The Wizard and the Prophet: Two Remarkable Scientists and Their Conflicting Visions of the Future of Our Planet
- 作者
- 出版社 Picador
- 出版时间 2018年1月
- ISBN 1509884173 或 9781509884179
- 定价 180.00
内容简介
Injustthreedecades-byabout2050-thehumanpopulationoftheEarthwillreachtenbillion.Thiswillpresentfundamental,evenelemental,problems:Howtofeedtenbillion?Howtoprovidetenbillionwithwater?Howtokeeptenbillionwarminthecoldandcoolintheheat?Andhowtodoallthiswithoutirreparablyharmingourplanet?Toexplorethesechallenges,CharlesC.Manngoesbacktothe1950sand60sandvividlybringstolifetwoindividualswhoestablishedthedistinctschoolsofthoughtthatstilldominateourideasabouttheseissues.Ontheonehandis`theProphet',ecologistWilliamVogt.Crippledbychildhoodpolio,VogtspentyearsstrugglingthroughtheremotestregionsofLatinAmerica-including,memorably,thehellishlybeautifulguanoislandsofPeru-toassemblewhatbecamethebasicideasbehindtoday'sglobalenvironmentalmovement.EnvironmentalistswhohavefollowedVogt'sleadseetheworldasboundbyimmutablebiologicallimitsandourrisingaffluenceasathreat.Unlesshumankinddrasticallyreducesconsumption,theyargue,ourgrowingnumbersandappetitewilloverwhelmtheplanet'secosystems.Ontheotherhandis`theWizard',NormanBorlaug,thelegendaryplant-breederwhoin1970wontheNobelPeacePrize.Bornintoabjectpoverty,Borlaugbecametheprimaryfigureinthe`GreenRevolution'ofthe1960s,whichusednewagriculturaltechnologytoraiseglobalgrainharvests,helpingtoaverttensofmillionsofdeathsfromhunger.Today,hehasbecometheemblemof`techno-optimism'-theviewthatscienceandtechnology,properlyapplied,canhelpusproduceourwayoutofourdifficulties.TothosewhotakeBorlaug'sposition,affluenceisnottheproblembutthesolution.Onlybygettingricherandsmarter,theysay,canhumankindinventandapplythenewdiscoveriesthatholdthekeytoaprosperoustomorrow.Canwebendnaturetoourwillorarewe,likeallotherspecies,boundbyitsinexorablelaws?Manntacklesthiscrucialquestionwitheloquence,clarityandevenhandedness,exploringVogtandBorlaug'sideasbeforeturningtothefundamentalproblemsraisedbyrisinghumandemandsonourplanetandthepossiblesolutionsthateachapproachwoulddemand.RangingfromMexicotoIndia,acrosscontinentsandtheearth'soceans,fromthepasttothepresentandfuture,brilliantlyoriginalinconcept,wrylyobservantanddeeplyresearched,TheWizardandtheProphetisessentialreadingforreadersofNoahJuvalHarari'sSapiensorJaredDiamond'sGuns,GermsandSteel,foranyoneinterestedinhowwegothereandinthefutureofourspecies.
— END —