Concerns about future of human civilization have been growing for decades, and significant changes are required to facilitate better and more consistent actions to aid our planet and those who call it home. Our present modes of economic and political organization have been shaped by the historical political, economic, and social developments of the past. The flaws in this approach to structuring our world are numerous and obvious, contemporary global challenges—including global warming, ecological disasters, hunger, and pollution—have yet to be properly addressed. Moreover, ongoing rivalries between existing governing and economic systems continue to pose a very real threat to the safety and prosperity of the World. Fortunately, advancements in science and technology have the potential to meet the material needs of the entire global community and facilitate the required changes to address the aforementioned challenges. Therefore, it is time for an urgently needed “paradigm shift” in how we think about the political and economic structures that shape our world. As a scientist whose work focuses on developing sustainable technologies, I recognize the power of “outside of the box” thinking in facilitating change. The proposed book competition would provide visionary experts and science fiction writers concerned about the future of our planet an opportunity to share their concepts for change. The presented ideas will also stimulate interest in developing our scientific knowledge and approaches in order to materialize the required transformations. It is critical to provide a forum for new concepts of how the World could be governed and economically structured in future, as this would place the focus on positive and constructive discussions about the opportunities these ideas could provide, rather than simply re-hashing the same old criticisms of our existing structures. While it will likely take a long time to realize these necessary changes, we should not be deterred from beginning the process of describing and discussing new concepts for the future.
Please contact me if you can assist in finding resources to facilitate this prize.
Janusz Pawliszyn
janusz@uwaterloo.ca