PACS 290A Topics: Complexity Thinking
2:20-3:50 TR
Prof. Glen Kuecker
The 21st century presents humanity with multiple, large-scale, interconnected, synchronous crises that are causing the modern system to collapse. This perfect storm of factors consists of: climate change, energy transition, demographic transition (growth followed by slowing, aging, and urbanization), pandemics, food and water insecurity, ecological degradation, economic stress, and political instability, and escalating geopolitical conflict. We will explore these crises from the perspective of complex adaptive systems theory in order to understand how the global community is responding to the perfect storm. We will examine how UN agency planning embraces decarbonization as a path forward, while considering its impact on the planetary ecosystem. The course considers how system collapse brings us to a liminal state of transition toward a new yet to be named civilization considering game changers like artificial intelligence, space colonization, energy transition, and space colonization. The liminal state also invites us to consider if modern practices like public policy are now anachronistic, which would make them dysfunctional for challenges we face.
Environmental Fellows Approved Course
BUSA 290B Topics: Ethics and Business
2:20-3:50 TR
Prof. Tucker Sechrest
PHIL 309B Topics: Forgiveness & Revenge
10:00-11:30 TR
Prof. David Holiday