeit still partial and tentative understanding, relying increasingly after mid-century on growing collaboration among scientists with backgrounds in psychology, philosophy, linguistics, computer science, neuroscience, anthropology, and other disciplines. Today these “cognitive scientists” are accumulating at accelerating pace insights to what we might term “mind,” that is, to what brains do, and to behavior born of and influencing it. Some of these are wholly at odds with understandings central to our own world-views and to those of people around the globe; others are apparent confirmations of wisdom and practices from diverse societies. In all we may find means to become more self-aware, and to deliberately and consciously evolve to live and die well.
+
 
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We’ve already considered important ideas (e.g., consensus trance, linguistic relativity, cognitive bias) drawn from or closely related to cognitive science. In this class we’ll look more closely at three findings central to a consilient science-based world-view that can be bases for seeing self and others more clearly and for evolving to live and die well. The first is overlap and difference in human values. The second is roles of conscious and unconscious. The third is evidence of capacity, and techniques for cultivating awareness of, and consciously evolving self. Over millennia humans have assembled an extensive and reliable scientific world-view spanning more than 60 orders of magnitude of spacetime. Just as we were necessarily less than exhaustive in propounding that world-view as it applies to cosmos, Earth, and life—what we term “outer world”—so are we required to be selective in describing that world-view as it applies to an “inner world.” Because scientific investigation of “inner world” is a more recent phenomenon than is scientific investigation of world without, we lack evidence sufficient to support consensus about what ideas are most important. Here we consider a handful of topics we consider important by dint of their central role in world-view, and because they are at odds with what we individually thought for much of our lives. We hope that you’ll find in these food for thought, basis for action, and motivation for further inquiry.
+
 
+
'''1. To what degree do humans share values with each other, and with other living things? (<15 words)'''
+
 
+
'''What are six levels in Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs? (10 or fewer)'''<br>
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*Wikipedia. "Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs." [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8dQDga7c8qYNnZ1M3RXME5vZmc Link] '''5 min'''
+
 
+
'''What two “values” are common to all living organisms?(2 words)'''<br>
+
*Magic. "On Wanting to Die." [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8dQDga7c8qYMlJxVmR2RF9kOWc Link]
+
*''Wikipedia.'' "The Selfish Gene." [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrWnNQb2t2ZnBuQTQ/view?usp=sharing Link] '''<5 mins'''
+
 
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'''What does Daniel Gilbert mean by “surrogation” and “simulation”? (~30 words)'''<br>
+
*Gilbert, Daniel, et. al. (2009). "The Surprising Power of Neighborly Advice." Gilbert explains in evolutionary terms why our attempts to anticipate how we will feel in specified future circumstances is generally inferior to expecting to feel as others similar to us have felt in these circumstances. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrMGZEMHRES0NnNEk/view?usp=sharing Link] 3pp. '''5 min.'''
+
 
+
'''Which of these does Gilbert say is superior for predicting affective states, and how does he explain its superiority and our reluctance to use it?(~20 words)'''<br>
+
*"Neighborly Advice." (Same as reading above.)
+
 
+
'''2. We’ve a mistaken idea of self as conscious, competent, rational controller, when in reality we’re addicts operating largely unconsciously by habit and justifying to sustain illusion.'''
+
 
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'''What do we mean and understand by “illusion of control”?(20 words)'''<br>
+
*Wikipedia. "Illusion of Control." [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8dQDga7c8qYNTI1R3Juem4xcVE Link] '''2 mins'''
+
 
+
'''What evidence have we for preconscious choice?(<30 words)'''<br>
+
*Wikipedia. "Preconscious." [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8dQDga7c8qYdG53QkJ5Uy1sd00 Link] '''1 min'''
+
*Nature. "Brain makes decisions before you even know it." [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8dQDga7c8qYbXNWOVh6ZWEzX0U Link] '''3 mins'''
+
 
+
'''What do we mean and understand by priming, and what is an example of it?(<40 words)'''<br>
+
*Wikipedia. "Priming." [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8dQDga7c8qYSlI0Rm15S1VSSmc Link] '''3 mins'''
+
*Wikipedia. "Mortality Salience." [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8dQDga7c8qYNzRNb2R5anJsU1k Link] '''2 mins'''
+
 
+
'''Humans readily ignore global warming because it lacks what qualities?(<25 words)'''<br>
+
*Gilbert, Daniel. (2006). "If Only Gay Sex Caused Global Warming." ''Los Angeles Times.'' Gilbert explains in evolutionary terms our thus far ineffectual response to global climate change.  [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrV2VGVXNkZHQ1emc/view?usp=sharing Link]. 3pp. '''5 min.'''
+
 
+
'''How can we apply evolutionary understanding of human touch to our benefit?(<30 words)'''<br>
+
*Keltner, Dacher. (2010). "The Science of Touch." ''Greater Good.'' - Authors confirm importance of touch for human well-being and provide evolutionary arguments to explain their findings. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrZ0dyZnR0c1Ixd2c/view?usp=sharing Link] 5pp. '''5 min.'''
+
 
+
'''What are some of the postures Fisher identifies in human courting behavior?(<30 words)'''<br>
+
*Fisher, Helen. (1994). "Courting." ''Anatomy of Love.'' - Fisher uses evolutionary biology to shed light on universal human courting behaviors. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrV0lWREJXUmgwSnc/view?usp=sharing Link] pp. 19-36. '''20 min.'''
+
 
+
'''What are some mating strategies among our primate relatives?(<10 words)'''<br>
+
*Swedell, Larissa. (2012). "Primate Sociality and Social Systems." [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8dQDga7c8qYTDdjU094ZHhJbmc Link] '''5 min'''
+
 
+
'''To what extent do humans’ mating strategies differ from those of other primates?(<20 words)'''<br>
+
*Wikipedia. "Monogamy." Data and analysis about human mating strategies. There's a lot of info here. Read enough to gain perspective on your own vision and on the behaviors of those you've known. [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8dQDga7c8qYeHpyZldzc1FSQ1E Link] 8pp. 10 min.
+
 
+
'''What evidence have we of universal patterns in body language?(<20 words)'''<br>
+
*Widrich, Leo. (2013). "The Secrets of Body Language: Why You Should Never Cross Your Arms Again." ''Buffer.'' - Author explains evolutionary roots of various postures and offers advice for using body position to enhance well-being. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrZ1VQaHpxS2t3ZUE/view?usp=sharing Link] 10pp. '''5 min.'''
+
 
+
'''What evidence have we of universal patterns in facial expression?(<20 words)'''<br>
+
*Ekman, Paul and Keltner, Dacher. "Are Facial Expressions Universal?" [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8dQDga7c8qYbkNaV2w2MGdZS1U Link] 2pp. '''5 min'''
+
 
+
'''What do we commonly mean and understand by “addiction”?(<15 words)'''<br>
+
*Wordnik. "Addiction." [https://www.wordnik.com/words/addiction Link]
+
 
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'''Define addiction as we do in this course. (3 words)'''<br>
+
*Magic, "Thoughts on Addiction" [http://ecomagic.org/addiction.shtml Link] '''5pp (10 min)'''
+
 
+
'''What are some consequences of defining “addiction” as we do in this course?(<40 words)'''<br>
+
*Magic, "Thoughts on Addiction" [http://ecomagic.org/addiction.shtml Link] '''5pp (10 min)'''
+
 
+
'''What is a keystone habit? How can we use knowledge of keystone habits to live better?(<10 words) '''<br>
+
*Duhigg, Charles. (2012). "Keystone Habits, or the Ballad of Paul O'Neill." (Chapter 4, pp. 46-56). ''The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business.''[https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8dQDga7c8qYa2xLS3kzTzljd3c Link] 11 pp., Duhigg makes a case that some habits are so central that by altering them we can make other change much more readily.
+
 
+
'''What do we mean by classical conditioning?(<20 words) '''<br>
+
*Wikipedia. “Classical Conditioning.” [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8dQDga7c8qYajVSelVNTmZHRWs/view?usp=sharing Link] '''2 min'''
+
 
+
'''Give an example of how you’ve been conditioned in this way.(<15 words)'''<br>
+
*Wikipedia. “Classical Conditioning.” [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8dQDga7c8qYajVSelVNTmZHRWs/view?usp=sharing Link] '''2 min'''
+
 
+
'''What do we mean by operant conditioning?(<20 words) '''<br>
+
*Wikipedia. “Operant Conditioning.” [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8dQDga7c8qYSjg2NFdxdUt1NVk Link]
+
 
+
'''Give an example of how you’ve been conditioned in this way.(<15 words)'''<br>
+
*Wikipedia. “Operant Conditioning.” [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8dQDga7c8qYSjg2NFdxdUt1NVk Link]
+
 
+
'''What do we mean by "psychological defense mechanisms"? (25 or fewer)'''<br>
+
*Wikipedia. "Defense Mechanisms." [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8dQDga7c8qYTUJGQVRiZUtURm8 Link]
+
 
+
'''How might we use valuescience to evolve towards reliance upon more mature defense mechanisms? (50 or fewer)'''<br>
+
*Wikipedia. "Defense Mechanisms." [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8dQDga7c8qYTUJGQVRiZUtURm8 Link]
+
 
+
'''State Totman’s thesis about justification. Roughly what fraction of human mental activity does Totman classify as justification? Under what circumstances is justification adaptive? Maladaptive?(<50 words)'''<br>
+
*Totman, Richard. (1985). "Notes." "Translation." "Distillation." (David's notes on the book, ''Social and Biological Roles of Language: The Psychology of Justification.'' Each is more condensed than prior. "Distillation" is on p. 8. 1p. '''5 min.''' "Translation" is on pages 6-7. 2pp. '''5 min.''' If you want to explore further, read "Notes," a page-by-page summary of the book, on pages 1-5. 5pp. '''10 min.''') - Tolman claims that we derive meaning by acting and justifying action. He describes how we evolve narrative and world-view by standing and explaining stands. In dismissing as pathological "non-negotiable" views, he implicitly endorses science in a broad sense that we use the term in class. In addition he argues that behavior necessary to further a valuescience paradigm shift is at once meaningful and healthful. His writing is dense, which is why I've processed it for you; however, I find it illuminating of our inner world, persuasive, affirming of our venture. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrODBFc0otSnE5LTQ/view?usp=sharing Link]
+
 
+
'''3. We can learn to deliberately alter consciousness and awareness. '''
+
 
+
'''Name three examples of practices through which we might alter consciousness and awareness.(<15 words)'''<br>
+
*Gilsinan, Kathy. (2015). "The Buddhist and the Neuroscientist." ''The Atlantic.'' Gilsinan reports on Richard Davidson's studies of monks, less, experienced meditators, and people trained to be grateful, all of which confirm that well-being is highly correlated with generosity and gratitude. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrUEV3dFhlSkFKYk0/view?usp=sharing Link] 2pp. '''2 min.'''
+
*Magic. (1999). ''Language We Live.'' [http://www.ecomagic.org/language.shtml Link] People living at Magic, an valuescience-based community, and aiming to cultivate health, cooperation, and environmental stewardship describe deliberate changes to idiolect they're making and advocate, and explain their rationales for doing so.
+
*Widrich, Leo. (2013). "The Secrets of Body Language: Why You Should Never Cross Your Arms Again." ''Buffer.'' - Author explains evolutionary roots of various postures and offers advice for using body position to enhance well-being. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrZ1VQaHpxS2t3ZUE/view?usp=sharing Link] 10pp. '''5 min.'''
+
 
+
'''What two general strategies do humans employ to address challenges in the environment? (2 words) '''<br>
+
*Wikipedia. "Serenity Prayer." [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8dQDga7c8qYN1pxTzd0RmdVTEk Link] '''2 min'''
+
*Magic. "Balancing Manipulation and Accommodation." [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8dQDga7c8qYb3duczVOQnhYczQ Link] '''5 min'''
+
 
+
'''In contemporary western society, do you think we use a balanced approach of the above two strategies?(<10 words)'''<br>
+
*Wikipedia. "Serenity Prayer." [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8dQDga7c8qYN1pxTzd0RmdVTEk Link] '''2 min'''
+
 
+
==Class 8, Thursday, October 20th, - ''H. sapiens'''  First 200,000 Years==
+
'''Notes'''<br>
+
While most of us have learned that hunter-gatherers are "primitives" who lived lives inferior to our own, we've evidence that they may understand better than we how to live and die well. While hunting and gathering may be a lifestyle capable of supporting only a small fraction (1%?) of current human population, viewing it as a means by which we existed for 99+% of human tenure can be a way to put everything since dawn of agriculture in different perspective.
+
 
+
With cities, property rights, and labor specialization that followed widespread adoption of agriculture we've made other social and personal changes that persist to this day, and that in many cases growing numbers of us view as pernicious. As we become more aware of these we're questioning how we might evolve, mitigate, or altogether eliminate them to adapt more successfully.
+
 
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Agricultural peoples command more energy and with it greater ability to manipulate people and things around us. Continuing into an industrial age we've accumulated artifact to create a positive feedback loop of increasing energy conversion and environmental manipulation based on more extensive and rapid resource exploitation and rising EROEI. As we deplete resources and proliferate hazards we see that persisting on this path is impossible. We can use understanding of other times and places to see beyond a current hegemonic world-view and better understand what we want--our values--and to predict consequences of various actions and shape experiments for adaptation.
+
 
+
'''Questions'''
+
<br>8. Outline a modern scientific world-view with respect to evolution of human society since emergence of ''H. sapiens'' a quarter million years ago. In your response please include reference to: three strategies for interacting with the environment to secure fulfillment of desires, how we evolved society as we shifted from one to another, subsistence compromise. (~300 words) <br>
+
 
+
'''How might we briefly describe the human situation with respect to obtaining subsistence, size of social groups, overall population, and sources of energy during the 98% of our tenure prior to agriculture? (30 or fewer)
'''<br>
+
*Diamond, Jared. "The Worst Mistake in the History of the Human Race." - [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8dQDga7c8qYRFNLZEY1ZTRCRDg Link] '''(3 pp, 5 min)'''
+
*Shepard, Paul. (1998). "10,000 Years of Crisis." ''The Tender Carnivore and the Sacred Game.'' pp. 1-26. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrSTdYcGJmMjROenc/view?usp=sharing link] - Shepard portrays the shift to agriculture as a key element in decline of humanity and planet. '''(40 min)'''
+
*Population Reference Bureau. "World Population Graph." [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8dQDga7c8qYRkJsd3FKWnY3am8 Link]
+
*Miller, G. ''Living in the Environment.'' "Kilocalories per Person per Day." [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8dQDga7c8qYM1BIVzdtMjVqa2c Link]
+
 
+
'''About when did we evolve civilization based upon agriculture? (5 or fewer)
'''<br>
+
Shepard p.191, Diamond
+
 
+
'''Name three changes to the physical environment and three social changes that accompanied this shift. (50 or fewer)
'''<br>
+
Shepard, 206-211, Diamond
+
 
+
'''Give three arguments that agriculture was a mistake. (50 or fewer)
'''<br>
+
Shepard, Diamond
+
 
+
'''About when did European people shift from home to factory manufacturing and begin large-scale commerce? (5 or fewer)
'''<br>
+
*Heilbroner, Robert. (1999). "The Economic Revolution." ''The Worldly Philosophers.'' pp. 18-41. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrNEIxREdxRXB5NEE/view?usp=sharing Link] (Also available at Stanford Libraries.) - Heilbroner chronicles the emergence of mercantilism in Europe that marked the beginnings of a transformation from agrarian to industrial society, and from tradition-based social relationships to money-mediated society. '''(25 min)'''
+
 
+
'''What environmental resources were key to this transition? (15 or fewer)
'''<br>
+
Heilbroner
+
 
+
'''What do we mean by "subsistence compromise"? (20 or fewer)'''<br>
+
*Seavoy, Ronald. Famine in Peasant Societies. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrUXdUOTVZZnZUb0E/view?usp=sharing Link] Read highlighted text and skim the rest. '''(30 min)''' - Seavoy argues that peasants prefer periodic famine to leisure. On the basis of examples drawn from diverse places and times he asserts that the only way to induce peasants to work hard enough to extract surplus from them is to deny them a "subsistence compromise," which he defines as working enough to feed everyone during normal years, and accepting that some will die during years of poor harvest.
+
 
+
'''In what critical way is the "subsistence compromise" of peasant cultivators different from "subsistence wages"? (20 or fewer)
'''<br>
+
Seavoy
+
 
+
'''How do some of us deny others the subsistence compromise? (30 or fewer)
'''<br>
+
Seavoy
+
*Ponting, Clive - "Creating the Third World." Green History of the World. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrWjlPOUxFbDBVY2M/view?usp=sharing Link] '''(30 min)'''
+
*"Swing Riots. Wikipedia. [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8dQDga7c8qYb1BhbDhsYVRQLWM Link] - Swing riots in early 19th century England resulted from enclosure, mechanization, burdensome mandatory tithe, and rent, and were instrumental in evolution of workhouses as means to control the poor. '''(5 pp, 10 min)'''
+
 
+
'''What interests do some of us aim to further by denying others the subsistence compromise? (20 or fewer)
'''<br>
+
Seavoy
+
 
+
'''How might we argue that we in the First World have created the Third World? (30 or fewer)
'''<br>
+
Ponting
+
 
+
'''What differences might we note between an ecological and evolutionary history of our species and the story of "progress" that many of us have embraced? (<30 words)'''<br>
+
Synthesize what you learned from above readings
+
 
+
== Class 9 Money and Dominance ==
+
'''Note'''<br>
+
As we move through the quarter we'll ask you questions to which you'll likely be able to respond only by looking beyond readings we've gathered. We aim to do this only in instances where you can find responses with less than five minutes of Googling. We consider the web a remarkable tool for valuescience practice and aim for you to learn to use it more effectively as a result of participating in this course. Please come to class prepared to share with other students how you used the web to follow lines of questioning and what you learned by doing so.
+
 
+
'''Questions'''
+
<br>'''9. Discuss salient features and implications of our current global monetary system and of a larger social system we support with it. (~300 words)'''<br>
+
 
+
'''How do we bring money into existence? (15 or fewer)
'''<br>
+
*Enge, Nick. (2010). "Money Makes the World Grow." [http://www.valuescience.org/wiki/images/b/b1/NMEMoney.pdf Link] - Enge provides a lucid, concise description of a central difficulty in our monetary system. '''(5 min)'''
+
*Eisenstein, Charles. (2008). "Money and the Crisis of Civilization." ''Reality Sandwich.'' [http://www.realitysandwich.com/money_and_crisis_civilization 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)'''
+
 
+
'''What is the relationship between money supply and amount of interest and principal owed on debt? (30 or fewer)
'''<br>
+
Enge
+
 
+
'''In what two ways do those who control the money supply address the challenges inherent in relationship between money created through loans and obligations to pay principal and interest created through loans? (50 or fewer)
'''<br>
+
Eisenstein
+
 
+
'''Name one result of each of these two ways that entails loss and for whom. (30 or fewer)
'''<br>
+
Eisenstein
+
 
+
'''Name three ways that we guarantee that people must work for money and will accept it as payment. (30 or fewer)
'''<br>
+
 
