The Economic Superorganism - Beyond the Competing Narratives on Energy, Growth, and Policy (Paperback, 1st ed. 2021)

Energy drives the economy, economics informs policy, and policy affects social outcomes. Since the oil crises of the 1970s, pundits have debated the validity of this sequence, but most economists and politicians still ignore it. Thus, they delude the public about the underlying influence of energy costs and constraints on economic policies that address such pressing contemporary issues as income inequality, growth, debt, and climate change. To understand why, Carey King explores the scientific and rhetorical basis of the competing narratives both within and between energy technology and economics. Energy and economic discourse seems to mirror Newton's 3rd Law of Motion: For every narrative there is an equal and opposite counter-narrative. The competing energy narratives pit "drill, baby, drill!" against renewable technologies such as wind and solar. Both claim to provide secure, reliable, clean, and affordable energy to support economic growth with the most benefit to society, but how? To answer this question, we need to understand the competing economic narratives, techno-optimism and techno-realism. Techno-optimism claims that innovation overcomes any physical resource constraints and enables the social outcomes and economic growth we desire. Techno-realism, in contrast, states that no matter what energy technologies we use, feedbacks from physical growth on a finite planet constrain economic growth and create an uneven distribution of social impacts. In The Economic Superorganism, you will discover stories, data, science, and philosophy to guide you through the arguments from competing narratives on energy, growth, and policy. You will be able to distinguish the technically possible from the socially viable, and understand how our future depends on this distinction.

General

Imprint:	Springer Nature Switzerland AG
Country of origin:	Switzerland
Release date:	October 2020
First published:	2021
Authors:	Carey W. King
Dimensions:	235 x 155 x 34mm (L x W x T)
Format:	Paperback
Pages:	466
Edition:	1st ed. 2021
ISBN-13:	978-3-03-050294-2
Categories:	Books > Science & Mathematics > Science: general issues > Popular science Books > Professional & Technical > Energy technology & engineering > General Books > Social sciences > Politics & government > Central government > Central government policies Books > Earth & environment > The environment > Applied ecology > General Books > Earth & environment > The environment > Environmental economics > General
LSN:	3-03-050294-5
Barcode:	9783030502942

Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate? Let us know about it.

Does this product have an incorrect or missing image? Send us a new image.

Is this product missing categories? Add more categories.

Review This Product

No reviews yet - be the first to create one!