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"What will be the future of human environmental, economic, and political-social systems? That is the central question . . . . The easy and correct answer is that no one knows. If we were so fatalistic as to believe that we had no control over the future, we might simply accept that response and return our attention to daily life. Most of us believe, however, that our actions substantially shape our own future and the futures of our descendants. Many of us fear that misguided action, whether it be environmental despoilation or nuclear war, could lead to catastrophe. Many hope that thoughtful behavior can instead assure a peaceful and prosperous world. We therefore find ourselves in a very real dilemma: We cannot know the future, but it is important to act in the face of that uncertainty."
—Barry B. Hughes
International Futures
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Future Studies |
Humanists and progressives should have some awareness of the methods used to forecast the future in order to more effectively foresee and plan change. |
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Future Modeling |
Modeling possible futures allows us to test proposed social and economic reforms, and to better understand the relationship between various social factors. We introduce some of these models here. |
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Effecting Social & Economic Reforms |
Effecting social and economic change is difficult and requires a systematic approach. Also needed is a disciplined method for developing alternative social and economic practices. The link here details these. |
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