Plato's revenge
by William Ophuls · first published 2011
100% recommend
Provides a wide-ranging review of history, philosophy, science, and political economy in search of natural law and objective value by which to replenish the "lode of fossil virtue and belief" inherited from the premodern era and depleted by modern nihilism.
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…problematique in a manner that avoids catastrophic outcomes seem extraordinarily stubborn. I strongly recommend the works of William Ophusl, notably Ecology and the Politics of Scarcity (1977, 1994) and Plato's Revenge (2011).[2] Thomas Homer-Dixon is a political science scholar who seems to be continuing the work: https://homerdixon.com/ Global responses over the past two years and counting to a known threat for…
on “The Modern World Can't Exist Without Fossil Fuels” ↗…His primary work is Ecology and the Politics of Scarcity (1977), which lays out the fundamental problem and dynamics. He's continued the discussion in a series of books published through 2013, of which Plato's Revenge and Requiem for Modern Politics are probably the best supplements to his first book. http://www.worldcat.org/search?qt=worldcat_org_all&q=au%3Aop... Ophuls argues, despite his strong belief in liberal…
on “Nature’s libraries are the fountains of biological innovation” ↗…elegance, and all while maintaining interest and engagement. I'm still mulling over what he's written at a month or two's remove, and want to re-enter it again. I picked up a great deal reading his works, Plato's Revenge and Immoderate Greatness. That is mastery of language. Mark's writing isn't.
on “What's Wrong with Public Intellectuals?” ↗Read Plato's Revenge by William Ophuls
on “Ecological Wealth of Nations” ↗…been looking at the political challenges of adapting to ecological limits. I strongly recommend all Ophuls' work, though Ecology and the Politics of Scarcity (first published in 1977, revised ~1994) and Plato’s Revenge (2011) are probably the best starting points. The first secion of Ecology in particular makes one of the most cogent arguments for the Limits to Growth premise I’ve found anywhere. At Worldcat: https://www.worldcat.org/title/ecology-and-the-politics-of-s...…
on “Ask HN: What are the most promising technical solutions to energy/climate change” ↗…of the very few extensions of that to political space, I've seen. I'm still planning on writing a proper review (https://reddit.com/r/dredmorbius, eventually), but strongly recommend all his books. Plato's Revenge updates a few particulars of the argument and extends it toward a solution space. What I appreciate most about him is that he writes not from a prescriptive "here's how to solve this" but an expository…
on “Ecological Wealth of Nations” ↗…and the interactions of these with polity. His bibliographies are excellent, and worth publishing on their own right. I'd recommend his 1977 Ecology and the Politics of Scarcity and his more recent Plato's Revenge. The former focuses more on the ecological case, the latter more on the questions (with very few answers suggested -- he's really exploring the problem space) of how you'd construct a polity, given environmental,…
on “Is democracy a failure? (1861)” ↗…an advanced technological society, usually paired with something resembling a liberal democratic political system. I very much recommend William Ophuls, Ecology and the Politics of Scarcity (1977) and Plato's Revenge (2004). He delivers the essential message of Limits to Growth in a chapter (TL;DR: there are limits to growth, get used to it), and explores the rather more interesting elements of the political dynamics…
on “Lunar bases may need to be quake-proof (2006)” ↗…which will prove the most challenging. And he seems to have been correct. I strongly recommend all his work, though Ecology and the Politics of Scarcity (first published in 1977, revised ~1994) and Plato's Revenge (2011) are probably the best starting points. https://www.worldcat.org/title/ecology-and-the-politics-of-s... https://www.worldcat.org/title/ecology-and-the-politics-of-s... https://www.worldcat.org/title/platos-revenge-politics-in-th...…
on “The Swerve” ↗…behavior. The Extermination of the American Bison. Written in the late 1800s as the tragedy was unfolding. Lots on great detail on how and why we decimated a keystone species in a matter of a few decades. Plato's Revenge by William Ophuls. A concise manifesto on societal change. Lays out a vision for a new post-growth, post-oil, ecological consciousness that incorporates modern science, religion and philosophy. Four…
on “Ask HN: What were the best books you read this year?” ↗…this basis is so readily derailed is itself among the profound challenges in achieving a non-worst-case outcome. I've pointed before to the work of William Ophuls (Ecology and the Politics of Scarcity, Plato's Revenge) and Thomas Homer-Dixon (various) before, I'll recommend them without reservation here again.
on “The Case for Degrowth” ↗…curriculum. I think that's a powerful concept. There's also the possiblity that many people don't and cannot get systems thinking. Another author I've been reading, William Ophuls (most especially Plato's Revenge) discusses this in the context of Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development, and comes to sobering conclusions regarding facing social challenges based on typical population cognitive foundations.…
on “Alan Kay has agreed to do an AMA today” ↗I've been cottoning on to the political aspects of Big Problem resolution (or mitigation or response or ...) and it's not prety. The work of William Ophuls (Ecology and the Politics of Scarcity and Plato's Revenge especially), and others, possibly Thomas Homer-Dixon most principally. Basically, polities seem to fall apart badly.
on “Best-Case and Worst-Case Scenarios” ↗…as bibliographies, sometimes as footnotes, sometimes mentioned in acknowledgements. One form I find particularly useful though it's seldom used is a bibliographic note. The one by William Ophuls in Plato's Revenge was sufficiently useful that I typed it out (and added links to sources or names where possible) here: <https://old.reddit.com/r/dredmorbius/comments/6fgq8g/william...>
on “Ask HN: How do I expand my worldview and meet smart people online?” ↗…particularly in highlighting the (then future) rise of China as a global economic, political, and military force. Ophuls has gone on to suggest at least the framework of solutions, most especially in Plato's Revenge (2009), though that remains fairly high level. What really makes Ophuls's works tremendously valuable is his bibliographic notes which are comprehensive and, to use a favourite word of his, synoptic.…
on “Tidal Energy Is Not Renewable” ↗