+
'''Give one or more reasons why in our system the power to bring money into existence is so great? (40 or fewer)
'''<br>
+
*U.S. National Debt Clock - History of Money and Banking [http://www.usdebtclock.org/money-history/money-timeline1100-1791.html 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)'''
+
*Secrets of the Temple: How the Federal Reserve Runs the Country - [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nNpZ4Sx1g0 Link] -William Greider describes Fed power and criticizes the Fed governors for favoring the affluent and concealing their motives. (video) '''15 min'''.
+
 
+
'''What has been the fate of every fiat currency issued to date? (15 or fewer)
'''<br>
+
*Reuters. (11 June 2015). "Zimbabwe Offers New Exchange Rate: 1 for 35,000,000,000,000,000." ''The Guardian.'' [http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/12/zimbabwe-offers-new-exchange-rate-1-for-35000000000000000-old-dollars Link] '''3pp. 3 min.'''
+
*US Inflation Calculator. [http://www.westegg.com/inflation/ Link]
+
 
+
''' Give one explanation from the readings for why we give so little attention in school to the underpinnings of the monetary system? (40 or fewer)'''<br>
+
US National Debt Clock. Read Henry Ford's quote.
+
 
+
'''Name four components of a "system," which we've argued in this course has characterized societies since adoption of agriculture, and identify one group associated with each component in contemporary U.S. society. (10 or fewer)'''<br>
+
*Magic. "Note on 'The System.'" [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8dQDga7c8qYZ0lDUzNJLUNzd3M Link]
+
 
+
'''People in which component dominate all others? (one word)
'''<br>
+
"Note on 'The System'"
+
 
+
'''What about the English workhouse system and Kelly's analysis of corporate organization do you consider inconsistent with current narrative about meritocracy, free enterprise, and markets?'''<br>
+
*''Wikipedia.'' "Workhouses." Read the intro and the section entitled "Modern View." [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workhouses Link] - Roots of 'social Darwinism', class, and the 1% in 17th-19th century England. '''(skim 5 min)'''
+
*Kelly, Marjorie. (2001). Divine Right of Capital: Dethroning the Corporate Aristocracy. - [http://www.the-vital-edge.com/the-divine-right-of-capital/ Link]- Gideon Rosenblatt has summarized the 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 to propose radical reforms. In the first six chapters Kelly treats history and present; in the final six she looks to the future. I predict that the ideas she sets forth here will become common currency over the next several decades. Please read at least the first six chapter summaries. '''6pp. (15 min)'''
+
 
+
'''How might we argue that ideas about money, work, economic growth, patriotism, God, sin, and afterlife are interwoven by "explainers" to justify a current order where people are reproducing beyond replacement rate, a small minority wield a very disproportionately large amount of power and possess a very disproportionately large amount of wealth, and we are accelerating environmental degradation by depleting resource and proliferating hazard at increasing rates, even as we imagine technologies by which we do this to be paths to a bright future? (<50 words)'''<br>
+
Synthesize what you learned from the readings
+
 
+
'''Note'''
+
*"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, Scottish aristocrat (1745-1820).
+
*"It was generally admitted that unless the poor were poor, they could not be counted upon to do an honest day's toil without asking for exorbitant wages." -Robert Heilbroner
+
*"To make the Society Happy... it is requisite that great numbers should be Ignorant as well as Poor," - Bernard Mandeville (1670-1733), physician born in Holland who lived and worked in England as a businessman and political economist sympathetic to owners of wealth, and scandalized contemporary society with his open assertions about humans as narrowly selfish.
+
*We've stopped openly thinking this way, though we continue to act this way.
+
 
+
== Class 10 - Scientific World Modeling ==
+
'''Questions'''
+
<br> 10. Describe the advent of modern scientific world-modeling. (~100 words)<br>
+
# Define "systems thinking." (30 or fewer)

+
# About when was this term introduced? (5 or fewer)

+
# What was Limits to Growth? (15 or fewer)

+
# How did people respond to it? (15 or fewer)

+
# After forty years, what can we observe about the projections made by its authors? (10 or fewer)

+
# Why might we consider the book especially relevant now? (15 or fewer)

+
# Define exponential growth, and give one example that includes a rate and a time. (15 or fewer)

+
# What can we say about the absolute magnitude of each subsequent increment of exponential growth? (5 or fewer)
+
# How do Tainter and Ophuls define "complexity"?
+
# How shall we account for Tainter's ideas about complexity and Wilson's about the "ratchet of progress" as we evolve culture? (< 10 words)
+
# Define "overshoot." (5 or fewer)

+
# How is "overshoot" possible, and what is its consequence? (35 or fewer)

+
# Define "ecological footprint." (35 or fewer)

+
# State one or more benefits advocates of ecological footprint calculations see in these. (10 or fewer)

+
# State one or more shortcomings or risks you see in such calculations. (10 or fewer)

+
 
+
'''Readings'''
+
'''Why Model the World'''<br>
+
*"World Modeling." Magic. - Brief overview of world-modeling, how and why organisms do it, how humans might do it better.  [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrOFY4ME54MnNYUms/view?usp=sharing Link] '''3pp. 5 min'''
+
 
+
'''Systems Thinking'''<br>
+
*Wikipedia. "Systems Thinking" [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrTVFoWUZVV2VqREppdF9meVBFYTFySFVUYlc4/view?usp=sharing Link] - Description of systems approach with reference to its relatively recent inception. Reading first 5 paragraphs is sufficient.'''1pp. 2min'''.
+
 
+
'''Exponential Growth'''<br>
+
*Martenson, Chris. "Exponential Growth." Video segment from 8:12 to 10:12. [http://www.peakprosperity.com/crashcourse/accelerated Link] - Illustration of exponential growth. '''(2 min)'''.
+
 
+
'''Complexity'''<br>
+
*Wikipedia. "Complexity, Problem Solving, and Sustainable Societies." [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrMktnMlNsRDZ3dWNjeHhxRWZBM0Rua1h4TmE0/view?usp=sharing Link]
+
*"Complexity is generally understood to refer to such things as the size of a society, the number and distinctiveness of its parts, the variety of specialized social roles that it incorporates, the number of distinct social personalities present, and the variety of mechanisms for organizing these into a coherent, functioning whole. Augmenting any of these dimensions increases the complexity of a society. Hunter-gatherer societies (by way of illustrating one contrast in complexity) contain no more than a few dozen distinct social personalities, while modern European censuses recognize 10,000 to 20,000 unique occupational roles, and industrial societies may contain overall more than 1,000,000 different kinds of social personalities (McGuire 1983; Tainter 1988). 1"
+
**This quote is from a 1996 paper [http://dieoff.com/page134.htm Link] 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. Tainter's argument is akin to Wilson's "ratchet of progress." '''(5 min)'''
+
*Ophuls, William. (2013). "Sustainability and Complexity: Are We Doomed to Repeat History?" CSR Wire. [http://www.csrwire.com/blog/posts/1116-sustainability-and-complexity-are-we-doomed-to-repeat-history Link] Ophuls asserts that humans solve problems by increasing complexity, which at some point becomes unmanageable and unsustainable. '''(5 min)'''
+
** Please read this article directly on its home webpage. You can find a highlighed PDF version here [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrSkpRZGdnTTE2NnpfUGEtdkF1UmpiSVpJUS1F/view?usp=sharing Link], but text is truncated.
+
+
'''Overshoot'''
+
*Catton, William. "The Unfathomed Predicament of Mankind." ''Overshoot.'' Writing more than thirty years ago Catton outlines difficulties which have since become more evident and traces their roots in natural systems laws and psychology. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrOUI2SEcwZEN6V3E0WGp3ZEdYVGRLZjVQSnNj/view?usp=sharing Link] '''(20 mins)'''
+
*Wikipedia. "Overshoot." [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmranM2NWFQZXgzX0pUaE9leVcweVlzOTk3WUxJ/view?usp=sharing Link] (read the first few paragraphs and whatever else you find of interest.) Brief introduction to concept of overshoot and its applicability to humans. '''(5 min)'''
+
 
+
'''Ecological Footprint'''
+
*"Footprint Basics - Overview." Global Footprint Network. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrU1FPTURSZjhDNFJuRE9Xd2FvNFBqN1FmYlBz/view?usp=sharing 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)'''
+
 
+
'''Synthesis: Limits to Growth'''
+
*Meadows, Donella H.; Meadows, Dennis L.; Randers, Jorgen; Behrens, William W. (1972). ''The Limits to Growth: A Report for the Club of Rome's Project on the Predicament of Mankind.'' 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)''' [http://www.dartmouth.edu/~library/digital/publishing/meadows/ltg/?mswitch-redir=classic link to view PDF]
+
 
+
*Strauss, Mark. (2012). "Looking Back on the Limits of Growth." ''Smithsonian Magazine.'' Single chart showing reality confirms Limits model from 1972-2000 and showing projections to 2100. '''(5 min)''' [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmreDFQM2FlQmlhdU9nOHJ4ckdHZlFZclR2bUtZ/view?usp=sharing Link]
+
 
+
*Bardi, Ugo. (2011). Author's Commentary on "The Limits to Growth Revisited." ''Resilience.'' Ugo Bardi reminds us that 40 years later the projections in the Limits to Growth remain valid. '''(5 min)''' [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrZlhsbjFOaGZ0VDlhaVpGci1MdHd2cUpzYzdZ/view?usp=sharing Link]
+
 
+
'''Class 10 Interest Readings'''
+
*"Industrialization, Prelude to Collapse" from Overshoot by William Catton. - Catton discusses in detail carrying capacity and overshoot, explaining how we've temporarily expanded population and throughput by expanding and complicating matter-energy conversion in ways that we can sustain for at most decades more, and then only at expense of diminishing opportunity for us and for those who follow. I find his analysis sound and sobering. '''(20 min)''' [http://www.jayhanson.us/page15.htm Link]
+
 
+
*Jorgen Randers interview in which he describes his book 2052 and talks about his prior book Limits to Growth. Randers says we've blown it. [http://transitionculture.org/2012/08/17/an-interview-with-jorgen-randers-its-the-story-of-humanity-not-rising-to-the-occasion/ Link] '''(10 min)'''
+
 
+
*UK futurist consultancy lays out scenarios for 2025 and 2040. [http://www.chforum.org/scenario2012/paper-4-6.shtml 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)''' [http://www.2052.info/future-glimpses/ Link]
+
 
+
*Tainter, Joseph. "Complexity, Problem Solving, and Sustainable Societies." 1996. [http://dieoff.org/page134.htm Link] - Tainter argues that we are addicted to complexity, that diminishing returns are available by this strategy, and that we are unlikely to avoid collapse. (This is the full paper to which the Wikipedia article in Core Readings refers. '''(20 min)'''
+
 
+
*Simmons, Matthew. (2000). "Revisiting 'The Limits to Growth': Could the Club of Rome Have Been Correct, After All?" 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. [http://www.greatchange.org/ov-simmons,club_of_rome_revisted.html Link] '''(20-30 min)'''
+
 
+
*Bardi, Ugo. "Tainter's Law: Where is the Physics?" [http://cassandralegacy.blogspot.ca/2011/03/tainters-law-where-is-physics.html Link] A physicist analyzes Tainter's collapse theory from a thermodynamic perspective and shows it to be consistent with the laws of thermodynamics. '''(15 min)'''
+
 
+
*Brown, Lester. "Global Ponzi Scheme." Energy Reality Essays. Post Carbon Institute. [http://energy-reality.org/global-ponzi-scheme/ Link] '''5pp., 5 min.'''
+
 
+
==Class 11 - Biosphere: Conditions and Trends==
+
'''Questions'''
+
<br>11. Using an ecological framework briefly outline some important current physical conditions and trends in place.
 Please reference the following: [air, water, soil, non-human biota, human population, overshoot, mineral resources, artifact] (~200 words)<br>
+
# Explain how each element of the ecological framework we present in this course is related to the others. Use all of the following terms: Humans: numbers; info (gene, experience, culture, nonculture). Environment: resource; hazard. Lock and key. (30 words or fewer)

+
# Give a few specific examples of resource and hazard trends. (20 or fewer)

+
# What are some of the "peaks" to which we refer with the phrase "peak everything"? (15 or fewer)

+
# Define EROEI and RRORI. (10 or fewer)

+
# What was putative EROEI for oil extraction in the early 20th century and what is it for tar sands and oil shale c. 2016? (two ratios)

+
# Have we identified proven energy resources accessible with current technology which have EROEI comparable to oil in the early 20th century? (5 or fewer)

+
# What is the minimum EROEI estimated to be necessary to sustain complex human society? (5 or fewer)

+
# Describe cradle-to-grave matter-energy flows and cycles for a phone. (< 20 words)
+
# Briefly explain why you think human population is beyond, or has yet to reach carrying capacity. (25 or fewer)

+
 
+
'''Readings'''
+
'''Introduction: Radical Change to Human Ecology'''
+
*Raven, Peter. "Part 1: Overview." ''Atlas of Population and Environment.'' [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7Jmra1h3WDNVWjNkMHM/view?usp=sharing Link] - Peter Raven addresses human population growth and impacts, and warns of limits. '''(5 min)'''
+
 
+
'''Population: Scale of Human Presence'''
+
*Harvey, Joe. (1990). "Growth in Perspective." ''Rocky Mountain Institute Newsletter.'' p. 4, 7. [https://coursework.stanford.edu/access/content/group/F13-PSYC-136A-01_F13-PSYC-236A-01/Growth%2Bin%2BPerspective%2BHarvey-1.pdf 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)''' [Note: we read this two weeks ago. We include it here because we think it applicable and worth reviewing.]
+
*"A Graphic Simulation of World Population Growth." I find this video more useful than the "hockey stick" graph for representing human population increase.  [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_9SutNmfFk#t=2m05s Link] - '''(5 min. - start at 2 minutes and go to end)'''
+
*Worldometers.info - Real time estimates of changes in global, population (births, deaths from various causes), health, spending, etc.. Perspective on trends of our times. [http://www.worldometers.info Link] '''(5 min)'''
+
*"The End of the Population Pyramid." ''The Economist.'' - Animated video showing population distribution by age evolving from pyramidal in 1970 to more or less columnar in 2060, and explaining role of birth rate changes and life expectancy changes. [https://www.facebook.com/TheEconomist/videos/10153680437629060/ Link] '''5min. video.'''
+
*Vitousek, Peter, et. al. (1986). "Human Appropriation of the Products of Photosynthesis." ''Bioscience'' 36(6). [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrVlo2ZFQzeUl1Ukk/view?usp=sharing Link] - Thirty years ago, when we were only 5 billion, humans claimed 40% of net primary terrestrial photosynthesis. '''(5 min - skim)'''
+
*Nikiforuk, Andrew. (2011). "You and Your Slaves." [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrV1JCQWlwX3piR0E/view?usp=sharing Link] '''(3 pp., 5 min)'''
+
 
+
'''Resource Depletion: Soil, Energy, Biodiversity'''
+
*World Economic Forum. "What if the World's Soil Runs Out?" ''Time'' [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrVWFob3YwODVxXzQ/view?usp=sharing Link] - Brief review of global soil erosion and degradation, historic and projected, with reference both to acceleration and consequences. 3 pp. '''(5 min)'''
+
 
+
* Leeb, Steven. "Dangerous Times As Energy Sources Get Costlier To Extract" (3 pp) - A primer on EROEI, and more importantly a hint about RRORI. [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8dQDga7c8qYU1BHV1MtZU5MLUU Link] '''(4pp., 5 min)'''  Alternative version: [http://energyskeptic.com/2013/eroi-downward-spiral/ Link]
+
 
+
*Graph to Understand Peak Oil. [https://sites.google.com/site/websterhubbletelescope/ Link] - '''(5 min)'''
+
*Buchmann, Stephen. "Our Vanishing Flowers." (16 October 2015.) ''NYTimes.'' - Buchmann sketches the history of human reliance upon flowering plants and reports that an estimated 68% of flowering plants are threatened or endangered. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrcG5nNFVHLVlGNVU/view?usp=sharing Link] '''3 pp., 5 min.'''
+
*Ceballos, et al. "Accelerating Modern Human-Induced Species Losses: Entering the Sixth Mass Extinction." (Please read "Abstract"; read full text if interested.) - The authors provide evidence that current rates of extinction are 8-100+ those that prevailed for millions of years. [http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/1/5/e1400253 Link] '''1 p., 2 min.'''
+
*Grantham, Jeremy. (2011). "Time to Wake Up: Days of Abundant Resources and Falling Prices are Over Forever." [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrdjFfVHl1ajc2U1E/view?usp=sharing Link] - Jeremy Grantham, an investment manager for a $100+ billion fund whose multi-decade record of exceptionally high returns earned in large part by accurately identifying price "bubbles," claims that we've entered a trend that will persist for the indefinite future: rising food, fiber, fuel, and mineral prices. He notes that this is an historic reversal of a trend to lower prices that lasted more than a hundred years. You can read a one sentence "Summary of Summary," a one page "Summary," or the full article. '''(1-20 min)'''
+
*Abraham, David. "The Next Resource Shortage?" (20 November 2015). ''NYTimes.'' [http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/20/opinion/the-next-resource-shortage.html?_r=0 Link] - Abraham writes of rare metals and their import in "energy efficient" technologies, noting that supplies are limited, often concentrated in one or two countries, usually are tapped along with other minerals whose economics dominate, and are difficult and costly to extract. He cautions that they may be impediments to realizing dreams of alternative energy based modern society. '''4pp., 4min.'''
+
 
+
'''Growing Hazard: Toxics, Climate, Disease, Invasive Species'''
+
*Cormier, Zoe. "Toxic Planet." ''New Internationalist.'' - Cormier summarily describes the sources and consequences of increasing toxiciy of the environment. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrR3hRVWhWTzNtRlE/view?usp=sharing/ Link] '''5 pp., 5 min.'''
+
*Bardi, Ugo. (2011). "Peak? What Peak? Greenhouse Emissions Keep Increasing." ''Resource Crisis.'' - Emissions are on track with IPCC "worst case" projections and may be more of a limit than peak oil. - [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7Jmra0p5S1hYYlhBQXc/view?usp=sharing Link] '''(2 min)'''
+
*Magill, Bobby. (2014). "Arctic Methane Emissions 'Certain to Trigger Warming.'" ''Climate Central.'' - In study using widely scattered sites throughout the Arctic, researchers show increased emissions of methane as permafrost thaws. Methane is many times more potent than CO2 as a greenhouse gas. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmreUFjY3hvdTk5Z0U/view?usp=sharing Link] '''(3 min)'''
+
*Roston, Eric; Migliozzi, Blacki. "What's Really Warming the World?" Bloomberg News. (24 June 2015.) - Ten graphs with brief captions, all based on the NASA climate model, all designed to demonstrate that "deniers" explanations for global warming are without support from evidence and that human increases in atmospheric CO2 are. [http://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2015-whats-warming-the-world/ Link] '''2 min.'''
+
*"Emerging Infectious Disease." ''Wikipedia.'' [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emerging_infectious_disease Link] - Emerging infectious diseases defined using ten factors from CDC. '''(5 min)'''
+
*"Infection Raises Specter of Infections Resistant to All Antibiotics." ''NYTimes.'' (26 May 2016) - Here at last, first in China and now in the U.S., a bacterium resistant to carbpenems and colistin, final lines of antibiotic defense. [http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/27/health/infection-raises-specter-of-superbugs-resistant-to-all-antibiotics.html?ribbon-ad-idx=2&rref=science&module=Ribbon&version=context&region=Header&action=click&contentCollection=Science&pgtype=article Link] 4pp.
+
*Reardon, Sara. (2014). "WHO Warns Against Post-Antibiotic Era." ''Nature.'' - World Health Organization researchers warn against "post-antibiotic" era in which microbes run amok in absence of effective treatment. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrbEo4UFlZR3JIdDA/view?usp=sharing Link] '''(2 min)'''
+
*"List of Invasive Species in North America." ''Wikipedia.'' - Succinct definition of "invasive." List is long and growing at accelerating rate with globalization. I find pathogens especially interesting. Read 1st two paragraphs and skim list. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_invasive_species_in_North_America#Pathogens Link] '''2 pp.,3 min.'''
+
*"Impact of Invasive Species: Invading Our Lands and Waters." ''U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.'' - USFWS with this brief overview provides an introduction to the phenomenon of invasive species, which has resulted in massive and accelerating losses. Please look at one or more of the brief case studies. [https://sites.google.com/a/deer.k12.ar.us/invasives-web/home/cost Link] '''2 pp., 5 min.''' (for a horror story almost beyond imagining, see Moallem, "There's a Reason They Call Them Crazy Ants," in the Interest Readings below.)
+
 
