Earth Science, Geography, Environmental Policy, Ecology & Environmental Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Environmental Conservation & Protection, Environmental Politics, Landscape & Environment - Social Aspects, Ecology
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Overview
The Reader is the first comprehensive history of the noosphere and biosphere. Drawing on classical influences, modern parallels, and insights into the future, the Reader traces the emergence of noosphere and biosphere concepts within the concept of environmental change.Reproducing material from seminal works, both past and present, key ideas and writings of prominent thinkers are presented, including Bergson, Vernadsky, Lovelock, Russell, Needham, Huxley, Medawar, Toynbee and Boulding, and extensive introductory pieces by the editors draw attention to
common themes and competing ideas.
The Biosphere and Noosphere Reader includes an introduction by former Sovier Premier Mikhail Gorbachev.
Synopsis
The Reader is the first comprehensive history of the noosphere and biosphere. Drawing on classical influences, modern parallels, and insights into the future, the Reader traces the emergence of noosphere and biosphere concepts within the concept of environmental change. Reproducing material from seminla works, both past and present, key ideas and writings of prominent thinkers are presented, including Bergson, Vernadsky, Lovelock, Russell, Needham, Huxley, Medawar, Toynbee and Boulding, and extensive introductory pieces bu the editors drawattention to common themes and competing ideas. Focussing on issues of origins, theories, parallels and potential, the discussions place issues in a broad context, compare and contrast central concepts with those of the Gaia hypothesis, sustainability and global change, and examine the potential application of noospheric ideas to current debates about culture, education and technology in such realms as the Internet, space exploration, and the emergence of super-consciousness.Literally the `sphere of mind or intellect', the noosphere is aprt of the `realm of the possible' in human affairs, where there is a conscious effort to tackle global issuesThe noosphere concept captures a number of key contemporary issues - social evolution, global ecology, Gaia, deep ecology and global environmental change - contributing to ongoing debates concerning the implications of emerging technologies.Editorials
Booknews
A reader of excerpts from a wide variety of thinkers on how the noosphere, the realm of mind or intellect, provides people with both limitations and opportunities for living harmoniously within the biological realm. Among the better known names are Eduard Suess, Henri Bergson, Teilhard de Chardin, Julian Huxley, Arnold Toynbee, James Hutton, Marshall McLuhan, Theodosius Dobzhansky, and Kenneth Boulding. Many of the works have not been available in English before. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)Book Details
Published
October 2, 2012
Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Pages
224
ISBN
9781134707171