The Challenge

The Need for a Comprehensive Guideline for Solutions to the Global Problems of Humanity

(or, The Worldwide Optimization Project)

Massive amounts of evidence point to the degradation of the Earth’s ability to sustain the current level of human ”civilization”; and clearly the quality of human experience is far from maximized in many undeveloped and developing countries (and in large disadvantaged pockets of developed nations as well).

A measure of where we are in the matter of sustainability was reported in Earthweek on 5/29/05:

“A United Nations environmental report says that Earth’s biodiversity is dwindling at a record rate, with about 90% of the planet’s fish stock already depleted since the introduction of industrial-scale fishing operations. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment says that a third of amphibians and a fifth of mammals are threatened with extinction because of the destruction of natural habitats. Klaus Toepfer, director of the U.N. Environment Program responsible for the report, says the loss of biodiversity is “economic suicide”. He added that if the dwindling forests and coral reefs were compared to museums and universities, “then their destruction would be regarded as massive vandalism”.”

Meanwhile, humanity has at its disposal the highest level of resource development ever, including nearly instantaneous communications and huge amounts of computing power, as well as the largest pool of human capital ever. It is making incredible strides in specific disciplines of study, such as engineering, computer science, biotechnology, and the like. The human genome study, for example, promises to allow unimagined medical cures and an extension of lifespan to be implemented. New orbiting telescopes probe farther into the universe than ever. There is even a project (SETI) which allows the incredible “spare time” computing power of home computers to be allocated to the analysis of radiation from outer space to try to determine if intelligent signals are present. Computer models confirm the effect of human activity on global warming.

Even a computer needs an operating system, but the world of humanity has not yet developed a coherent operating system for itself. Governments have largely done a terrible job of addressing worldwide (systemwide) concerns. With the capability we have to analyze systems in such detail, it seems incredible that no large, well-publicized, comprehensive efforts to model the global, overall human situation are being conducted, so as to provide a basis for better charting our common course. Of course, the complexity of humanity and the imprecision of social sciences would render the results of such a study crude of necessity; yet many trends are fairly clearly understood and many models have been developed concerning these trends; so instructive results could probably be attained. Given our present circumstance of imminent depletion of our resources, an improved ability (to any degree) to better steer our so-called civilization seems imperative. It is possible that a developed network of individuals and non-governmental organizations that may be less vulnerable to special interests by virtue of decentralization, could serve this purpose better than governments

“We have become, by the power of a glorious evolutionary accident called intelligence, the stewards of life's continuity on earth. We did not ask for this role, but we cannot abjure it. We may not be suited to it, but here we are.”
~Stephen Jay Gould, The Flamingo's Smile: Reflections in Natural History

“A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people. ”
~Franklin D. Roosevelt

“For every additional year of primary schooling, a child's future productivity grows 10 to 30 percent.”
~George Psacharopoulos.

“In America today you can murder land for private profit. You can leave the corpse for all to see, and nobody calls the cops. ”
~Paul Brooks, The Pursuit of Wilderness, 1971

“If the world's dwindling forests and coral reefs were compared to museums and universities, "then their destruction would be regarded as massive vandalism .”
~Klaus Toepfer, director of the U.N. Environment Program.

“When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.”
~Jimi Hendrix

“Through his dignity, grace and the quality of his forgiveness, Nelson Mandela made racism everywhere not just immoral, but stupid.”
~Tony Blair, British Prime Minister

“If everyone demanded peace instead of another television set, then there'd be peace”
~John Lennon

"“In science it often happens that scientists say, 'You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken,' and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion.” (1987)
~Carl Sagan"