+
'''In Summary: Discontinuity Looms'''
+
*Ahmed, Nafeez. (2014). "Nasa-funded Study: Industrial Civilization headed for “Irreversible Collapse’?" ''The Guardian.''[https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrNG5GbGZzQXFNbTg/view?usp=sharing Link] - This is one of a growing number of science-based challenges to the technocornucopian/free market "capitalism" world view. '''(10 min)'''
+
 
+
'''Class 11 Interest Readings'''
+
*Gillis, Justin. "Climate Model Predicts West Antarctic Ice Sheet Could Melt Rapidly." ''NYTimes, 30 March 2016.'' {http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/31/science/global-warming-antarctica-ice-sheet-sea-level-rise.html?emc=eta1] - Warnings of "worst case" far worse than IPCC published only a few years prior.
+
*Randers, Jorgen. "8 Ways the World Will Change by 2052." [http://www.fastcoexist.com/1680127/8-ways-the-world-will-change-by-2052 Link]- Business school professor Jorgen Randers gives opinions in response to 8 questions about changes pertinent to the lives of all he expects over the next 40 years. '''(10 min)'''
+
*[http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304279904579517862612287156 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)'''
+
*[http://news.stanford.edu/news/2014/april/corn-yields-drought-042914.html 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)'''
+
*[http://www.climatecentral.org/news/arctic-methane-emissions-certain-to-trigger-warming-17374 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)'''
+
*Mooney, Chris. "Scientists confirm that the Arctic could become a major new source of carbon emissions." ''Washington Post.'' [http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/04/08/serious-climate-threat-from-arctic-permafrost-confirmed-by-new-research/ Link] - Chris Mooney reports on a recently published study whose authors estimate that releases of carbon from permafrost and other Arctic reservoirs may use a third or more of the carbon budget remaining. - '''5pp. (10 min)'''
+
*Urbina, Ian and Fink, Sheri. "A Deadly Fungus and Questions at a Hospital" ''New York Times'' [http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/29/us/a-deadly-fungus-and-questions-at-a-hospital.html?hpw&rref=us&_r=0 Link] Outbreak of communicable disease caused by flesh-eating fungus, and spread by improper handling of linens results in deaths of several children at top-rated New Orleans Children's Hospital. '''(5 min)'''
+
*Murphy, David. (2010). "Does Peak Oil Even Matter?" ''The Oil Drum.'' [http://www.theoildrum.com/node/7246 Link] - Murphy argues that EROEI is the critical factor. '''(5 min)'''
+
*Post Carbon Institute. "300 Years of Fossil Fuels in 300 Seconds." - Video describing history and consequences of fossil fuel use. [http://energy-reality.org/videos/ Link] '''5 mins.'''
+
*U.C.Berkeley. "The Energy Story: Chapter 8, Fossil Fuels." - This chapter, part of a larger work that explains energy from first principles, succinctly outlines the origins, use, risks, and rewards of fossil fuels. [http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/story/chapter08.html Link] '''20 pp., 20 min.'''
+
*Mooallem, Jon. "There's a Reason They Call Them Crazy Ants." '''New York Times.'''  [http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/08/magazine/crazy-ants.html?src=me&ref=general&_r=1 Link] Like so many ecological disruptions invasive species pose threats difficult to calibrate. Some become minor nuisances; others, major plagues. As instances of invasion grow odds of catastrophe increase. Imagine Stanford or your home town awash in these critters. '''(5 min)'''
+
*Marchione, Marilyn, Associated Press. "Staph germs harder than ever to treat, studies say." [http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-10-27-staph-infections_N.htm Link] - MRSA cases rising. '''(2 min)'''
+
*''CNN''. (2013) "New SARS-like Virus is a 'Threat to the Entire World.'" [http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/28/health/france-coronavirus-death/ Link]. - MERS, an emergent communicable disease, poses global threat. '''(2 min)'''
+
*Hannibal, Mary Ellen. (16 October 2015.) "Precarious Ark." ''Huff Post.'' [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mary-ellen-hannibal/precarious-ark_b_8302540.html Link] Hannibal reviews Paul and Anne Ehrlich's book, ''The Annihilation of Nature: Human Extinction of Birds and Mammals,'' with a reminder of how we routinely proceed with everyday life, imagining that we're making progress even as we impoverish our future with the sixth great extinction. '''1 p., 3 min.'''
+
*Catton, William. (1998). "Malthus: More Relevant than Ever." - Catton explains how people misinterpreted Malthus and why his insight is applicable now. [http://www.greatchange.org/ov-catton,malthus.html Link] '''4pp (5 min)'''
+
*Butler, Declan. "How to Beat the Next Ebola." (5 August 2015.) ''Nature.'' - Butler describes the risk of epidemic and current thinking about how to lessen it. [http://www.nature.com/news/how-to-beat-the-next-ebola-1.18114 Link] '''14 pp., 10 min.'''
+
*Kendall, Henry. (1992). "World Scientists' Warning to Humanity." ''Union of Concerned Scientists.'' [http://www.ucsusa.org/about/1992-world-scientists.html#.VE2kfuc-JJM Link] '''(5 min)'''
+
*Revkin, Andrew. (2011). "In ‘Earth v. Humanity,’ Nobelists Issue Verdict." ''New York Times.'' [http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/18/in-earth-v-humanity-nobelists-issue-verdict/ Link] - '''(5 min)'''
+
*Post Carbon Institute. "Energy Primer." - Concise and thorough overview of energy from thermodynamics to declining availability and its myriad consequences. [http://energy-reality.org/primer/ Link] '''(10-100 pp., 10 min. - 1+ hour)'''
+
*Jancovici, Jean-Marc. (2005). "How Much of a Slave Master Am I?"; ''Manicore.'' - Energy slave calculations. [http://www.manicore.com/anglais/documentation_a/slaves.html Link]
+
* RAP Burruss. (2005). "100-Watt Virtual People." Energy slave calculations. [http://www.esva.net/~flash/vp.htm Link];
+
 
+
==Class 12 - Society: Conditions and Trends==
+
'''Note'''
+
Which of myriad societal conditions and trends shall we deem worthy of attention? With any selection we make we're to some degree arbitrary, and risk including items less important than those we exclude. For this class meeting we chose topics with an eye to students who may well have half a century or more of living ahead, and to identifying those with widespread implications trending in ways we deem impossible to sustain for that long. We asked, "What will we change so that more can live and die well?"
+
 
+
Our first topic is wealth and income. By distributing these as we do, we evidence personal values and shape social relations. When we concentrate wealth and income in a world of complex institutions and technologies where humans are increasingly interconnected we sustain such concentration with growing transaction costs by which we diminish total satisfaction, and we raise risk of instability and strife. If, however, economic growth of a kind that we achieved by burning large quantities of fossil fuels has ended, how will we achieve greater equality without redistribution? People of diverse backgrounds, status, and philosophies are unanimous in wanting greater equality. Will we persist in embracing that goal if called upon to sacrifice in order to realize it?
+
 
+
Financialization is but one, albeit an important example of escalating transaction costs to protect, even exacerbate inequality. Yet young people of great ability and academic achievement continue to contribute to growth in this sector by seeking employment there. What will result? Secular stagnation is evidence that we're depleting and despoiling environmental resources more rapidly than we can offset these losses with new technology, making ever more difficult generation of value as we've come to define it in an era of plentiful nature. Despite talk of "dematerializing" society, we confront shortages. With current patterns of criminalization and incarceration we lay bare racism by which we've methodically exploited Afro-Americans and other minority groups for almost four centuries, and we deny everyone benefits of these groups' members' more fully realizing potential to contribute. With ever greater resource devoted to militarism we're attempting to maintain an empire made untenable by others' ascent, and perhaps losing much more to transaction costs of violence and threat of it than we gain by these.
+
 
+
Human society is in turmoil. In part because of US leadership in global politics of dominance factions are warring in dozens of places. Failed and failing states are increasingly common. To escape war, criminal activity, and privation people are migrating in numbers greater than any prior, this time across a "full" planet where only a tiny fraction are privileged enough to be afforded a warm reception. As masses of impoverished are condemned to lives harsher than most of us can imagine a relative handful are finding wherewithal to resist, and justifying their acts with one or another ideology in which we are demonized, are becoming increasingly resourceful in inflicting harm upon those of us they perceive to be oppressing them.
+
 
+
More of us realizing that an old narrative is failing and, feeling adrift with its loss are struggling to maintain or achieve mental health, shed addiction, and adapt successfully. Any who hold out hope for a return to the "good old days" are likely to be disappointed. Only by accurately assessing our condition, and continuously updating aspirations to reflect a rapidly changing environment may we adapt successfully.
+
 
+
Extensive as is this list of trends we examined, we've ignored countless others. Urbanization continues, even as its social and material underpinnings deteriorate. Failed states, freelance terrorism (as distinguished from state terrorism), organized crime and gangsterism, are all on the rise. Polarization, often arising from one or another brand of fundamentalism, including orthodox growth-based economics, is becoming more extreme. With robotics and ever more capable artificial intelligence more and more of us are becoming "redundant" or superfluous from perspectives of those with greatest concentrated power.
+
 
+
Going forward our most pressing concerns may well be how to alter information so that we may reduce human population, conserve resources, abate hazards, and achieve a higher level of cooperation with each other, and implicitly with those who follow. To do this we'll evolve ideas about value to be more accurate. Since value depends upon maintaining a match between us and environment, ongoing reassessment of environmental (in a broad sense encompassing other humans, other life, and abiotic factors both natural and artificial) conditions and trends, both those we've examined in this an prior class meetings and others as we become aware of their import, is essential.
+
 
+
'''Questions'''
+
<br>12. Using an ecological framework briefly outline some important current conditions and trends in human society Please reference: wealth, power, migration, work, money system, corporate and other forms of enterprise organization; human information (quantity, quality, sources, media, overload). (<300 words)<br>
+
# Briefly describe trends in wealth and income distribution in the US during the past 70 years. (25 or fewer)

+
# How do you connect financialization, criminalization, incarceration, militarization, racism, globalization, and imperialism to these trends? (40 or fewer)

+
# Give one piece of evidence to support the claim that the US is an oligarchy rather than a democracy? (35 or fewer)

+
# Name two ways that reformers are aiming to further common good by altering laws pertaining to corporations. (30 or fewer)

+
# Name three elements of the "old narrative" that people are increasingly challenging. (25 or fewer)

+
# Give three pieces of evidence that the "American Dream" is beyond the reach of a growing number of people. (25 or fewer)

+
# Offer an explanation rooted in ecology for why addiction, denial, delusion, and depression are rampant in our era. (30 or fewer)

+
# What might we predict will be the consequences of the growing gap between physical trends and financial representation of these? (<10 words)
+
 
+
 
+
'''Readings (Please read at least one item in each topic.)'''
+
 
+
'''Wealth and Income Concentration'''
+
*Norton & Ariely. (2011). "Building a Better America−One Wealth Quintile at a Time." ''Perspectives on Psychological Science.'' [http://www.people.hbs.edu/mnorton/norton%20ariely%20in%20press.pdf 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. Read the abstract and look at the graphics. '''(5-10 min)''' Alternatively, watch this [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPKKQnijnsM 6 min video]
+
 
+
*Rampell, Catherine. (2011). "The Haves and the Have-Nots." ''New York Times.'' [http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/31/the-haves-and-the-have-nots/?src=me&ref=business 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 may be misleading, as there are people with cars and tvs who've too little to eat. Take-home message: "It's easy to see that in such a world most of one's lifetime income will be determined at birth." '''(3pp., 3 min)'''
+
 
+
*Gilson, Dave and Perot, Carolyn. (2011). "It's the Inequality, Stupid." ''Mother Jones.'' [http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/02/income-inequality-in-america-chart-graph Link] - Pages of simple graphics describing growing concentration of wealth and income in US. What about the first graphic is misleading? '''(5 min)'''
+
 
+
*Kelly, Marjorie. (2001). Divine Right of Capital: Dethroning the Corporate Aristocracy. - [http://www.the-vital-edge.com/the-divine-right-of-capital/ Link]- Gideon Rosenblatt has summarized the 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 to propose radical reforms. In the first six chapters Kelly treats history and present; in the final six she looks to the future. I predict that the ideas she sets forth here will become common currency over the next several decades. A few classes ago I asked you to read the first six chapter summaries. For this class please read the last six chapter summaries. '''6pp. (15 min)'''
+
 
+
'''Financialization (5 min)'''
+
*Bartlett, Bruce. (2013). "'Financialization' as a Cause of Economic Malaise." [http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/06/11/financialization-as-a-cause-of-economic-malaise/?_r=0 Link] Former high-level advisor to federal government cites financialization as cause of economic distress. Good charts on history of finance as fraction of economy and on declining share of national income going to labor. '''(4 pp., 5 min.)'''
+
 
+
'''Secular Stagnation?'''
+
*The Data Team. (19 November 2014) ''The Economist.'' - Graphs and text describing falling real wages and bond yields, declining economic growth, and other indicators of economic stagnation in Japan, Europe, and North America. [http://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2014/11/secular-stagnation-graphics Link] '''(5pp., 5min.)'''
+
 
+
'''Criminalization, Incarceration, Racism'''
+
*Howard, Greg. (2016.) "NYTimes." "How the Police See Us and How They Train Us to See Them." - Howard describes now familiar pattern of police violence against poor, especially Afro-American people, and our failure to hold offending officers accountable. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/08/magazine/how-police-see-us-and-how-they-train-us-to-see-them.html?action=click&contentCollection=Magazine&module=RelatedCoverage&region=Marginalia&pgtype=article '''(5pp., 5min.)'''
+
 
+
*Madar, Chase. (2013). "Tomgram: Chase Madar, The Criminalization of Everyday Life." [http://www.tomdispatch.com/blog/175781/tomgram%3A_chase_madar,_the_criminalization_of_everyday_life Link] Madar provides a litany of examples of how we are restricting freedom by criminalizing all manner of behavior and discriminatorily enforcing harsh laws. '''(8 pp., 10 min)'''
+
 
+
*"Forcing Black Men Out of Society." NYTimes editorial board. [http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/26/opinion/sunday/forcing-black-men-out-of-society.html Link] 1.5 million men dead from homicide and incarcerated are absent from black communities with telling consequences. Millions more are undereducated and underemployed. Evidence for continuing, egregiously harmful racial bias is incontrovertible. '''(3pp., 4 min)'''
+
 
+
'''Militarization/Imperialism'''
+
*Wikipedia. "Military Budget of the United States." [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_budget_of_the_United_States Link] Read all 4 color graphics (scroll to end of article) to learn what we spend. '''(2 min)'''
+
 
+
*Wikipedia. "United States Military Deployments." [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_military_deployments Link] Read graphics to learn where we are. '''(2 min)'''
+
 
+
*Johnson, Richard. "United Bases of America." [https://nationalpostnews.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/fo1029_usbases12001.gif Link] Global deployment of US military. '''(5 min)'''
+
 
+
'''Globalization/Migration'''
+
*"World at War: 2014 Trends at a Glance." pp. 2-3 UNHCR. - Summary of UN report detailing status and trends for displaced people worldwide, now at an all-time high of tens of millions and growing rapidly. [http://www.unhcr.org/556725e69.html Link] '''2 pp., 5 min.'''
+
 
+
*Beck, Roy. (2013). "Immigration Numbers." ''Center for Immigration Truth.'' [http://www.centerforimmigrationtruth.org/immigration-numbers Link] - Beck outlines the futility of mass immigration as a strategy for alleviating poverty beyond U.S. borders, and argues that we may contribute to poverty here and abroad by it. '''Video. 6-min.'''
+
 
+
*Gerard, Leo. (2015). "Why the Trans-pacific Partnership is a Rotten Deal" [http://www.alternet.org/economy/fast-tracking-democracy-hell-why-trans-pacific-partnership-rotten-deal Link] US Steelworkers President and Obama appointee to trade post criticizes proposed trade deal. '''5 min'''
+
 
+
*Fullerton, John. (2016). "What Bundy and His Merry Militiamen Can Learn from TransCanada." ''Capital Institute.'' [http://capitalinstitute.org/blog/what-bundy-and-his-merry-militia-can-learn-from-transcanada/ Link] - Former investment banker turned "regenerative capitalist" explains how we've surrendered sovereignty to promote trade. '''(2 pp., 5 min.)'''
+
 
+
*Rawlence, Ben. "The Other Refugee Crisis." (9 October 2015.) ''NYTimes.'' - Journalist describes growing number of refugees in "temporary" resettlement camps, one of which is now holds 800,000 people. [http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/10/opinion/the-other-refugee-crisis.html?mtrref=undefined&gwh=FC81BAA8285EB81E77C5A456EFD4B778&gwt=pay&assetType=opinion Link] '''7 pp., 7 min.'''
+
 
+
*Kantor, Jodi, Einhorn, Catrin. "What Does It Mean to Help One Family?" (22 October 2016.) - Six Canadian women sponsor a Syrian refugee family and discover how complex is resettling them, and how dire are the straits of myriad relatives left behind. http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/10/22/world/americas/canada-refugees-syria.html?action=click&contentCollection=Technology&module=Trending&version=Full&region=Marginalia&pgtype=article '''10pp., 10 min.'''
+
 
+
*Cumming-Bruce, Nick. (25 October 2016.) ''NYTimes.'' "The Worst We Have Ever Seen: Fewer Migrants, More Deaths." - African migrants to Europe are dying in record numbers as they attempt to cross the Mediterranean. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/26/world/europe/migrants-mediterranean-deaths-united-nations.html?&moduleDetail=section-news-3&action=click&contentCollection=Europe&region=Footer&module=MoreInSection&version=WhatsNext&contentID=WhatsNext&pgtype=article '''2pp., 2min.'''
+
 
