The Future: A Very Short IntroductionFrom the beginning of time, humans have been driven by both a fear of the unknown and a curiosity to know. We have always yearned to know what lies ahead, whether threat or safety, scarcity or abundance. Throughout human history, our forebears tried to create certainty in the unknown, by seeking to influence outcomes with sacrifices to gods, preparing for the unexpected with advice from oracles, and by reading the stars through astrology. As scientific methods improve and computer technology develops we become ever more confident of our capacity to predict and quantify the future by accumulating and interpreting patterns form the past, yet the truth is there is still no certainty to be had. In this Very Short Introduction Jennifer Gidley considers some of our most burning questions: What is "the future "?; Is the future a time yet to come?; Or is it a utopian place?; Does the future have a history?; Is there only one future or are there many possible futures? She asks if the future can ever be truly predicted or if we create our own futures - both hoped for and feared - by our thoughts, feelings, and actions, and concludes by analysing how we can learn to study the future. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
Three thousand yearsof futures | 20 |
The future multiplied | 44 |
The evolving scholarship of futures studies | 63 |
Crystal balls flying cars and robots | 82 |
Technotopian or humancentred futures? | 100 |
Grand global futures challenges | 116 |
Conclusion | 136 |
Further reading and websites | 151 |
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Common terms and phrases
20th century 21st century alternative futures Bertrand de Jouvenel Boston Dynamics Bostrom calendar called cities claims climate change climate crisis clock complex concepts counter-trends create creative critical futures critique Dator David developed dystopian economic emerging environmental Ervin László evolutionary evolving scholarship existential risk explore flying cars forecasting foresight French futures approach futures research futures studies futures studies field futures thinking futurists Galtung Gebser geo-political German Gidley global futures challenges human futures human-centred futures idea images Inayatullah integral futures John Jouvenel Jungk linear Long Now Foundation machine methods Michael Millennium multiple futures participatory futures perspective Peter philosopher plural positivism prophets prospective psychology published Rescher robots Roger Scruton scenario scholarship of futures science fiction shift Short Introduction singularity Slaughter social society socio-cultural strategic foresight sustainable Technotopian or human-centred Teilhard term theories transhumanism transhumanist trends urban utopian vision Wendell Bell World Futures