Discussion of "Too Smart for Our Own Good."

Chapters 6 and 7 of Craig Dilworth’s
"TOO SMART FOR OUR OWN GOOD"
Presented by Ken Peterson

We will continue to discuss Craig Dilworth‘s unique history of our species written from the perspective of the failure of technology to ultimately solve our deepest problems: Too Smart for Our Own Good: The Ecological Predicament of Humankind. In this book the author presents the thesis, the “Vicious Circle Principle,” that from the beginning of Homo Sapien’s existence, our species’ development from the first rock tools has consisted of an accelerating movement from situations of scarcity, to technological innovation, to increased resource availability, to increased consumption, to population growth, to resource depletion, to scarcity once again, and so on, leading after more than 200,000 years to today’s population overshoot, extreme environmental stress, and approaching resource limits.

In our past two sessions we focused on the book’s earlier chapters which deal with the scientific background for the Vicious Circle Principle and the history of humankind from this perspective. In our final session for this book we will discuss the last two chapters, 6 and 7, which deal with the Vicious Circle Principle as it is playing out today. We will begin with a 20-minute presentation by Ken Peterson, who will afterwards facilitate a group discussion. Participants are expected to have read the book, or part of it, or at least have begun reading it or a review of it, so that we can all be “up to speed” during our discussion.

If you appreciate the study of anthropology, ecology, and history, and if you understand that we humans are not doing well at solving our deepest problems with development of yet more complex social structures and technology, then this evening’s program, Earth Awareness, is for you!

Wheelchair accessible around the corner at 411 28th Street

$5 donations are expected