+
*Nossiter, Adam. (25 October 2016.) ''NYTimes.'' "Shouts Greet Migrants on Streets of France:"We Don't Want Them." - Migrants relocated to towns all over France from encampment at French end of Chunnel in Calais meet hostility from those who view them as threats. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/26/world/europe/calais-france-migrants.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=Moth-Visible&moduleDetail=inside-nyt-region-3&module=inside-nyt-region&region=inside-nyt-region&WT.nav=inside-nyt-region '''3pp., 3min.'''
+
 
+
*Nossiter, Adam. (4 October 2016.) ''NYTimes.'' "A French Underground Railroad, Moving African Migrants." - Some French citizens break French laws to aid African migrants in crossing from Italy and moving farther into France. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/05/world/europe/france-italy-migrants-smuggling.html?action=click&contentCollection=Europe&module=RelatedCoverage&region=EndOfArticle&pgtype=article '''3pp., 3min.'''
+
 
+
'''Power Concentration and Dispersal'''
+
*James, Brendan. (2014). "Princeton Study: U.S. No Longer An Actual Democracy" [http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/princeton-experts-say-us-no-longer-democracy Link] - Princeton researchers claim US no longer a democracy.  Original research report here: [https://www.princeton.edu/~mgilens/Gilens%20homepage%20materials/Gilens%20and%20Page/Gilens%20and%20Page%202014-Testing%20Theories%203-7-14.pdf 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)'''
+
*Confessore, N. "Buying Power." (15 October 2015.) ''NYTimes.'' - More than half of Presidential campaign contributions in the 2016 election cycle have been make by 158 out of 120 million U.S. households. [http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/10/11/us/politics/2016-presidential-election-super-pac-donors.html?_r=0 Link] '''(5 pp., 5 min.)'''
+
*Confessore, N. "A Wealthy Governor and His Friends Are Remaking Illinois" - We’re now observing effects of unlimited campaign funding at the state, as well as the national level. [http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/30/us/politics/illinois-campaign-money-bruce-rauner.html Link]
+
*Agence France-Presse. (2012). "Al-Qaeda blamed for Europe-wide forest fires." [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/al-qaeda/9585098/Al-Qaeda-blamed-for-Europe-wide-forest-fires.html Link] Forest fire terrorism, perhaps a prelude to other low-cost, low-tech, high damage terrorism. National security through military and industrial strength insufficient. '''(2 min)'''
+
 
+
'''Failure of Old Narrative'''
+
 
+
*Reich, Robert. (2014). "The 'Paid-What-You're-Worth' Myth." [http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/the_paid-what-youre-worth_myth_20140315 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)'''
+
 
+
*Wonkblog, Washington Post. (2013). "Robert Rubin’s graph(s) of the year." [http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/12/31/robert-rubins-graphs-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)'''
+
 
+
'''Mental Health: Denial, Addiction, Depression, Delusion, Fear'''
+
 
+
*Luhrmann, Tanya. (2014). "Is The World More Depressed?" [http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/25/opinion/a-great-depression.html?action=click&contentCollection=Business%20Day&module=MostEmailed&version=Full&region=Marginalia&src=me&pgtype=article Link] Stanford professor T.M.Luhrmann examines global data on the rise of depression and suicide, and speculates about cause. '''(5 min)'''
+
 
+
*Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists - 5/18/2014, Addicted to oil, Dawn Stover. Stover writes that we in the US are addicted to oil. Cites the DSM-V.  [http://thebulletin.org/addicted-oil7174 Link] '''(5 min)'''
+
 
+
*McClennen, Sophia. (2015). "Ted Cruz Isn't an Idiot, He's Delusional and that's Far More Dangerous"[http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/ted-cruz-isnt-idiot-hes-delusional-and-thats-far-more-dangerous Link] Journalist claims Ted Cruz is delusional, rather than dishonest or stupid. '''(4 min)'''
+
 
+
*Brooks, David. (2014). "The Republic of Fear." [http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/25/opinion/brooks-the-republic-of-fear.html?action=click&contentCollection=Asia%20Pacific&module=MostEmailed&version=Full&region=Marginalia&src=me&pgtype=article 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)'''
+
 
+
'''Summary'''
+
 
+
*Tverberg, Gail. (2013). "Rising Energy Costs Lead to Recession; Eventually Collapse" [http://ourfiniteworld.com/2013/10/23/rising-energy-costs-lead-to-recession-eventually-collapse/#more-38555 Link] Tverberg integrates ecology and economics to predict collapse as inevitable result of energy impoverishment. '''(10 min)'''
+
 
+
'''Interest readings'''
+
 
+
*Cassidy, John. (2010). "What Good Is Wall Street?" ''The New Yorker.'' [http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2010/11/29/what-good-is-wall-street Link] - Cassidy argues that much of what investment bankers do is socially worthless, yet they are claiming an ever larger share of national income and are individually receiving increasingly disproportionately large rewards. 24pp.
+
 
+
*Stiglitz, Joseph E. (2011). "Of the 1%, By the 1%, for the 1%." ''Vanity Fair.'' [http://www.vanityfair.com/society/features/2011/05/top-one-percent-201105 Link] - Stiglitz chronicles the increasing concentration of wealth and describes its unsustainable quality. '''(10 min)'''
+
 
+
*Herszenhorn, David and Kotz, David. (2008). "Shocked Disbelief." [http://truth-out.org/archive/component/k2/item/80849:shocked-disbelief Link] Greenspan'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)'''
+
+
*Catton, William. (1995). "The Problem of Denial and Ecological Overshoot."- [http://greatchange.org/ov-catton,denial.html Link] - Catton explains mainstream economics as denial of ecological reality. '''(15 min)'''
+
 
+
*Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) (2014). "The Facts About the Koch Brothers."[http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/must-read/the-fact-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)'''
+
 
+
*Yen, Hope. (2013). "Rich-Poor Employment Gap Now Widest On Record" [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/16/rich-poor-employment-gap_n_3933757.html Link]
+
 
+
*Lowrey, Annie. (2013). "The Rich Get Richer Through the Recovery." [http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/10/the-rich-get-richer-through-the-recovery/?_r=1 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.
+
 
+
*Energyskeptic. "Homer-Dixon Key findings on resources and war / violence" [http://energyskeptic.com/2014/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).
+
 
+
*Chomsky, Noam. (2013, August 17). "The U.S. Behaves Nothing Like a Democracy." Salon. [http://www.salon.com/2013/08/17/chomsky_the_u_s_behaves_nothing_like_a_democracy/ 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 pp. (10 min)
+
 
+
*Wolfers, Justin; Leonhardt, David; Quealy, Kevin. (2015). "1.5 Million Missing Black Men." [http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/04/20/upshot/missing-black-men.html?abt=0002&abg=0 Link] 1.5 million men dead from homicide and incarcerated are absent from black communities with telling consequences. '''(5 min)'''
+
 
+
*Daly, Herman. (2004). "Offshoring in the Context of Globalization." The Social Contract. [http://www.thesocialcontract.com/artman2/publish/tsc1403/article_1230.shtml Link]
+
 
+
*Hazen, Don. (2013). "The Four Plagues: Getting a Handle on the Coming Apocalypse." [http://www.alternet.org/economy/4-plagues-getting-handle-coming-apocalypse?akid=10524.10325.OzZAqC&rd=1&src=newsletter850372&t=2&paging=off Link] Criminalization, financialization, militarization, privatization: four plagues. Hazen chronicles these trends and wonders how to reverse them. '''(20 min)'''
+
 
+
*Weissman, Jordan. (2014). "Jobless in Seattle"[http://www.slate.com/articles/business/moneybox/2014/05/seattle_might_raise_its_minimum_wage_to_15_this_is_not_a_good_idea.html 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)'''
+
 
+
*Irwin, Neil. (2013). "The typical American family makes less than it did in 1989." [http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/09/17/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.
+
 
+
*"Wealth Inequality in America." (2012). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPKKQnijnsM Link] video of actual wealth distribution in US, what people think it is, what we want.  '''(6:23 min)'''
+
 
+
*Nazario, Sonia. "The Refugees at Our Door." (10 October 2015.) ''NYTimes.'' - Nazario describes how U.S. residents tax dollars are being used to pay Mexican government employees to halt, sometimes by violent and oppressive means, the flow of Central American migrants northward. '''(13 pp., 10 min.)'''
+
 
+
*Daly, Herman. (1991). "Growth, International Trade, and Destruction of Community." The Social Contract. [http://www.thesocialcontract.com/artman2/publish/tsc0201/article_84.shtml Link] Former World Bank economist and advocate of ecological economics explains a quarter century ago the impacts of unrestricted global trade, and in retrospect his predictions are accurate.  '''(5 min)'''
+
 
+
*Daly, Herman. (2003). "Globalization and Its Inconsistencies -- Does Free Trade Mean Free Migration?" The Social Contract. [http://www.thesocialcontract.com/artman2/publish/tsc1303/article_1145.shtml] Daly draws attention to the asymmetry between movement of capital and movement of labor across international borders and promises a "race to the bottom." '''(5 min)'''
+
 
+
*Stanford News Service. "Generation X not so special: Malaise, cynicism on the rise for all age groups." [http://news.stanford.edu/pr/98/980821genx.html 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." [http://citywireglobal.com/news/global-investor-disillusionment-rising-says-legg-mason-survey/a746858 Link] Investors worldwide disappointed with returns (as reality of ecological impoverishment penetrates economics and finance.) '''(5 min)'''
+
 
+
*Denning, Steve. (2014). "Why Financialization has Run Amok." 'Forbes'. [http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevedenning/2014/06/03/why-financialization-has-run-amok/ Link] Steve Demming on why financialization has run amok. '''(5 min)'''
+
 
+
*Straus, Tamara. (2010). "A Sobering Assessment of Microfinances Impact." [http://www.ssireview.org/blog/entry/a_sobering_assessment_of_microfinances_impact Link] Micro-finance may do more harm than good. '''(2 min)'''
+
 
+
*Wikipedia. "Financialization." [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financialization Link] Top chart shows history of finance as fraction of economy. Further down article gives total value of derivatives traded now 100x GDP. '''(2 min)'''
+
 
+
*Rank, Mark. (2013, November 2). "Poverty in America is Mainstream." ''The New York Times.'' [http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/11/02/poverty-in-america-is-mainstream/ Link] - Rank presents data on poverty that which are basis for concluding that many more people in the U.S. experience poverty at soome point during their lives. '''(4pp., 4 min)'''
+
 
+
*Lowrey, Annie. (2013). "The Rich Get Richer Through the Recovery." [http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/10/the-rich-get-richer-through-the-recovery/?_r=1 Link] Income concentration in the US is unprecedentedly high. The 1% have captured about 95% of the income gains since the recession ended. Scroll to graph. '''(2 min)'''
+
 
+
*Bump, Phillip. (12 May 2015) "The Top 25 Hedge Fund Managers Earn More Than All Kindergarten Teachers Combined." ''The Washington Post.'' [http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2015/05/12/the-top-25-hedge-fund-managers-earn-more-than-all-kindergarten-teachers-combined/ Link] - 25 hedge fund managers, 158,000 teachers; nice graphics. '''(3pp. 3min)'''
+
 
+
*Sen. Bernie Sanders Vermont Progressive Part, VT. (2014). "Immoral Income Inequality." [http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/recent-business/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. Three billionaire Republican donors reaped increases in wealth in one year equal to the incomes of nearly half a million school teachers. '''(1 p., 2 min)'''
+
 
+
*Confessore, Nicholas. (2013). "Tax Filings Hint at Extent of Koch Brothers’ Reach." [http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/13/us/politics/tax-filings-hint-at-extent-of-koch-brothers-reach.html Link] Billionaire brothers use tax loopholes to fund right-wing causes and hide source of gifts. '''(4 pp., 4 min.)'''
+
 
+
*Beachy, Ben & Wallach, Lori. (2013). "Obama's Covert Trade Deals." [http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/03/opinion/obamas-covert-trade-deal.html Link] Advocates of trade regulation decry secrecy and favoritism in upcoming TPP. '''(3 min)'''
+
 
+
*Vox. "Why Does the US Have 800 Military Bases Around the World?" [http://www.vox.com/2015/5/26/8657965/isis-pollack Link] '''4 minute video'''
+
 
+
*Photobucket. "Iran Wants War: Look How Close They Put Their Country to our Military Bases." [http://s1071.photobucket.com/user/Pars-Mard/media/iran.jpg.html Link] Image of Iran encircled by US military bases. '''(1 min)'''
+
 
+
*"Gary Webb." ''Wikipedia.'' [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Webb Link] - Webb uncovered CIA complicity in Nicaraguan Contra drug smuggling of cocaine which fueled the crack epidemic in LA and other major cities. For daring to challenge the hegemonic world-view he was suppressed, fired, and blacklisted.
+
 
+
*"Short History of Property, Labor, Wealth, Profit, and Taxation." Turning the Tide. - Author does especially good job of presenting the history of income taxation in the US. [http://riversong.wordpress.com/short-history-of-property-labor-wealth-taxation/ link]
+
 
+
*Urban Institute. (2012). "Nonprofit Sector is Growing Faster than Rest of the Economy." [http://www.urban.org/publications/901542.html Link]Charitable 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." [http://www.volunteeringinamerica.gov/ Link] Stats on increase in volunteering. '''(5 min)'''
+
 
+
*Coleman, Flynn. (2013). "Yoga, Meditation, and Mindfuless: "Trends" That Could Change Everything." [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/flynn-coleman/yoga-meditation-and_b_2855336.html Link] Mindfulness trend in myriad aspects of society, including business and medicine, may portend and reflect important change. '''(5 min)'''
+
 
+
*Dropp, Kyle; Kertzer, Joshua; Zeitzoff, Thomas. (2014). "The less Americans know about Ukraine’s location, the more they want U.S. to intervene." [http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2014/04/07/the-less-americans-know-about-ukraines-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." [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2520205/Shocking-images-women-forced-don-masks-fashion-event-smog-hit-Chinese-city-Nanjing.html 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, December 8). "The Overpolicing of America." TomDispatch.com. [http://www.tomdispatch.com/blog/175781/tomgram%3A_chase_madar,_the_criminalization_of_everyday_life/ 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)'''
+
 
+
*Lowrey, Annie. "Study Finds Greater Income Inequality in Thriving Cities." ''NYTimes.'' [http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/20/business/economy/study-finds-greater-income-inequality-in-nations-thriving-cities.html Link] - Rich are richer in boom towns where technology and finance are large parts of economy. Poor are as poor or poorer as elsewhere.
+
 
+
==Classes 13 & 14 - Scientifically Consilient Religion and Economics==
+
'''Questions'''
+
<br>13. How may we make economics and religion more consilient with a modern scientific world-view? (~250 words)<br>
+
# Define biophysical economics. (10 or fewer)

+
# Define externality. (20 or fewer)

+
# What effect upon stated profit do we achieve by externalizing costs? (5 or fewer)

+
# According to biophysical economists, what is the current general quantitative relationship between externalities and profits? (15 or fewer)

+
# Give one or more reasons you think people are reviving biophysical economics now after ignoring it for so long. (25 or fewer)

+
# Name one or more interests some people aim to further by resisting a shift to biophysical economics? (20 or fewer)

+
# Whose ideas about value, weighted in what way, are reflected in market prices?
+
# What evidence have we that market influence is correlated to accurate discernment of value?
+
# What is a central theoretical challenge of biophysical economics? (20 or fewer)

+
# Define: wealth, income, incomism, capital, capitalism, communism as we have in this course. (50 or fewer)

+
# Make a brief case that valuescience is a unique kind of "meta-wealth." (20 or fewer)

+
# List three perils of persisting in religing based upon anything but science? (20 or fewer)

+
# Name three potential benefits of evolving religing to be more thoroughly grounded upon science. (20 or fewer)

+
# In what ways do you think you can contribute to evolving economics and religion to be more consilient with a science-based world-view? (~20 words)
+
 
+
'''Readings'''
+
*Roberts, David. "None of the world’s top industries would be profitable if they paid for the natural capital they use." Grist. April 2013. [http://grist.org/business-technology/none-of-the-worlds-top-industries-would-be-profitable-if-they-paid-for-the-natural-capital-they-use/ Link] '''2pp (5min)'''
+
*Cleveland, Cutler. "Biophysical Economics."Encyclopedia of Earth. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrUi1TQjhIQ0I3RkU/view?usp=sharing Link] Read highlighted parts, skim the rest. '''5pp (10 min)'''
+
*Daly, Herman. "Steady State Economics: A New Paradigm." Johns Hopkins University Press. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrcGFETGw5cVN4OTA/view?usp=sharing Link] '''6pp (15 min)'''
+
*Magic. "Economic Terms and Concepts Examined." [http://valuescience.org/wiki/images/5/52/Economic_Terms_and_Concepts_Examined.pdf Link] '''8pp (20 min)'''
+
*Krugman, Paul. (2011). "Markets Can Be Very, Very Wrong." ''New York Times.'' [http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/30/markets-can-be-very-very-wrong/ Link] '''2pp (5 min)'''
+
** 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. [http://www.aeaweb.org/articles.php?doi=10.1257/aer.101.5.1649 Link]
+
*Rees, William. "Economics vs. The Economy." Post Carbon Institute. (23 June 2015.) - Rees distinguishes the abstractions of economics from the reality of an economy the functions wholly within a finite ecosystem. He describes economics as a social construct that poorly reflects material phenomena, and advocates for a paradigm shift to ecological economics. After listing six qualities of humans and the natural world, he critiques how poorly these are reflected in contemporary economics. [http://www.postcarbon.org/economics-vs-the-economy/ Link] '''5pp., 5 min.'''
+
* Chetty, Raj. (2013, October 20). "Yes, Economics is a Science." ''The New York Times.'' [http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/21/opinion/yes-economics-is-a-science.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&pagewanted=all Link] - Harvard economist argues that economics is increasingly evidence-based and experimental, though he notes large areas of disagreement about central issues.
+
 
+
*Enge, Nick. "A New (and Ancient) Kind of Religion." [https://medium.com/scientific-religion/a-new-and-ancient-kind-of-religion-c218b81e0d3f Link] '''2pp (7-8 min)'''
+
*Andrews, Frank; Enge, Nick. (2010). "Foreword," "Preface," "Loving—A Heartfelt Yes!" The Art and Practice of Loving. p. 1-20. [http://www.heartfeltyes.com/read/ Link] - Andrews takes a fresh look at loving, drawing together wisdom from many traditions and practices.
+
* Gyatso, Tenzin (also known as The Dalai Lama). (2005, November 12). "Our Faith in Science." ''The New York Times.'' [http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/12/opinion/12dalai.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 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).
+
 
