Theory of Knowledge - Course Companion for Students Marija Uzunova Dang Arvin Singh Uzunov Dang

last example brings together ideas from
The
this chapter: the role of quantification,
throughout
problems of measurement and the implications
the
applying simple knowledge to complex
of
At its core, the Anthropocene might
phenomena.
a problem of growth. The United Nations
be
on Sustainable Development in 2012
Conference
with the video linked here, tracing how
opened
growth of humanity became a force that shapes
the
state of the world, especially since the 1950s.
the
this reason, we zoom in on knowledge issues
For
growth—what do we know about it, what kinds
of
responsibilities rest with that knowledge, and
of
kind of action can we take based on it?
what
terms: “Welcome to the
Search
on Vimeo
Anthropocene”
knowledge in the
Predictive
Anthropocene
the context of the Anthropocene, we often
In
estimates and approximations of how
hear
time we have to act on various issues
much
it is too late. Predictions and fears of
before
and ecological collapse are certainly
economic
new. In 1972, systems scientists at MIT
not
predicted that ecosystems would
famously
by the mid-21st century. Their report,
collapse
to Growth”, was criticized and
“Limits
as disaster fantasy, for simplistic
ridiculed
pessimistic simulations that assumed
and
technological progress, and for having
little
8IV. Ethics
Making connections
Knowledge and language
The language of growth
language used to describe growth has changed as
The
knowledge about environmental impact and natural
our
depletion has grown. What started out as
resource
growth evolved into sustainable growth and
economic
now split, with the dominant concept being green
has
while an increasingly audible academic and
growth,
political minority advocate for a post-growth paradigm.
Figure 8.6 A koala perishes in the Australian bush res of 2020
the past seven decades, GDP growth has stood as
For
primary economic objective of European nations.
the
We are now exceeding the safe operating space
…
humanity on this planet, and there is no sign that
for
activity is being decoupled from resource use
economic
pollution at anything like the scale required. Today,
or
social problems within European nations does
solving
require more growth. It requires a fairer distribution
not
of income and wealth that we already have.
(ICTA 2018)
For discussion
an anti-growth agenda. Well before them,
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