Human Advancement Program | Source |
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Our civilization is in a critical phase of development and this century could be the best or the worst ever. More than fifty global systemic risks and an endless row of social problems may reach tipping points and create cascading effects that may have major implications on the world’s population.
When hundreds of social problems can be observed in every country on earth, which occupy a large part of the GDP, we can be certain that there exists a system error. The author claims that lack of individual and collective wisdom must be the cause of this system error.
A system error can only be resolved by a system solution. The book tries to describe the status of our civilization, the system error and system solution, scientific background and how to materialize this global transformation.
This book is written for people who are well acquainted with global systemic risks and the precarious situation of our civilization.
The contents is very condensed in order to shorten the book as much as possible without losing substance. Thanks to everyone, who made this book possible.
Ervin Laszlo is a systems philosopher, integral theorist, and classical pianist. Twice nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, he has authored more than 70 books, which have been translated into nineteen languages, and has published in excess of four hundred articles and research papers, including six volumes of piano recordings.
Dr. Laszlo is generally recognized as the founder of systems philosophy and general evolution theory, and serves as the founder-director of the General Evolution Research Group and as past president of the International Society for the Systems Sciences.
He is also the recipient of the highest degree in philosophy and human sciences from the Sorbonne, the University of Paris, as well as of the coveted Artist Diploma of the Franz Liszt Academy of Budapest. Additional prizes and awards include four honorary doctorates. For many years he has served as president of the Club of Budapest, which he founded.
He is an advisor to the UNESCO Director General, ambassador of the International Delphic Council, member of both the International Academy of Science, World Academy of Arts and Science, and the International Academy of Philosophy.
Peter Russell is a physicist, psychologist, philosopher, and the bestselling author of ten books, and has been lauded as “one of the finest minds of our time,” “The New Buckminster Fuller,” and an “Eco–Philosopher Extraordinaire.”
Peter Russell is a fellow of the Institute of Noetic Sciences, The World Business Academy, and an Honorary Member of The Club of Budapest.
Nicholas Maxwell is Emeritus Reader in Philosophy of Science at University College London.
During more than three decades, in eight books, over seventy papers, and countless lectures delivered in universities and conferences all over the UK, Europe and north America he has argued that humanity urgently needs to bring about a revolution in universities, so that the basic intellectual aim becomes, not knowledge merely, but rather wisdom.
He is the founder of Friends of Wisdom (www.knowledgetowisdom.org).
We are often unable to tell people what
they need to know, because they want to know something else, and would therefore only misunderstand what we said. – George MacDonald It always seems impossible until its done. – Nelson Mandela |
Humanity has undergone a fantastic economic and technological development over the past centuries, but the future is very unpredictable and globalization is getting more and more complex. This could be our best century ever because of the great achievements of our civilization, or it could be our worst.
Our civilization faces multiple global challenges like climate change, fresh water scarcity, pandemics, financial crises, food shortages, collapse in biodiversity, health problems, ocean acidification, overfishing of oceans and many more. On a national scale countries are struggling with hundreds of social problems, and in addition potentially dangerous new technologies are being developed rapidly. This is the bad news.
The good news is that humanity has never had so many technological opportunities to create a sustainable and life affirming planet as now.
So what are the problems? From a shallow perspective we see that politicians lack the ability to act adequately. Experts are unable to provide clear recommendations of how to proceed. Institutions are static. Most voter’s vote short-term or experience lack of political alternatives. Media and society are permeated by disinformation. Commercials indoctrinate us incessantly. Fragmentation obstructs a comprehensive view and structural defects are common.
From a deeper perspective we ought to understand that our society is only a reflection of our collective wisdom. When global complexity increases rapidly our collective wisdom must follow at least as quickly. This means that humanity must go through accelerated learning and inner development to be able to understand and manage our civilization and the earth successfully. This is the reason for the initiative Human Advancement Program (HAP).
Today’s society
■ Global Challenges
■ National Social Problems
■ Systemic Risks
System Error
■ Shallow Perspective
■ Deep Perspective
System solution
■ Human Advancement Program
■ Why a Duplicable Concept
■ HAP Factors
■ HAP Tools
■ HAP Activities
■ Virtual Reality Software
■ Changed Role of Teachers
■ Context Driven Upgrade
■ HAP Activities in Practice
■ Transformation Process
■ Human Needs
Future society
■ HAP Outcomes
■ Changes within Fifty Years
Scientific Support
■ Global Systemic Risks
■ Social Problems
■ Global System Error
■ Definition of Collective and Individual Wisdom
■ Wisdom Literature
■ Importance of Global Collective Wisdom
■ Importance of Proposed HAP Factors
■ Results from Wisdom Advancing Activities around the Globe
■ Potential for National Human Advancement Programs
Political process
■ Why Sweden as Pilot Country
■ HAP International
■ HAP Sweden
■ Preparation
■ Pre-implementation
■ Implementation
Appendices
■ Social Problems
■ Wisdom Literature and Links
The Human Advancement Program (HAP) is an international initiative to raise global collective wisdom.
EDITOR Lisa Forstenius |
GRAPHIC DESIGN Magnus Liljebergh www.rufcreatives.com |
2015 humanadvancementprogram.com ISBN 978-91-982240-0-9 |
Printed by Media-Tryck, Lunds Universitet, Sweden |
The Human Advancement Program website no longer exists. To download the ebook, go to this archived copy at academia.edu [LINK] |