+
'''Interest Readings'''
+
* Gronewold, Nathanial. (2009, October 23). "New School of Thought Brings Energy to 'the Dismal Science.'" ''New York Times.'' [http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2009/10/23/23greenwire-new-school-of-thought-brings-energy-to-the-dis-63367.html?pagewanted=all Link] - Grunwald chronicles conference of biophysical economists, providing thumbnail sketch of their thesis, historical context, and reason to heed them.
+
*Nolt, James. (5 November 2015.) "What's Wrong With Economics?" [http://www.worldpolicy.org/blog/2015/11/05/what%E2%80%99s-wrong-economics Link] - A Senior Fellow at World Policy Institute critiques economics as a celebration of "free markets" based upon false assumptions, pretending to be positive, though entirely normative. '''3 pp, 5 min.'''
+
*Nolt, James. (12 November 2015.) "Ideological Bedrock of Economics." [http://www.worldpolicy.org/blog/2015/11/12/ideological-bedrock-economics Link] - Nolt summarizes evolution of economics from classical to neo-classical, explaining how each form was constructed to reflect a temporal context, and decries "refusal to acknowledge pervasive private power." Power, difficult to quantify, was excluded in favor of price and quantity as economists sought the legitimacy of mathematics to support claims that theirs is a positive science. '''5pp., 8 min.'''
+
*Nolt, James. (19 November 2015.) "All Prices Are Political." [http://www.worldpolicy.org/blog/2015/11/19/all-prices-are-political Link] - Nolt explains how a handful of powerful owners distort markets, making a mockery of traditional economic theory. '''5pp., 8min.'''
+
*Nolt, James. (26 November 2015.) "Demand from Where." [http://www.worldpolicy.org/blog/2015/11/26/demand-where Link] - Nolt exposes the lie of consumer power. '''3pp., 5min.'''
+
*Nolt, James. (3 December 2015.) "Supply or Cost?"[http://www.worldpolicy.org/blog/2015/12/03/supply-or-cost Link] - Nolt argues that cost decreases as production increases, and that this departure from supply curves postulated in economics is sufficient to effectively destroy the efficient market hypothesis. '''3pp., 5min.'''
+
*Nolt, James. (10 December 2015.) "Cost and Competitive Power."[http://www.worldpolicy.org/blog/2015/12/10/cost-and-competitive-power Link] - Nolt argues that private owners avoid free markets as well as they're able. '''3pp., 5min.'''
+
*Nolt, James. (17 December 2015.) "Private Power and Price Stability."[http://www.worldpolicy.org/blog/2015/12/17/private-power-and-price-stability Link] - Regulatory power, public and private, not supply and demand, underpins price. '''3pp., 5min.'''
+
*Nolt, James. (24 March 2016.) "Understanding Value." [http://www.worldpolicy.org/blog/2016/03/24/understanding-value Link] - Nolt claims classical economists through Marx were correct to emphasize cost, and dismisses supply and demand in favor of struggle between debtors and creditors. '''3pp., 5min.'''
+
*Nolt, James. (31 March 2016.) "Valuing Capital." [http://www.worldpolicy.org/blog/2016/03/31/valuing-capital Link] - Nolt claims credit conditions strongly influence prices of everything, including money itself. '''3pp., 5min.'''
+
*Nolt, James. (7 April 2016.) "Valuing Nature and Real Estate."[http://www.worldpolicy.org/blog/2016/04/07/valuing-nature-and-real-estate Link] - Nolt notes impact of credit conditions on real property and natural resource prices, and observes that in an inflationary environment, a growing fraction of national income is shifted to property owners and the financial sector. '''3pp., 5min.'''
+
*Nolt, James. (2015.) "Crises and the Myth of the Money Supply." [http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1057&context=classracecorporatepower Link] - Nolt explains how bankers use power to extend or withhold credit to control everyone else. '''23pp., 30min.'''
+
*Nolt, James. (2015-2016.) "Polarizing Political Economy." World Policy - With blog begun in 2015 Nolt explains how wealthy people shape our world by extending or denying credit.
+
* Barber, Nigel. (2011). "Does Religion Make People Happier?" ''Psychology Today.'' [http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-human-beast/201102/does-religion-make-people-happier Link] - Barber explores the putative link between religion and happiness and offers evidence that wealth and sharing trump religion as predictors of happiness.
+
* Hauser, Marc; Singer, Peter. (2005). "Morality without Religion." ''Free Inquiry.'' [http://www.centerforinquiry.net/uploads/attachments/HauserSinger.pdf Link] - Hauser and Singer argue that we can approach morality and ethics scientifically (i.e., with valuescience).
+
* Bloom, Paul. (2012). "Religion, Morality, Evolution." ''Annual Review of Psychology.'' [http://www.yale.edu/minddevlab/papers/religion-morality-evolution.pdf 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."
+
* The Economist. (2008, March 19). "The Science of Religion: Where Angels No Longer Fear to Tread." ''The Economist.'' [http://www.economist.com/node/10875666 Link] - EU funding study of biological basis for religion. Summary of prior research to understand "religious experience" scientifically.
+
* Harkin, Sean. (2010, October 21). "Evidence-Based Economics." ''World Finance.'' [http://www.worldfinance.com/home/contributors/evidencebased-economics 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'' [http://www.uvm.edu/giee/publications/Nature_Paper.pdf Link]
+
*Daly, Herman. (1968). "On Economics as a Life Science." ''The Journal of Political Economy 76(3).'' [http://ideas.repec.org/a/ucp/jpolec/v76y1968p392.html Link]
+
*Brooks, David. (2011). "It's Not About You." ''New York Times.'' [http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/31/opinion/31brooks.html?ref=opinion Link]
+
* Franzen, Jonathan. (2011). "Liking Is for Cowards. Go for What Hurts." ''New York Times.'' [http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/29/opinion/29franzen.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&emc=eta1 Link]
+
*Seligman, Martin. (2004). "Eudaemonia: The Good Life." ''The Edge.'' [http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/seligman04/seligman_index.html Link]
+
*Brooks, David. (2009, May 12). "They Had It Made." ''New York Times.'' [http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/12/opinion/12brooks.html Link]
+
*Shermer, Michael. (1992). Excerpt. ''The Soul of Science.'' [http://www.michaelshermer.com/soul-of-science/excerpt/ Link]
+
*Daly, Herman. (1991). "Growth, International Trade, and Destruction of Community." ''The Social Contract.'' [http://www.thesocialcontract.com/artman2/publish/tsc0201/article_84.shtml Link]
+
*Daly, Herman. (1995). "Review of "Small is Stupid."" ''Population and Development Review.'' [http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdfplus/2137756.pdf Link]
+
*Daly, Herman. (1995). "The Irrationality of Homo Econimus." ''Developing Ideas.'' [http://www.iisd.org/didigest/special/DALY.HTM Link]
+
*Daly, Herman. (2003). "Policy, Possibility, and Purpose." ''The Social Contract.'' [http://www.thesocialcontract.com/artman2/publish/tsc1303/article_1146.shtml Link]
+
*Daly, Herman. (2003). "Selected Growth Fallacies." ''The Social Contract.'' [http://www.thesocialcontract.com/artman2/publish/tsc1303/article_1143.shtml Link]
+
*Daly, Herman. (2003). "The Economics of Julian Simon." ''The Social Contract.'' [http://www.thesocialcontract.com/artman2/publish/tsc1303/article_1144.shtml Link]
+
*Daly, Herman. (2003). "Globalization and Its Inconsistencies -- Does Free Trade Mean Free Migration?" ''The Social Contract.'' [http://www.thesocialcontract.com/artman2/publish/tsc1303/article_1145.shtml Link]
+
*Daly, Herman. (2003). "Steady-State Economics Concepts, Questions, Policies." ''The Social Contract.'' [http://www.thesocialcontract.com/artman2/publish/tsc1303/article_1140.shtml Link]
+
*Daly, Herman. (2003). "Population and Economics -- A Bioeconomic Analysis." ''The Social Contract.'' [http://www.thesocialcontract.com/artman2/publish/tsc1303/article_1142.shtml Link]
+
*Daly, Herman. (2003). "Uneconomic Growth in a Full World." ''The Social Contract.'' [http://www.thesocialcontract.com/artman2/publish/tsc1303/article_1141.shtml Link]
+
*Daly, Herman. (2004). "Offshoring in the Context of Globalization." ''The Social Contract.'' [http://www.thesocialcontract.com/artman2/publish/tsc1403/article_1230.shtml Link]
+
*Daly, Herman. (2005). "Economics in a Full World." ''Scientific American (September 2005).'' [http://www.publicpolicy.umd.edu/faculty/daly/sciam-Daly5%20copy%201.pdf Link]
+
*Daly, Herman. (2008). "The Crisis." ''Adbusters.'' [https://www.adbusters.org/magazine/81/the_crisis.html Link]
+
*Daly, Herman. (2008). "A Steady State Economy." ''Sustainable Development Commission.'' [http://www.sd-commission.org.uk/publications/downloads/Herman_Daly_thinkpiece.pdf Link]
+
*Costanza, Robert; Daly, Herman. (1992). "Natural Capital and Sustainable Development." ''Conservation Biology 6(1)." [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0888-8892%28199203%296%3A1%3C37%3ANCASD%3E2.0.CO%3B2-M Link]
+
*Mill, J.S. (1848). "Of the Stationary State." ''Principles of Political Economy.'' [http://oll.libertyfund.org/?option=com_staticxt&staticfile=show.php%3Ftitle=101&chapter=36347&layout=html&Itemid=27 Link]
+
** Highlighted version here [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0By0w-ttO7JmrbkhiU2ExdU1xRmM Link]
+
 
+
==Class 15 - Biosphere and Society: Vision==
+
'''Note'''
+
<br>We’ve now passed two milestones. First was an argument for valuescience and for how people are making it an element of a paradigm shift to a science-based consilient world-view. Second was an outline of that world-view which we acknowledged to be more illustrative than complete, and encouraged you to make a tool for deconstructing and reconstructing information you've acquired by accident.
+
 
+
In this class meeting we introduce a set of questions to which we respond as we envision possible futures. We view these as overarching, each containing numerous more detailed. For example with, "On what inputs will they rely?" we invite responses ranging from solar insulation, to energy captured by plants, to rare earth metal ores, to scientific knowledge ... to coconuts, to ants ... Ultimately all of us together will influence how much of what we input to human enterprise; each of us alone brings a vision for self and species to this process.
+
 
+
We pose a handful of large questions to stimulate you to think broadly and integratively. We've found that by responding to such questions we narrow possible responses to more particular ones, eliminating many to which in absence of responses to big questions people may devote great effort, often reaping loss where we sought gain. For example, "How shall we devise technologies for harvesting more fish?" seems a reasonable question until we consider a possibility that we've yet to ask, "How large a fish harvest can we sustain?" and "Are we already beyond it?" With old adages about giving people fish to feed them for a day and teaching them to fish to feed them for a lifetime we fall short of what is sufficient for us to thrive. Only by teaching how to sustain a fishery do we ensure food for our own and others' futures.
+
+
In remaining weeks we’ll consider examples of how people are practicing valuescience to evolve self and society. We’ve gathered scores of resources and grouped them under a few dozen topic headings. We intend these to be illustrative, rather than prescriptive. We view them as potential elements of a world we want to inhabit; however, we are without intention to imply support or endorsement for any.
+
 
+
Please explore these and contribute others you deem worthwhile as you reshape an analysis, vision, and plan for self and world. Please also remember that what each of us does today is simply a next step on life’s path. Valuescience practice entails acknowledgment that we’re forever short of “T”ruth and that we're able to continue evolving understanding and action. May you already be reaping benefits of practice, and may you continue to do so.
+
 
+
'''Question'''
+
<br>14. Outline in broad terms a vision for a world in which you think humans can thrive.
 Please include reference to the following: [population, paths and rates of human-mediated matter-energy conversion, culture, science, social contract].

<br>
+
# How many people will inhabit Earth?
+
# For how long?
+
# On what inputs will they rely?
+
# By what processes will they convert them?
+
# Into what outputs?
+
# Who will do what work?
+
# Who will reap what rewards?
+
# What functions will we fulfill at what levels of social organization?
+
# On what information will we rely?
+
# To what ends will we live?
+
# How will we evolve our social contract?
+
 
+
==Classes 16-20 - Evolving Self and Society==
+
===Note===
+
In final class meetings we consider how we may evolve self and society using valuescience to live and die well. We begin in this class by reframing addiction to better understand it as a root of suffering, and by examining how we may address ideas underpinning current addictions to shed them. We ask why and how love can be instrumental in recovery, how we can replace insatiable desire with a sense of "enough," and how we may become more comfortable accommodating in situations where we now manipulate. Then we explore proposals for reform of money and their basis in, and implications for social relations. Finally we reflect upon being and how we may enjoy it more fully so that we become better able to accept death. As in several previous classes we're aiming to provide students a sampler of ideas and resources, seeds you can nurture if and when you choose to do so as you continue on your paths.
+
 
+
===Objectives===
+
*Define addiction broadly and apply that definition to identify meta-addictions in contemporary society.
+
*Identify information with which we underpin these addictions and more accurate information by which we may begin to shed them.
+
* Understand why ours is an era requiring radical change.
+
* Describe specific techniques for changing individual behavior.
+
*Analyze ideas for personal and social change using a valuescience framework.
+
*Identify some that you consider conducive to your and others' living and dying well.
+
*For each, describe the evidence and line of reasoning by which you draw your conclusion.
+
 
+
===Questions===
+
15. List and briefly describe some ways that that people can practice valuescience to evolve (a) self and (b) society towards the vision you outline in #14, above. [Please include reference to the following: [individual change (self-awareness, conscious personal evolution, social action (cognitive activism, organizing for social change), altered and reduced throughput]<br>
+
# What are some self-awareness practices you find beneficial?
+
# What are some changes you’ve made this quarter to information you carry?
+
# How have you engaged in cognitive activism to disseminate valuescience?
+
# In what ways have you organized with others for social change?
+
# What have you done to alter or reduce your matter-energy throughput?
+
# What have you done to address population overshoot?
+
 
+
===Additional Questions===
+
*State two definitions of addiction proposed by authors of the readings and suggest a few implications of each.
+
*How might we characterize ideas about love, growth, manipulation (energy, technology), money, individualism, doing, and living long as addictions, and how might we begin to shed these?
+
* What are three arguments for sweeping change in world-view and behavior that the authors of these readings make?
+
* What are three impediments to evolving an accurate, science-based world-view they identify?
+
* What are three possible ways they propose to mitigate or surmount them?
+
* What are some techniques for personal change described in the readings that you currently use or might you use to benefit you and others?
+
*Select three readings and use valuescience to briefly assess the merits of the changes their authors propose.
+
 
+
===Readings===
+
 
+
'''Overview of Addiction'''
+
*Magic, Thoughts on Addiction [http://ecomagic.org/addiction.shtml Link] '''5pp (10 min)'''
+
*Kotler, Steven. (2015). "The Truth about Addiction: We're All Junkies Now." [http://singularityhub.com/2015/01/24/the-truth-about-addiction-were-all-junkies-now/ Link] - Broad view of addiction, edging towards "habitual maladaptive behavior" and all that we imply with this definition. - '''3pp, 3min.'''
+
*Stover, Dawn. (2014). "Addicted to Oil." ''Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.'' [http://thebulletin.org/addicted-oil7174 Link] - Author proposes to treat fossil fuel dependency as substance addiction, uses DSM-V to substantiate diagnosis, and iterates proven approaches to addiction treatment. '''3pp., 3min.'''
+
*Duhigg,Charles. (2014). The Power of Habit. [http://charlesduhigg.com/the-power-of-habit/ Link] - One-page description of book in which author describes how to form and break habits, and why this skill is important. '''1p., 1min.'''
+
 
+
'''Love'''
+
*Firestone, Robert. "The Fantasy Bond." Psychology Today. [https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-human-experience/200812/the-fantasy-bond-substitute-truly-loving-relationship Link] '''2pp., 2min.''' If you want more on this topic, see "The Fantasy Bond: A Developmental Overview," [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrU2xGZU1pX1V3YWs/view?usp=sharing Link1] "Hunger Versus Love," [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrbG8taGpyYlQzOFU/view?usp=sharing Link2] and "Point of View," [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrajREckF5ZTBYbHM/view?usp=sharing Link3] ''The Fantasy Bond,'' Robert W. Firestone, '''pp. 35-56, 365-389 [47 pgs].'''
+
 
+
'''Enough'''
+
*Monbiot, George. (2014). "The Impossibility of Growth." [http://www.monbiot.com/2014/05/27/the-impossibility-of-growth/ Link] - Monbiot describes why collapse is inevitable and necessary. '''3pp., 3 min.'''
+
*"We Need to Talk About Growth." ''Persuade Me'' (I'm asking you to read sub-headings 1. and 10. Read more if you like.) (27 February 2014) - Australian Michael Rowan discusses the necessity for an end to growth, quoting people from Adam Smith to Sarkozy to support his case, and calculating both the consequences of various scenarios in which we continue growing and prospects for prosperity in its absence. [http://persuademe.com.au/need-talk-growth-need-sums-well/ Link] '''2pp, 2min; 20pp, 20min if you read it all.'''
+
*Jackson, Tim. "Prosperity Without Growth." [http://www.nfft.hu/dynamic/20090522_pwg_summary_eng.pdf Link] - Summary of Tim Jackson's book, "Prosperity Without Growth." Look especially at Box 1 on last page. Those of you who've been asking as we moved through the quarter, "How shall we deal with all this?" may find in Jackson's proposals basis for individual and collective action. '''9pp., 10min.'''
+
*Hagens, Nate. (2011). "Fleeing Vesuvius: The Psychological Roots of Resource Overconsumption." (I'm asking you to read the "Conclusion" section. Read more if you like.) - Nate Hagens explores our appetites for novelty and status, tracing their long evolutionary history and their relationship to addictive contemporary behaviors by which we expend more and more resource for less and less satisfaction. Hagens integrates broad understanding of evolution of Earth and life with growing evidence from neurobiology to explain, and to propose exits from our current predicament. Here as in Stover's and Jackson's writings we see clearly how change within us and change without us are necessary to each other. [http://www.theoildrum.com/node/7901 Link] '''2pp, 2min; 18pp, 20min'''
+
  
'''Accommodation'''
+
Participants Enrolled for 4 Units (Practicum)
*"Zero Carbon Britain." [http://www.zerocarbonbritain.org/images/pdfs/ZCB_RTF%20-%20Report%20in%20Short%20-%20A4%20printable.pdf Link] - The creators of this site have a fairly detailed plan for bringing Britain's carbon budget into balance without reliance upon fossil fuel or nuclear fission. This summary is dense. Skim it to grasp the main ideas. Mark Jacobsen of Stanford and colleagues have developed similar proposals for each of the 50 States. '''6pp, 6min.''' (I consider this an evidence and reason-based response to MacKay's near-insistence upon using nukes. [http://www.withouthotair.com/c27/page_212.shtml Link] '''1p., 3min.''')
+
*Crabb, Peter. (2008). "Technology Traps." [http://www.culturechange.org/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=244&Itemid=66 Link] - Peter Crabb asserts that technology is a trap into which we've fallen, and that we're avoiding a fundamental issue of how to satisfy human wants with available resources. - '''2pp, 5 min'''
+
*Gunter, Linda Pentz. (2013). "Pandora's False Promises: Busting the Pro-Nuclear Propaganda." Read executive summary. Look at whatever else you want. Yes, counterarguments are many; however, we anticipate that those who reap narrow benefit from nuclear fission power will continue to inundate us with these, and we want to expose you to a viewpoint less readily accessible. [http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/356082/23372330/1377269728920/Aug23_2013_Pandora%27s+False+Promises.pdf?token=B7ikhl2wiYgk8ChS2ZULW75jjEc%3D Link] '''1p., 2min'''
+
  
