Disparity between natural and artificial operations

Natural forces control the four natural operations that have characterized what happened in the terrestrial and marine ecosystems during evolution over aeons, do so now and will continue to do so far into the future. They are:

·         A host of physical operations cycle as they influence what happens. Earth cycling around the Sun: the Moon cycling around Earth: the seasons, tides, the hydrological cycle all play their part in controlling continuing operations.

·         Flora, fauna and fungi individually have limited life times but collectively have a continuing impact on operations by reproducing. Information in their seeds defines what natural forces will do in controlling functioning and growth during their lives.

·         Volcanic eruptions and earthquakes are traumatic natural events that occur spasmodically due to the abnormal operation of powerful underground natural forces. They are disruptive but are often constructive. 

·         Various forms of friction continually age all forms of geological and biological systems.

In combination, these measures constitute the self-organizing and self-regulating, sustainable natural processes of evolution.

On the other hand, humans have invented and implemented technological systems in recent millennia that:

·                                       In most cases use limited and irreplaceable natural material resources to provide the energy and material to construct, operate and maintain the systems during their limited lifetime.

·                                        Produce waste material that on many occasions pollutes land, sea, air and organisms, including humans, and disrupts ecosystems by causing climate change and ocean heating and acidification. Only some of this waste can be recycled by using other technological systems.

·                                       These systems can only be reproduced if sufficient natural material resources are still available.

·                                          Various forms of friction continually age these technological systems by doing negative work.

·                                          Occasional failures of technological systems are traumatic events that are both disruptive and destructive.

In combination, these measures constitute the financially semi-regulated, semi-organized and unsustainable operation of industrialized civilization. 

This difference between natural physical operations and the artificial physical operations of industrialized civilization is the stark reality that people, including the powerful in society, do not take into account because they do not really understand what the foundational principles are. They believe in the power of intangible money

Freedom to offend

Freedom to offend is a major subject round the world because Muslims are offended by what a few Westerners have been saying about their Prophet. This issue continues to divide Western and Muslim societies with little sign of moderation.

It is ironical that these two branches of society are quarreling as they continue to offend their life support system, Gaia. They misunderstand the role of all homo sapiens in the operation of eco systems.They are able to do this damaging process because Gaia is only slowly responding to the offensive devastation wrought by human society and industrial civilization in recent times. Climate change, ocean acidification, the depleting of natural resources (oil, many minerals as well as fertile soil, potable water), species (other than human) extinction together with bio-diversity and geo-diversity destruction will ensure that society belatedly respond to what it has done wrong.

It is quite likely that the Western and Muslim societies will reduce their quarreling as they try to cope with the stark reality imposed by Gaia.

Denis Frith

Grand Challenge Manifesto (GCM)

Dire times ahead! That is not the message that the young want to hear - but it is the stark reality that society will have to cope with. Industrial civilization has used up so much of the stored natural material wealth, including oil, that it is becoming so scarce that supply will not be able to meet demand in the future. Technology has provided the means to use this natural wealth but not the means to handle the material wastes produced or to repair the ecological damage that industrialization has done. So now the vast, aging infrastructure is addicted to using up the limited natural material capital as it runs out. Surviving future generations will curse their inability to do no more than make decisions about how to power down as the goods and services provided by civilization decline. They need a Grand Challenge Manifesto to guide them on the way down.

Denis Frith