'''Beyond Debt Money'''
+
*0-20% Class participation
*"Positive Money." [http://www.positivemoney.org/ Link] - UK group advocates for monetary reform, including spending money into existence and ending bankers' right to create money. Watch video. Explore site further if you want more. '''4 min.'''
+
*0-20% Quizzes
*Tribe.net. (2007, April 8). "An Experiment in Worgl." Tribe.net. [http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:pNgUiBqgE9wJ:alt-money.tribe.net/thread/70e5eb29-853d-44ca-9faa-b789d1757037+&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=safari Link] '''2pp., 2min.'''
+
*20% Project
*Aponte, Inez. (2014). "From Dismal Science to Language of Beauty: Towards a New Story of Economics."[http://www.resilience.org/stories/2014-12-09/from-dismal-science-to-language-of-beauty-towards-a-new-story-of-economics Link] - Inez Aponte critiques contemporary economics narrative and offers alternative by contrasting oikonomia with khrematistika. - '''10pp., 15 min.'''
+
*20-68% Final exam
*Tett, Gillian. (2011, September 9). "Debt: It's Back to the Future." ''FT Magazine.'' [http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/04e44606-d9a0-11e0-b16a-00144feabdc0.html Link] - Gillian reviews Debt: The First 5000 Years, a book by anarchist anthropologist David Graeber in which he traces the history of debt, and offers the view that his reports of a "safety valve" to prevent dire consequences of debt may be worthy of attention in our era. '''3pp., 3min.'''
+
*12-20% Practicum
*"Debt: The First 5000 Years." Wikipedia. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debt:_The_First_5000_Years Link] - This article is mainly a synopsis of a book by anarchist anthropologist David Graeber, in which he argues that money is social relation, rather than artifact, and advocates a renewal of relations he calls "everyday communism." Graeber says, "The sociology of everyday communism is a potentially enormous field, but one which, owing to our peculiar ideological blinkers, we have been unable to write about because we have been largely unable to see it." '''3pp., 5min.''
+
*Popper, Nathaniel. "Can Bitcoin Conquer Argentina?." (29 April 2015) ''NYTimes.'' - Popper reports on Argentine use of Bitcoin to circumvent banking and currency regulations and institutions in Argentina, and uses the Argentine example to describe growth to date and potential growth of Bitcoin with reference to larger context of traditional banks and investors in the US and other countries. [http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/03/magazine/how-bitcoin-is-disrupting-argentinas-economy.html?contentCollection=magazine&action=click&module=NextInCollection&region=Footer&pgtype=article Link] '''22pp., 20 min.'''
+
  
'''Alternative Money and Banking'''
+
Grading Alternatives
*''Wikipedia.'' "Local Currency." [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_currency Link] - basic ideas about local currency theory and global practice. '''5 min'''
+
*''Wikipedia.'' "List of Community Currencies in the United States." [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_community_currencies_in_the_United_States 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'''
+
*Ellis, Blake. (2012, January 27). "Local Currencies: 'In the U.S. We Don't Trust'." ''CNN.'' [http://money.cnn.com/2012/01/17/pf/local_currency/ Link] - States are rushing to explore issuance of alternative currencies. '''5 min'''
+
*Gatch, Loren. (2008). "Local Money in the US During the Great Depression." [http://www.ebhsoc.org/journal/index.php/journal/article/viewFile/6/6 Link] - Paper by Loren Gatch of Department of Political Science at the University of Central Oklahoma:  In this 16-page monograph Gatch details the types of scrip issued during the Depression, the entities that issued it, the interests served by it, and its successes and failures as money. '''10-20 min, depending on how much you read'''
+
*"Bay Bucks - The New Economy 2.0." [http://www.baybucks.com/vision-and-values.html 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 - ?'''
+
*RT. (2014, January 30). "Strategic Failure: Iceland Allowed 2008 Bank Collapses to Support Households." [http://rt.com/business/iceland-banks-collapse-crisis-405/ Link] - Iceland lets banks collapse and writes off up to $33,000 of every household's mortgage. '''5 min'''
+
*Editorial Board. (22 May 2015). ''NYTimes.'' "Opinion: Banks as Felons or Criminality Lite." NYTimes editorial board criticizes the modest penalties assessed banks and bankers after their guilty plea to currency market manipulation. [http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/23/opinion/banks-as-felons-or-criminality-lite.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=opinion-c-col-left-region&region=opinion-c-col-left-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-left-region&_r=0&assetType=opinion Link] '''3pp., 3min.'''
+
*Lietaer, Bernard. (2010, March 27). "The Wörgl Experiment: Austria (1932-1933)." [http://www.lietaer.com/2010/03/the-worgl-experiment/ Link] '''2pp., 3min.''' - How a small German town issued its own currency during the Great Depression and flourished as others floundered. If you prefer a longer version, read this: Mind Contagion."An Experiment in Wörgl." [http://www.mindcontagion.org/worgl/worgl1.html Link] '''4pp., 5min.'''
+
*Wikipedia. (2014). "Rotating Savings and Credit Associations." [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotating_Savings_and_Credit_Association 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. [https://ideas.repec.org/p/fip/fedpcd/06-01.html Link]'''10 min'''
+
  
'''Beyond Individualism'''
+
With consent of instructor prior to final date for electing letter grade or C/NC, a student may establish grading criteria different from above.
*Grant, Adam. (2013). "Does Studying Economics Lead to greed?" [http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/give-and-take/201310/does-studying-economics-breed-greed Link] - Various researchers have found that people who study economics become less concerned about others. Economics remains a primary framework for assessing value. Biophysical economics is means to evolve economics to reinforce understanding of interdependence of individual and common good. '''6pp., 5min.'''
+
  
'''Being'''
+
For more, please see: [[Grading]].
*Johnson, Carolyn. (2014). "People Prefer Electric Shocks to Time Alone with Thoughts." [http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/science/2014/07/03/idle/J2LpEcTdZzLykRCTnZ80fL/story.html Link] - Dan Gilbert and colleagues have shown that people prefer electric shocks to being alone and quietly thinking about whatever we choose. '''3pp., 3min.'''
+
*Thich Nhat Hanh. (1999). "Stopping, Calming, Resting, Healing." The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrRWN1YzVqaVZaQ00/view?usp=sharing Link] pp. 24-27. '''4pp., 8min.'''
+
*Brooks, David. (23 October 2015). "Lady Gaga and the Life of Passion." - Brooks writes of passion, bravery, fulfillment, meaning, completion, coherence, fervent curiosity, unquenchable thirst for wholeheartedness, escaping the tyranny of public opinion, and living without fear. [http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/23/opinion/lady-gaga-and-the-life-of-passion.html?action=click&contentCollection=opinion&module=NextInCollection&region=Footer&pgtype=article&rref=column Link] '''5pp., 5min.'''
+
*Simmons, Michael. "Ten Ways Successful People Deal With Stress Differently." TIME. (11 June 2015.) - Suggestions for chilling. [http://time.com/3917059/stress-relief-tips/ Link] '''4pp., 4 min.'''
+
  
'''Death and Dying'''
+
== Topics ==
*Palet, Laura Secorun. (13 September 2014). "A Cheerful Mortician Tackles the Lighter Side of Death." ''NPR Books.'' [http://www.npr.org/2014/09/13/348223758/a-cheerful-mortician-tackles-the-lighter-side-of-death Link]. Interview with Caitlin Doughty, author of ''Smoke Gets in your Eyes and Other Lessons of the Crematory''. A thesis of the author is that we need to have more contact with death and dead bodies, to get more familiar and comfortable with our own dying. She is trying to reduce embalming and caskets, in favor of at-home wakes, burials in a mere shroud, and cremation ceremonies attended by the family, where a family member gets to press the button to incinerate the corpse. '''4pp., 5min'''.
+
* [[Human Ecology: Framework for Valuescience]]
*Maynard, Brittany. (2 November 2014). "My Right to Death with Dignity at 29." ''CNN Opinion.'' [http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/07/opinion/maynard-assisted-suicide-cancer-dignity/  Link] - Brittany Maynard, a 29 year-old woman with incurable brain cancer committed suicide and made a statement for right to death with dignity. '''3pp., 5 min'''
+
* [[Embodying, Communicating, and Evolving Culture]]
*Emmanuel, Ezekiel. "Why I Hope to Die at 75." ''The Atlantic.'' [http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2014/09/why-i-hope-to-die-at-75/379329/ Link] - Ezekial Emmanuel, a highly respected physician, writes about the duration of a good life, and extended morbidity consequences of medical care aimed at prolonging life. On the basis of this article officials of the AMA initiated a process to revoke an award they'd earlier given Emmanuel for medical ethics. '''19pp., 20 min'''
+
* [[Worldview: Import, Sources, Evolving]]
 +
* [[Paradigm Shift to a Consilient, Science-based Worldview]]
 +
* [[Valuescience: What? Why? How?]]
 +
* [[Universe, Earth, Life, Humans: What Is?]]
 +
* [[Mind]]
 +
* [[Money and Dominance]]
 +
* [[How It Came to Be]]
 +
* [[Scientific World-modeling]]
 +
* [[Biosphere: Conditions and Trends]]
 +
* [[Society: Conditions and Trends]]
 +
* [[Scientifically Consilient Religion and Economics]]
 +
* [[Biosphere and Society: Vision]]
 +
* [[Evolving Self]]
 +
* [[Evolving Society]]
  
'''Evolving a More Accurate Analysis'''
+
=Schedule=  
*Konnikova, Maria. "I Don't Want to Be Right." ''The New Yorker.'' (19 May 2014.) [http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/mariakonnikova/2014/05/why-do-people-persist-in-believing-things-that-just-arent-true.html?utm_source=www&utm_medium=tw&utm_campaign=20140519 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 see self and world more accurately. '''9 pp., 10 min'''
+
*Mooney, Chris. (2011). "The Science of Why We Don't Believe Science." [https://medium.com/mother-jones/adfa0d026a7e Link] '''16 min'''
+
*Speth, Gus. "Change Everything Now." ''Orion, September/October 2008.'' [https://orionmagazine.org/article/change-everything-now/ Link] - Co-founder of Natural Resources Defense Council and former Dean of Yale School of Forestry calls for mass political action to fundamentally restructure corporations and society. '''6pp., 6 min.''' (For more essays from the Orion series, "Change Everything Now," follow links at [https://orionmagazine.org/change-everything-now/ Link]
+
*Lehrer, Jonah. "Why We Don't Believe in Science." ''The New Yorker.'' (7 June 2012.) [http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/frontal-cortex/2012/06/brain-experiments-why-we-dont-believe-science.html 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. '''5pp, 5min'''
+
*Sachs, Adam. ''Grist.'' (24 August 2009). "The Fallacy of Climate Activism."  [http://grist.org/article/2009-08-23-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. '''6pp., 6min'''
+
*Alpervitz, Gar. "The Next System Question and the New Economy." ''Solutions.'' (Volume 4, #5, October 2013) [http://www.thesolutionsjournal.com/node/24039 Link]- Alpervitz makes a case for systemic, rather than superficial change, and gives examples of how we've already begun. The creators of this website have collected and generated much thoughtful work about where we go from here. '''2pp, 3 min'''
+
*''Wikipedia.'' "Dunning Kruger Effect." [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_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 Dunning and Kruger 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)). '''2pp., 2min.'''
+
*Graeber, David. "Give It Away." [http://www.freewords.org/graeber.html 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. '''10pp, 15 min'''
+
*Pizzi, Ed. "Shallow Analysis: The Los Angeles Times Water Footprint Visualization." (28 May 2015). ''Los Angeles Times.'' Pizzi offers a thoughtful critique of a nominally "scientific" analysis of water required to grow different foods. I consider this an excellent example of how to practice science to read and qualify material published in the popular press. [http://veganperspective.org/2015/05/28/shallow-analysis/ Link] - '''7pp., 7min.'''
+
  
'''Changing Habits'''
+
Note: Please complete assignment prior to attending class unless instructed otherwise.
*Keys, Alicia. "Time to Uncover." (3 June 2016). ''LennyLetter.com.'' - Keys writes of becoming make-up free. [http://www.lennyletter.com/style/a410/alicia-keys-time-to-uncover/ Link] '''3pp., 3min.'''
+
{| class="wikitable"
*Aamodt, Sandra; Wang, Sam. (2008, April 2). "Tighten Your Belt, Strengthen Your Mind." New York Times. - [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/02/opinion/02aamodt.html?pagewanted=print&_r=0 Link] - Aamodt and Wang say that we've limited willpower and advise us to use it wisely and increase it with practice. '''5 min'''
+
|-
*Jampolsky, Gerald. (2004). ''Love is Letting Go of Fear.'' [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwqfnYT3pok2YWNPZE1zRFhzUTA/edit?usp=sharing 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'''
+
! Week !! Class Date !! Assignment
*Morin, Amy. (2013, December 3). "Five Powerful Exercises to Increase Your Mental Strength." ''Forbes.'' [http://www.forbes.com/sites/groupthink/2013/12/03/5-powerful-exercises-to-increase-your-mental-strength/ 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.'' [http://www.fastcompany.com/3021820/work-smart/how-incredibly-lazy-people-can-form-productive-habits Link] - Tips for habit formation. '''5 min'''
+
| 1 || Class 1 || 1. Read the syllabus.
*Boroson, Martin. (2011). "How to Meditate in a Moment." [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6eFFCi12v8 Link] - Meditating in a moment to bring greater calm to any situation. '''5 min'''
+
*Enge, Nick and Power, Richard. (2013). ''Waltzing: A Manual for Dancing and Living.'' '''15 min total'''
+
**"Dance for your Partner." [http://books.google.com/books?id=_Ib9pCA0jH0C&pg=PA141 Link]- Enge describes Abraham Maslow's concept of synergy, as the merging/transcendence of selfishness and altruism.
+
**"Giving." [http://books.google.com/books?id=_Ib9pCA0jH0C&pg=PA145 Link]- Enge describes the benefits of giving.
+
**"Gratitude." [http://books.google.com/books?id=_Ib9pCA0jH0C&pg=PA227 Link]- Enge describes the benefits of gratitude
+
**"Dancing in the Rain." [http://books.google.com/books?id=_Ib9pCA0jH0C&pg=PA153 Link]- Enge describes the benefits of radical acceptance.
+
*Scott, Robyn. "The 30 Second Habit with a Lifelong Impact." [https://medium.com/sonra-oku/2c3f948ead98 Link] - The author describes a procedure for distilling and clarifying social experience which she claims has proven beneficial for her and others. '''5 min'''
+
*Barker, Eric. (30 April 2014). "Time Management Skills are Stupid. Here's What Really Works." ''The Week.'' [http://theweek.com/article/index/260724/time-management-skills-are-stupid-heres-what-actually-works Link] - Advice on working smarter (e.g., like an athlete!) by emphasizing energy rather than time. '''5 min'''
+
*Fogg, BJ. "Tiny Habits." [http://tinyhabits.com/ 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'''
+
*Roberts, David. (October 2014). "Reboot or Die Trying." ''Outside Magazine.'' [http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/media/Reboot-or-Die-Trying.html Link] - A star blogger unplugs. '''10 min'''.
+
*Oettingen, Gabrielle. (24 October 2014). "The Problem with Positive Thinking. ''New York Times.'' [http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/26/opinion/sunday/the-problem-with-positive-thinking.html Link] - Psychologist Gabriele Oettingen reports that a balance between imagining desired outcomes and contemplating obstacles yields a better life than either untrammeled "positive thinking" or unremitting "realism." '''5 min'''.
+
*Arends, Brett. (18 September 2014.). "A Full Night's Sleep Can Really Pay Off—in Salary and Investments." ''Wall Street Journal.'' [http://online.wsj.com/articles/a-full-nights-sleep-can-really-
+
  
'''Evolving Vision and Plan'''
+
2. Read Graham, Paul. (2009). "Keep Your Identity Small." ("The more labels you have for yourself, the dumber they make you." - Paul Graham) (2pp, 2 min) [http://paulgraham.com/identity.html Link]  
*"Weaving the Community Resilience and New Economy Movement: Voices from the Field." Post Carbon Institute - Almost twenty people representing organizations working to these ends collaborate to outline lessons learned and directions they're headed. I found useful their lists of approaches and common ground elements. People looking for meaningful livelihood may find these suggestive. [http://www.postcarbon.org/publications/weaving-crne/ Link] '''26pp., 30 min.'''
+
  
'''Taking a Stand'''
+
3. View this two-minute video and attend class prepared to summarize its content. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxngE8UAOIeBcU5DUFBTalg5dnc/edit Link]
*Jensen, Derrick. (2006). "To Give Our Brightest Deepest Truth." [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8dQDga7c8qYOE9TMmJrUktVaXc Link] '''7 min'''
+
|-
 +
| 1 || Class 2 || 1. For the topic [[Valuescience: What? Why? How?]], please review the questions, watch the presentation, and read core readings. (Click on the topic name to access these items.)
 +
2. Complete "Valuescience: What, Why, How" quiz.
  
'''Reducing Population'''
+
3. Read Duhigg, Charles. (2012). "Keystone Habits, or the Ballad of Paul O'Neill." ''The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business.'' - Duhigg makes a case that some habits are so central to our lives that by altering them we can make much other change more readily. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8dQDga7c8qYU0UtQ3FLTWJNZzA/view Link]
*Engelman, Robert. (2011). "An End to Population Growth: Why Family Planning Is Key to a Sustainable Future." ''Solutions for a Sustainable and Desirable Future.'' [http://www.thesolutionsjournal.com/node/919 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'''
+
*"Condoms Fight Climate Change But Nobody Wants to Talk About It" - Woodrow Wilson Institute scholars describe link between population and climate change and difficulty of publicly making it. [http://www.nationaljournal.com/energy/condoms-fight-climate-change-but-nobody-wants-to-talk-about-it-20141031 Link] '''4pp., 4 min.'''
+
  
'''Cognitive Activism'''
+
4. Submit practicum proposal.
*Gergen, Kenneth J.. "Theoretical Background and Mission Statement," "Social Construction: Orienting Principles." Taos Institute. - Gergen lists central ideas shared by people aiming to use the perspective that we socially construct reality to move us towards a socially constructed narrative more consistent with observable phenomena. - [http://www.taosinstitute.net/theoretical-background Link]
+
|-
*"Petrolify." Post Carbon Institute. (19 September 2014.) - This satirical parody video begins with typical advertising inducements and ends with a host of ills resulting from product purchase, in this case petroleum. [http://www.petrolify.com/ Link] '''5 min.'''
+
| 2 || Class 3 || 1. For the topic [[Human Ecology: Framework for Valuescience]], please review the questions, watch the presentation, and read the core readings. (Click on the topic name to access these items.)
*"Appreciative Inquiry." Wikipedia. - Appreciative inquiry is an approach to change in which people concentrate attention on the best of what is and aim to grow it, rather than upon "fixing" "problems." I think it classic "reframing," worthy of attention as we consciously evolve self and society. [https://en.wikipedia.org/?title=Appreciative_inquiry Link] '''3pp., 5 min.'''
+
2. Complete "Human Ecology" quiz.
*"The Most Dangerous Man in America. " [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwXylIaJ_Lg Link] In 1971, Daniel Ellsberg, a top military strategist working for the RAND Corporation, leaked a 7,000-page document known as the Pentagon Papers to the New York Times. Disenchanted with the nation's conduct in Vietnam, Ellsberg believed the release of the top secret paper--which outlined the 'secret history' of the war--was crucial to educating the public about the government's lies and misdeeds. This documentary chronicles the media and political frenzy that Ellsberg unleashed, and traces the effect of the leak on public perception of both the war and the White House.  
+
|-
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| 2 || Class 4|| 1. For the topic [[Embodying, Communicating, and Evolving Culture]], please review the questions, watch the presentation, and read the core readings. (Click on the topic name to access these items.)
 +
2. Submit week 2 practicum report.
  
'''Beyond Single-Occupant Autos v. Mass Transit'''
+
3. Complete "Embodying, Communicating, and Evolving Culture" quiz.
*Cooper, Brad. ''Kansas City Star.'' (20 August 2014). "Hitchhiking App Hopes to Tap Into the Booming Sharing Economy." - Jennifer O'Brien, a Lawrence, Kansas resident launched a drive to make hitchhiking safer. For more info: CarmaHop, Hitchwiki. [http://www.kansascity.com/news/business/technology/article1266455.html Link] '''4pp., 4 min.'''
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|-
 +
| 3 || Class 5 ||1. For the topic [[Worldview: Import, Sources, Evolving]], please review the questions, watch the presentation, and read the core readings. (Click on the topic name to access these items.)
 +
2. Complete "Worldview" quiz.
  
'''Redefining Prosperity'''
+
3. Submit Valuescience: What, Why, How video.
*''Wikipedia''. "Genuine Progress Indicator." [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genuine_progress_indicator Link], "Happy Planet Index." [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_Planet_Index Link] - Alternative Economic Indicators (skim these to grasp basic idea). '''5 min'''
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|-
 +
| 3 || Class 6 || 1. For the topic [[Paradigm Shift to a Consilient, Science-based Worldview]], please review the questions, watch the presentation, and read the core readings. (Click on the topic name to access these items.)  
 +
2. Submit week 3 practicum report.<br>
  
'''Reshaping Higher Education'''
+
3. Complete "Paradigm Shifts" quiz.
*Shiller, Robert. (22 May 2015). ''NYTimes.'' "What to Learn in College to Stay One Step Ahead of Computers." [http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/24/upshot/what-to-learn-in-college-to-stay-one-step-ahead-of-computers.html?&moduleDetail=section-news-0&action=click&contentCollection=The%20Upshot&region=Footer&module=MoreInSection&version=WhatsNext&contentID=WhatsNext&configSection=article&isLoggedIn=true&pgtype=article&abt=0002&abg=0 Link] A well-known and respected economist talks about the benefits of general thinking skills and understanding of real-world enterprise as essential elements of higher education if students are to reduce the likelihood that they will be replaced by computers. I read this and thought that he affirmed much we do in valuescience. One thing Shiller omits is that computers are without need to learn how to live well. '''3pp. 3min.'''
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|-
 +
| 4 || Class 7 || 1. For the topic [[Valuescience: What? Why? How?]], please review the questions, watch the presentation, and read the core readings. (Click on the topic name to access these items.) Those who have been in the class from the very beginning have already done this work. We suggest that you review it.  
  
'''Leading Away from Materialism'''
+
2. Complete "Valuescience: What, Why, How" quiz. Those who have been in the class from the very beginning have already completed this quiz. You may repeat this quiz. We will use your higher grade.
*Kasser, Tim. (2002). Excerpts. ''The High Price of Materialism.'' pp. 4, 22, 28, 40-42. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwqfnYT3pok2X0JpeTVKVlY0NDg/edit?usp=sharing 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. - [http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/17/garden/square-feet-84-possessions-305.html?_r=0 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" [http://urbanhomestead.org/ Link]. - Ideas for living a dream. Look at "Facts and Stats" page, and whatever else you like. '''10 min'''
+
*Goldberg, Carey. (1995). "Choosing the Joys of a Simplified Life." ''Los Angeles Times.'' [http://www.nytimes.com/1995/09/21/garden/choosing-the-joys-of-a-simplified-life.html?src=pm&pagewanted=1 Link] - Introduction to voluntary simplicity. '''5 min'''
+
*Schor, Juliet. (2011, September 2). "Less Work, More Living." Yes! Magazine. [http://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/new-livelihoods/less-work-more-living Link] '''5pp., 5min.'''
+
*Smith, Richard. (2013, November 14). "Sleepwalking to Extinction: Capitalism and the Destruction of Life and Earth." - An historian frames our times as part of a much longer human story, decries our delusion and denial, and notes signs that we may awaken to realize an "eco-socialist vision" and preserve future possibilities we very much want. Excerpt: "But we can’t stop because we’re all locked into an economic system in which companies have to grow to compete and reward their shareholders and because we all need the jobs." [https://www.adbusters.org/magazine/110/sleepwalking-extinction.html Link] '''17pp., 15min.'''
+
*Kaplan, Jeffrey. "The Gospel of Consumption." ''Orion, September/October 2008.'' [http://www.orionmagazine.org/index.php/articles/article/2962/ 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'''
+
*Harmsen, Peter. (2014, May 29). "Swedes Test Future: Less Work, More Play." ''AFP.'' [http://news.asiaone.com/news/world/swedes-test-future-less-work-more-play Link] - Swedes are experimenting with a 30-hour work week. '''5 min'''
+
*Braw, Elisabeth. "Communal Living Projects Moving from Hippie to Mainstream." (11 May 2015). ''Guardian.'' - Braw notes rising popularity of co-housing world-wide, remarks that people often choose it first for reasons of ecological footprint or cost and then discover its social pleasures, and connects it to the larger "sharing economy." [http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2015/may/11/communal-living-projects-moving-from-hippie-to-mainstream Link] '''3 pp., 3 min.'''
+
  
'''Exploring Energy Alternatives'''
+
|-
*Rocky Mountain Institute. "Reinventing Fire: Electricity." [http://www.rmi.org/electricity Link] - Writers at organization directed by Amory Lovins describe how to implement transition to a distributed electricity generating system with broad social and environmental benefit. '''5pp., 5min.'''
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| 4 || Class 8 || 1. For the topic [[Universe, Earth, Life, Humans: What Is?]], please review the questions, watch the presentation, and read the core readings. (Click on the topic name to access these items.)
*Shwartz, Mark. "Stanford scientist unveils 50-state plan to transform U.S. to renewable energy." ''Stanford Report.'' (26 February 2014) [http://news.stanford.edu/news/2014/february/fifty-states-renewables-022414.html 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'''
+
2. Submit week 4 practicum report.<br>
*Anderson, L.V.. "What If Everyone in the World Became a Vegetarian?" ''Mother Jones'' (1 May 2014) [http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/05/what-if-everyone-world-became-vegetarian Link] - Anderson presents a rough yet useful analysis of the mixed effects of a universal shift to a meatless diet. '''5 min'''
+
  
'''Generating Meaning and Purpose'''
+
3. Complete "What is?" quiz.
*Seligman, Martin. (2004). "Eudaemonia: The Good Life." ''The Edge.'' [http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/seligman04/seligman_index.html 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.'' [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwqfnYT3pok2NXdheC1TMzdESEVFTTBfQnJxVUg4TnZPaVlB/view?usp=sharing Link] [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwqfnYT3pok2VXBJZzVFdTJnZHhWdmotajd3dXI5MzB2bXpN/view?usp=sharing Link] pp. 7-25. '''20 min'''
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| 5 || Class 9 || 1. For the topic [[Mind]], please review the questions, watch the presentation, and read the core readings. (Click on the topic name to access these items.)
*Das, Ram. (1971). "Journey," ''Remember, Be Here Now.'' [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwqfnYT3pok2NFpLWDQwMEU1V00/edit?usp=sharing Link]. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwqfnYT3pok2RkdFd0M3MHlrYTA/edit?usp=sharing 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'''
+
2. Complete "Mind" quiz.
*Davidson, Sara. (autumn 2006)."The Ultimate Trip." ''Tufts Magazine'' [http://www.tufts.edu/alumni/magazine/fall2006/features/ultimate-trip.html - Link] - Brief biography of Richard Alpert/Ram Das. '''10 Min'''
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|-
*Roush, Wade. (2008, July 23). "Stever Robbins on How to Be a Happy Entrepreneur." ''Xconomy.'' [http://www.xconomy.com/boston/2008/07/23/stever-robbins-on-how-to-be-a-happy-entrepreneur-one-tip-never-trust-a-vc/ 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'''
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| 5 || Class 10 || 1. For the topic [[Money and Dominance]], please review the questions, watch the presentation, and read the core readings. (Click on the topic name to access these items.)  
*Brooks, David. (2009, May 12). "They Had It Made." ''New York Times.'' [http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/12/opinion/12brooks.html Link] - Brooks reviews the Grant study and comments on the divergent life paths of seemingly promising young men. '''5 min'''
+
2. Submit week 5 practicum report. <br>
*Shenk, Joshua. (2009, June 1). "What Makes Us Happy?" ''The Atlantic'' [http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2009/06/what-makes-us-happy/307439/ 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'''
+
*Poswolsky, Adam. "4 Tips to Help Millenials Find Meaningful Work." ''Fast Company.'' - [http://www.fastcoexist.com/3029111/change-generation/4-tips-to-help-millennials-find-meaningful-work 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'''
+
*Jacobs, Tom. (13 May 2014). "Sense of Purpose Lengthens Life." ''Pacific Standard.'' [http://www.psmag.com/navigation/health-and-behavior/evidence-sense-meaning-lengthens-life-81350/ Link] - Jacobs reviews a well-done study in which researchers found purpose a buffer against mortality risk across adult years. '''5 min'''
+
*Khazan, Olga. "How Meaningful Activities Protect the Teen Brain from Depression." ''The Atlantic.'' [http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/04/how-meaningful-activities-protect-the-teen-brain-from-depression/360988/ Link] - Researchers studying teens find evidence that kindness and meaningful service to others are protective of mental health.
+
*Monbiot, George. (2014). "Career Advice." In Monbiot's words, "You know you have only one life. You know it is a precious, extraordinary, unrepeatable thing: the product of billions of years of serendipity and evolution. So why waste it by handing it over to the living dead?" [http://www.monbiot.com/career-advice/ Link] '''5pp., 5min'''
+
*Scranton, Roy. (2013, November 10). "Learning How to Die in the Anthropocene." The New York Times. [http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/11/10/learning-how-to-die-in-the-anthropocene/?&assetType=opinion Link]
+
*Huffington, Arianna. (2013, September 23). "Are You Living Your Eulogy or Your Résumé?" The Huffington Post. - The author opines, "[W]hile it's not hard to live a Third Metric life -- redefining success beyond money and power to include well-being, wisdom and our ability to wonder and to give -- it's very easy not to." [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/are-you-living-your-eulogy-or-your-resume_b_3936937.html Link] '''5pp., 5min.'''
+
  
'''Reconceiving The System'''
+
3. Complete "Money and Dominance" quiz.
*Wikipedia. (2013). "Partnership and Domination Models." ''Wikipedia.'' [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riane_Eisler#Partnership_and_domination_models Link] - Two contrasting templates for social organization. For more info see, Riane Eisler's ''The Chalice and The Blade'' and her website. [http://www.rianeeisler.com/ Link] - '''5 min'''
+
|-
*Kick It Over. ''Adbusters.'' - Adbusters project with their characteristic mix of provocative text and images to overthrow orthodox economics. - [http://kickitover.org/ Link] '''Images. 5min.'''
+
| 6 || Class 11 || 1. For the topic  [[How It Came to Be]], please review the questions, watch the presentation, and read the core readings. (Click on the topic name to access these items.
*Smith, Yves. "Was Marx Right?" ''Truthout.'' (14 April 2014) [http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/23075-was-marx-right 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'''
+
2. Complete "How Did It Come To Be?" quiz.  
*Cowen, Tyler. (15 May 2015). ''NYTimes.'' "Don't Be So Sure the Economy Will Return to Normal." [http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/17/upshot/dont-be-so-sure-the-economy-will-return-to-normal.html?rref=collection%2Fcolumn%2Feconomic-view&contentCollection=upshot&action=click&module=NextInCollection&region=Footer&pgtype=article&abt=0002&abg=0 Link] George Mason University economist cautions that discontinuities in economic development are underway, and that more loom, and warns that the shape of the outcome remains difficult to foresee. '''3pp. 3min.'''
+
*Daly, Lew. ''The Week.'' 'What if Economic Growth is No Longer Possible in the 21st Century" - Lew Daly of Demos makes a case for redistribution as a necessary alternative to growth in an era when the latter is no longer possible. [http://theweek.com/article/index/258375/what-if-economic-growth-is-no-longer-possible-in-the-21st-century Link] '''5pp. 5min.'''
+
*Wingfield-Hayes, Georgie. "Capitalism: The Inner Battle." ''Occupy Wall Street.'' Georgie Wingfield-Hayes draws parallel between change of narrative by which slavery was rejected and one underway by which current exploitation is being rejected. [http://occupywallstreet.net/story/capitalism-inner-battle Link] '''2pp, 5 min.'''
+
  
'''Changing Business'''
+
3. Submit project proposal. <br>
*Alburty, Stevan. "The Ad Agency to End All Ad Agencies." ''Fast Company.'' - [http://www.fastcompany.com/27725/ad-agency-end-all-ad-agencies 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." [http://www.fastcoexist.com/3029110/5-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'''
+
| 6 || Class 12 || 1. For the topic [[Scientific World-modeling]], please review the questions, watch the presentation, and read the core readings. (Click on the topic name to access these items.)
*Bader, Christine. (21 April 2014.) "Why Corporations Fail to do the Right Thing." ''The Atlantic''. [http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/04/why-making-corporations-socially-responsible-is-so-darn-hard/360984/ Link] - A corporate insider writes about obstacles to altering current destructive patterns of behavior evident in people operating and supporting businesses. '''10 min'''
+
2. Submit week 6 practicum report.
*Email Newsletter. Schumacher Center for a New Economy. (29 May 2015). "Plugging Leaky Buckets." - Schumacher staff plug "localism" with story of success of "Buy Eugene." [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0w-ttO7JmrbjgxcmVSbXI1Wmc/view?usp=sharing Link] '''3pp., 3 min.'''
+
*Cohen, Patricia. "One Company's New Minimum Wage: $70,000 a Year." (14 April 2015). ''NYTimes.'' [http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/14/business/owner-of-gravity-payments-a-credit-card-processor-is-setting-a-new-minimum-wage-70000-a-year.html?action=click&contentCollection=Europe&module=RelatedCoverage&region=EndOfArticle&pgtype=article - Link] - CEO of Seattle firm, Gravitas, announces $70k minimum wage for all employees.
+
  
'''Changing Government'''
+
3. Complete "Scientific World Modeling" quiz.
*King, Mary Elizabeth. "Gene Sharp Is No Utopian." ''Satyagraha Foundation for Nonviolence Studies'' - [http://www.satyagrahafoundation.org/gene-sharp-is-no-utopian/ 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. [http://www.aeinstein.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/FDTD.pdf 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'''
+
| 7 || Class 13 || 1. For the topic [[Biosphere: Conditions and Trends]], please review the questions, watch the presentation, and read the core readings. (Click on the topic name to access these items.)
*Caballero, Maria. (2004, March 11.) "Academic Turns City into Social Experiment." ''Harvard Gazette.'' [http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2004/03.11/01-mockus.html Link]. An example of peaceful, positive social change. '''15 min'''
+
2. Complete "Biosphere" quiz.
 +
|-
 +
| 7 || Class 14 || 1. For the topic [[Society: Conditions and Trends]], please review the questions, watch the presentation, and read the core readings. (Click on the topic name to access these items.)
 +
2. Complete "Society" quiz.
  
'''Eliminating Racism'''
+
3. Submit week 7 practicum report.
*Yancy, George and Mills, Charles. (16 November 2014). "Lost in Rawlsland." ''New York Times.'' [http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/11/16/lost-in-rawlsland/ Link] - Charles Mills, a Professor of Moral and Intellectual Philosophy at Northwestern, explores past and present racism. "Whites have not merely an unrepresentative group experience, but a vested group interest in self-deception. Sociologists have documented the remarkable extent to which large numbers of white Americans get the most basic things wrong about their society once race is involved." '''10 min'''.
+
|-
 +
| 8 || Class 15 || 1. For the topic [[Scientifically Consilient Religion and Economics]], please review the questions, watch the presentation, and read the core readings. (Click on the topic name to access these items.)<br>
 +
2. Complete "Scientifically Consilient Religion and Economics" quiz.<br>
 +
|-
 +
| 8 || Class 16 || 1. For the topic [[Biosphere and Society: Vision]], please review the questions, watch the presentation, and read the core readings. (Click on the topic name to access these items.)
 +
2. Submit week 8 practicum report.<br>
  
'''Health Care'''
+
3. Complete "Biosphere and Society: Vision" quiz.<br>
*Mowe, Sam. (24 April 2014). "The Long Good-bye." ''The Sun.'' [https://thesunmagazine.org/issues/460/the_long_goodbye 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'''
+
  
'''Cognitive Activist Art'''
+
4. Submit project draft.<br>
*Jordan, Chris. (2008, February.) "Turning Powerful Stats into Art." ''Ted Talk.'' [http://www.ted.com/talks/chris_jordan_pictures_some_shocking_stats.html 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'''
+
*"Not an Alternative." [http://notanalternative.com/about Link] - Gutsy artists communicate radicalism in ways from which we may draw inspiration. (see also: [http://antiadvertisingagency.com/project/light-criticism/ Link]) Browse "Projects" portion of site. '''5-10min.'''
+
*"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.)
+
*Shem, Samuel. (28 November 2012). "Samuel Shem, 34 Years After 'The House of God'." ''The Atlantic''. [http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/11/samuel-shem-34-years-after-the-house-of-god/265675/ 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.
+
*Shem, Samuel. (3 December 2002). "Fiction as Resistance." ''Annals of Internal Medicine.'' [http://samuelshem.com/bergman.pdf Link]- A physician writes of how he came to understand that he knew less what he wanted and how to get it, and of the importance and meaning of taking a stand for empathy and love. NOTE: He's a psychiatrist fascinated with how people change. (5pp, 5min)
+
  
'''Evolving Religion'''
+
|-
* Dennett, Daniel C. (2006). "Five Hypotheses about the Future of Religion." ''Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon.'' p. 35-36. [[Readings/Futures of Religion (Dennett)|Link]] - Dennett offers five alternative futures for religion. '''2 min'''
+
| 9 || Class 17 ||  1. For the topic [[Evolving Self]], please review the questions, watch the presentation, and read the core readings. (Click on the topic name to access these items.)<br>
* Lee, Adam. (2013, November 27). "Why People Are Flocking to a New Wave of Secular Communities: Atheist Churches." ''Alternet.'' [http://www.alternet.org/belief/why-people-are-flocking-new-wave-secular-communities-atheist-churches 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'''
+
2. Complete "Evolving Self" quiz. <br>
*Tarico, Valerie. (18 November 2014). "Does Religion Cause More Harm than Good? Brits Say Yes. Here’s Why They May be Right." ''Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies.'' [http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/tarico20141118 Link] - Former evangelical Valerie Tarico reports on research that reveals a majority of Britons perceive that religion does more harm than good, and related studies. '''5 min'''.
+
|-
*Brooks, David. (22 May 2015). ''NYTimes.'' "Building Spiritual Capital." Brooks discusses research about spirituality with or without the context of religion. He and the researcher are tip-toeing towards, though short of "science-based religing."[http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/22/opinion/david-brooks-building-spiritual-capital.html?action=click&contentCollection=Opinion&module=MostEmailed&version=Full&region=Marginalia&src=me&pgtype=article Link] '''3 pp., 3 min.'''
+
| 9 || Class 18 || 1. For the topic [[Evolving Society]], please review the questions, watch the "Evolving Society Part 1" and "Evolving Society Part 2" presentations, and read the core readings. (Click on the topic name to access these items.)<br>
*Kirchgaessner, Stephanie. (26 May 2015). ''Guardian.'' "Vatican: Ireland Gay Marriage Referendum Vote Defeat for Humanity." - Irish voters, most Catholic act to reform church and state while high Vatican official resists "reformation" essential for Roman Catholicism to become a religion consilient with a modern scientific world-view. [http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/26/vatican-ireland-gay-marriage-referendum-vote-defeat-for-humanity Link] '''3pp., 3min.'''
+
2. Submit week 9 practicum report.<br>
  
'''Rethinking Philanthropy'''
+
3. Complete "Evolving Society" quiz.<br>
*''Koru Kenya'' [http://koru.or.ke/community-currencies 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 '''
+
*Appel, Jacob and Karlan, Dean. "More than Good Intentions." ''Innovations for Poverty Action.'' [http://www.poverty-action.org/book/more-than-good-intentions Link] - Economists Jacob Appel and Dean Karlan illustrate with case studies the necessity for valuescience in philanthropy. Read review and Chapter 1. '''30 min'''.
+
*Ridley, Matt.  (25 July 2014). "Smart Aid for the World's Poor. ''Wall Street Journal.'' [http://online.wsj.com/articles/smart-aid-for-the-worlds-poor-1406326677?tesla=y&mod=WSJ_article_exploremore Link] - Matt Ridley reports on Bjorn Lomborg's rankings of poverty alleviation proposals. What shall we make of such "cost/benefit analysis"? '''5 min'''.
+
*Illich, Ivan. (1968). "To Hell with Good Intentions." [http://www.swaraj.org/illich_hell.htm Link] - Ivan Illich tells US "do-gooders" to stay out of Latin America unless they want to be tourists and spend money. '''20 min'''.
+
*Piller, Charles; Sanders, Edmund; Dixon, Robyn. (2007). "Dark Cloud Over Good Works of Gates Foundation." ''Los Angeles Times.'' [http://www.latimes.com/news/la-na-gatesx07jan07,0,2533850.story 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'''
+
*"Hunger and World Poverty." [http://www.poverty.com/ 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'''
+
*Heinberg, Richard. "Sustainability Metrics, Growth Limits, and Philanthropy." Post Carbon Institute. (25 June 2015.) - Heinberg calls on philanthropists to fund shift to sustainability and warns that endowments will be worthless in a depleted environment and collapsed society. [http://www.postcarbon.org/sustainability-metrics-growth-limits-and-philanthropy/ Link] '''5pp., 5 min.'''
+
  
'''Socialism'''
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4. Submit project.
*Wikipedia. (2014). "Basic Income." Wikipedia. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_income Link] - An excellent summary of arguments for and against and world-wide experiments and advocacy. '''10-20 min, depending on how much you read'''
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*Foulkes, Imogen. (2013, December 17). "Swiss to Vote on Incomes for All - Working or Not." BBC News. [http://www.bbc.com/news/business-25415501 Link] - Foulkes describes upcoming Swiss referendum on guaranteed income. '''10 min'''
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| 10 || Class 19 ||
*Jesse, David. (2014, March 19). "Pay It Forward: Plan Would Allow Michigan Students to Attend College for 'Free.'" Detroit Free Press. [http://www.freep.com/article/20140319/NEWS06/303190038/Pay-it-forward-Plan-would-allow-Michigan-students-to-attend-college-for-free- Link] - Jesse describes proposal to fund higher education for all from earnings of high-income graduates. '''10 min'''
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1. Present project during class.
*Wheeler, David R.. (18 May 2015). "What If Everybody Didn't Have to Work to Get Paid?" ''Atlantic Monthly.'' [http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/05/what-if-everybody-didnt-have-to-work-to-get-paid/393428/ Link] - Wheeler writes of the international movement for guaranteed basic income, citing examples of crowd-funding now underway that demonstrate alternatives to waiting for people in government to act. Who among you will seize this idea and act on it? '''5pp., 5min.'''
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*''Wikipedia.'' "Second Bill of Rights." [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Bill_of_Rights 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'''
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*Krugman, Paul. (25 May 2014.) "Europe's Secret Success," ''NYTimes.''  [http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/26/opinion/krugman-europes-secret-success.html?_r=0 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'''
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*Daly, Lew. (7 July 2014)."Our Mismeasured Economy." ''NYTimes.'' Lew Daly of Demos analyzes the often unacknowledged economic benefits of public spending/investment. [http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/07/07/opinion/our-mismeasured-economy.html Link] '''3pp., 3min.'''
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'''Miscellaneous Topics'''
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2. Submit week 10 practicum report.
*Brown, Brené. TED. [https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability Link] - Brene Brown on the power of vulnerability. '''(20 min)'''
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|-
*Bianchi, Jane. (10 April 2014). "How the Boston Marathon Bombing Inspired a New Life Path." ''Insights by Stanford Business.'' [http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/news/headlines/how-boston-marathon-bombing-inspired-new-life-path Link] - Stanford GSB grad '82, survived injury in Boston Marathon bombing, shifted gears, and offers advice for living. '''5 min'''
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| 11 || Class 20 ||
*Arrien, Angeles. "The Four-fold Way." (excerpts). Adrien, an anthropologist reports on four archetypes common to shamanic traditions in diverse societies, and offers suggestions for how we may incorporate qualities of these into our own lives to live/die well. [http://reflectionsofaliteraryjourney.com/2013/12/the-four-fold-way-walking-the-paths-of-the-warrior-teacher-healer-and-visionary/ Link] 10p., '''10 min'''
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1. Final exam.
*The Yes Men. (2008). "Special Edition of The New York Times." [http://www.nytimes-se.com/ 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.) [http://theyesmen.org/hijinks/newyorktimes See this link for more] '''7 min'''
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|}
*Jensen, Derrick. (2009). "Forget Shorter Showers." [http://www.orionmagazine.org/index.php/articles/article/4801/ Link] '''5 min''' - Jensen calls for collective action to achieve individual change.
+
*Sapolsky, Robert. (2006). "A Natural History of Peace." Foreign Affairs. - [http://opim.wharton.upenn.edu/~sok/papers/s/sapolsky-foreignaffairs-2006.pdf 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." [http://www.pbs.org/newshour/making-sense/why-americas-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'''
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*Original Mothers' Day Proclamation by Julia Ward Howe. [http://www.wagingpeace.org/mothers-day-proclamation/ 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'''
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*"Change Everything Now." [http://www.orionmagazine.org/index.php/mag/5413/ Link]- More essays from contributors to ''Orion'' about roots of current predicament and ways out of it.
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=Admin Pages=
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[[Category:Course]]
*[[Why, What, How Admin A]]
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*[[Why, What, How Admin B]]
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*[[Worldview Admin]]
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*[[Linguistic Relativity Admin]]
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*[[Reconsidering Science Admin]]
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*[[Scientific Worldview Admin A]]
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*[[Objectives and Questions]]
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*[[Interest Readings]]
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[[Category:Protected]]
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Revision as of 11:56, 26 October 2023

Course Description

We apply scientific methods and principles to questions of value. By questions of value we mean: What do I want? How can I get it? How do I know? Here we inclusively define "want" to encompass material and ethical considerations, narrow individual and broader humanitarian, biophilic, and environmental interests, near and distant ends and means.

Many of us want to live well and die at peace. To do these things we accurately discern and effectively realize value. We figure out what we want, get it, and feel satisfaction when we do. Each of us sometimes falls short at one or another point in this process. With valuescience practice we can reduce frequency and severity of such failures. To that end course participants examine methods by which we've responded to questions of value, and learn to practice valuescience with growing consciousness and consistency to evolve our responses to be better bases for living well and dying at peace.

The valuescience thesis is: (1) Ideas about what we want and how to get it rest on predictions that when we get what we want we'll feel as we anticipate, and that we will be effective when we act to satisfy want; (2) Science is sole demonstrated means for predicting with success greater than we can achieve by chance; therefore, (3) Science is how we better know and get what we want; it is how we more accurately discern and more fully realize value.

For more, please see: Course Description.

Course Objectives

  • Construct an ecological framework for understanding self and surrounds, and use this framework to explain the evolutionary import of human culture, and to describe how culture is embodied and communicated, and how we can evolve individual and collective cultural information to be more adaptive. For more, please see: Framework.
  • Evolve a more inclusive, consilient, science-based worldview which includes a method for discerning and realizing value—for living and dying well—and a set of ideas about value generated by this method. For more, please see: Worldview.
  • Practice valuescience to realize value more fully, and communicate to others how they can do this. For more, please see: Praxis.

Instructional Team

Teaching team members typically check email once(!) per day M-F and less often on weekends. Please plan accordingly. For urgent matters, call 650 323-7333.


Resources

Valuescience is a synthesis of work in many disciplines, and we tap diverse learning resources. During a typical quarter participants read, listen to, and view excerpts (often brief) from more than one hundred sources. We've listed below a representative selection containing key ideas.

For more detail on resources and questions we address with them please see: Resources.

Books

  • Andrews, Frank. (1990). The Art and Practice of Loving.
  • Bonner, John Tyler. (1980). Evolution of Culture in Animals.
  • Brafman, Ori. (2009). Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior.
  • Catton, William. (1980) Overshoot: The Ecological Basis of Revolutionary Change.
  • Cialdini, Robert. (1984). Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion.
  • Duhigg, Charles. (2012). The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business.
  • Edwards, David. (1999). Burning All Illusions.
  • Frankl, Viktor. (1959). Man’s Search for Meaning.
  • Graeber, David. (2012). Debt: The First 5,000 Years.
  • Hagen, Steve. (1998). Buddhism Plain and Simple.
  • Heilbroner, Robert. (1999). The Worldly Philosophers.
  • Kelly, Marjorie. (2003). The Divine Right of Capital: Dethroning the Corporate Aristocracy.
  • Meadows, Donella H., et al (1972). The Limits to Growth.
  • Ponting, Clive. (1991). A Green History of the World: The Environment and the Collapse of Great Civilizations.
  • Schrom, David. (2008). Valuescience.
  • Seavoy, Ronald. (1986). Famine in Peasant Societies.
  • Shepard, Paul. (1996). The Only World We’ve Got.
  • Totman, Richard. (1985). Social and Biological Roles of Language.
  • Whorf, Benjamin Lee. (1956). Language, Thought and Reality.
  • Wilson, Edward O. (1998). Consilience.

Online Resources

  • AAAS Atlas of Population and Environment link
  • AAAS Science for All Americans Online link
  • US Debt Clock.org History of Money and Banking link
  • Wikipedia link
  • Worldometers link

Videos

  • Beck, Roy. (2010). Immigration, World Poverty and Gumballs. link
  • Global Footprint Network. (2015). Sustainable Development: 1980-2011. link
  • Martenson, Chris. (2014). Exponential Growth. Video segment from 8:12 to 10:12. link
  • Population Connection. (2000). A Graphic Simulation of World Population Growth. link
  • Reilly, John. (2006). Bystander. link

Articles

  • Daly, Herman. (1993). "Steady State Economics: A New Paradigm." New Literary History. link
  • Emmanuel, Ezekiel. (2014). "Why I Hope to Die at 75." The Atlantic. link
  • 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
  • Gilbert, Daniel, et. al. (2009). "The Surprising Power of Neighborly Advice." Science. link
  • Harvey, Joe. (1990). "Growth in Perspective." Rocky Mountain Institute Newsletter. link
  • Ioannidis, John P. (2005). "Why Most Published Research Findings Are False." link
  • Krugman, Paul. (2011). "Markets Can Be Very, Very Wrong." New York Times. link
  • Leeb, Steven. (2013). "Dangerous Times As Energy Sources Get Costlier To Extract." Forbes Magazine. link
  • Nikiforuk, Andrew. (2011). "You and Your Slaves." The Tyee. link
  • Norton, Michael and Ariely, Dan. (2011). "Building a Better America−One Wealth Quintile at a Time." Perspectives on Psychological Science. link
  • Strauss, Mark. (2012). "Looking Back on the Limits of Growth." Smithsonian Magazine. link
  • Tainter, Joseph. (1996). "Complexity, Problem Solving, and Sustainable Societies." Getting Down to Earth: Practical Applications of Ecological Economics. link

Course Policies and Expectations

Presentations

View or listen to pre-recorded presentation(s) prior to class meeting for which they are assigned. Link

For more, please see: Presentations.

Class Meetings

We devote class meetings to discussion and other interaction. Please notify a member of the instructional team prior to any class from which you will be absent.

For more, please see: Class Meetings.

Quizzes

Students complete weekly or semi-weekly written quizzes. Quiz questions are taken directly from final exam.

For more, please see: Quizzes.

Project

Students working independently or in teams of 2-4 research and create media to communicate a valuescience argument.

For project purpose, criteria, and grading please see: Project.

Final Exam

Each student completes a written, closed-book final exam. For a current list of potential final exam questions please see: Final Questions.

For more, please see: Final Exam.

Practicum

Practicum enrollees practice personal behavioral change, record practice, and write reflections.

For more, please see: Practicum.

Grading

Participants Enrolled for 3 Units

  • 0-25% Class participation
  • 0-25% Quizzes
  • 25% Project
  • 25-75% Final exam

Participants Enrolled for 4 Units (Practicum)

  • 0-20% Class participation
  • 0-20% Quizzes
  • 20% Project
  • 20-68% Final exam
  • 12-20% Practicum

Grading Alternatives

With consent of instructor prior to final date for electing letter grade or C/NC, a student may establish grading criteria different from above.

For more, please see: Grading.

Topics

Schedule

Note: Please complete assignment prior to attending class unless instructed otherwise.

Week Class Date Assignment
1 Class 1 1. Read the syllabus.

2. Read Graham, Paul. (2009). "Keep Your Identity Small." ("The more labels you have for yourself, the dumber they make you." - Paul Graham) (2pp, 2 min) Link

3. View this two-minute video and attend class prepared to summarize its content. Link

1 Class 2 1. For the topic Valuescience: What? Why? How?, please review the questions, watch the presentation, and read core readings. (Click on the topic name to access these items.)

2. Complete "Valuescience: What, Why, How" quiz.

3. Read Duhigg, Charles. (2012). "Keystone Habits, or the Ballad of Paul O'Neill." The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business. - Duhigg makes a case that some habits are so central to our lives that by altering them we can make much other change more readily. Link

4. Submit practicum proposal.

2 Class 3 1. For the topic Human Ecology: Framework for Valuescience, please review the questions, watch the presentation, and read the core readings. (Click on the topic name to access these items.)

2. Complete "Human Ecology" quiz.

2 Class 4 1. For the topic Embodying, Communicating, and Evolving Culture, please review the questions, watch the presentation, and read the core readings. (Click on the topic name to access these items.)

2. Submit week 2 practicum report.

3. Complete "Embodying, Communicating, and Evolving Culture" quiz.

3 Class 5 1. For the topic Worldview: Import, Sources, Evolving, please review the questions, watch the presentation, and read the core readings. (Click on the topic name to access these items.)

2. Complete "Worldview" quiz.

3. Submit Valuescience: What, Why, How video.

3 Class 6 1. For the topic Paradigm Shift to a Consilient, Science-based Worldview, please review the questions, watch the presentation, and read the core readings. (Click on the topic name to access these items.)

2. Submit week 3 practicum report.

3. Complete "Paradigm Shifts" quiz.

4 Class 7 1. For the topic Valuescience: What? Why? How?, please review the questions, watch the presentation, and read the core readings. (Click on the topic name to access these items.) Those who have been in the class from the very beginning have already done this work. We suggest that you review it.

2. Complete "Valuescience: What, Why, How" quiz. Those who have been in the class from the very beginning have already completed this quiz. You may repeat this quiz. We will use your higher grade.

4 Class 8 1. For the topic Universe, Earth, Life, Humans: What Is?, please review the questions, watch the presentation, and read the core readings. (Click on the topic name to access these items.)

2. Submit week 4 practicum report.

3. Complete "What is?" quiz.

5 Class 9 1. For the topic Mind, please review the questions, watch the presentation, and read the core readings. (Click on the topic name to access these items.)

2. Complete "Mind" quiz.

5 Class 10 1. For the topic Money and Dominance, please review the questions, watch the presentation, and read the core readings. (Click on the topic name to access these items.)

2. Submit week 5 practicum report.

3. Complete "Money and Dominance" quiz.

6 Class 11 1. For the topic How It Came to Be, please review the questions, watch the presentation, and read the core readings. (Click on the topic name to access these items.)

2. Complete "How Did It Come To Be?" quiz.

3. Submit project proposal.

6 Class 12 1. For the topic Scientific World-modeling, please review the questions, watch the presentation, and read the core readings. (Click on the topic name to access these items.)

2. Submit week 6 practicum report.

3. Complete "Scientific World Modeling" quiz.

7 Class 13 1. For the topic Biosphere: Conditions and Trends, please review the questions, watch the presentation, and read the core readings. (Click on the topic name to access these items.)

2. Complete "Biosphere" quiz.

7 Class 14 1. For the topic Society: Conditions and Trends, please review the questions, watch the presentation, and read the core readings. (Click on the topic name to access these items.)

2. Complete "Society" quiz.

3. Submit week 7 practicum report.

8 Class 15 1. For the topic Scientifically Consilient Religion and Economics, please review the questions, watch the presentation, and read the core readings. (Click on the topic name to access these items.)

2. Complete "Scientifically Consilient Religion and Economics" quiz.

8 Class 16 1. For the topic Biosphere and Society: Vision, please review the questions, watch the presentation, and read the core readings. (Click on the topic name to access these items.)

2. Submit week 8 practicum report.

3. Complete "Biosphere and Society: Vision" quiz.

4. Submit project draft.

9 Class 17 1. For the topic Evolving Self, please review the questions, watch the presentation, and read the core readings. (Click on the topic name to access these items.)

2. Complete "Evolving Self" quiz.

9 Class 18 1. For the topic Evolving Society, please review the questions, watch the "Evolving Society Part 1" and "Evolving Society Part 2" presentations, and read the core readings. (Click on the topic name to access these items.)

2. Submit week 9 practicum report.

3. Complete "Evolving Society" quiz.

4. Submit project.

10 Class 19

1. Present project during class.

2. Submit week 10 practicum report.

11 Class 20

1. Final exam.