Emerging Dynamics: Science, Energy, Society and Values (eBook)

Loucas G. Christophorou is the Director of the Office of Research in Experimental Physics at the Academy of Athens in Athens, Greece

Dedication 5
Foreword 6
Preface 8
Acknowledgments 9
Contents 10
Chapter 1: Arrows of Time 12
1.1 From the Beginning of the Universe to Homo sapiens 12
1.2 Increasing Complexity and Disorder 16
1.3 Everything Changes and Evolves 17
1.3.1 Everything Changes 17
1.3.2 Everything Evolves 18
1.3.2.1 The Universe Has Evolved 18
1.3.2.2 The Earth Has Evolved 18
1.3.2.3 Life on Earth Has Evolved 19
1.3.2.4 Humanity Has Evolved 20
1.3.2.5 The Closeness of Life 21
1.3.2.6 Common Descent 23
1.3.2.7 Evolution 23
1.4 An Historic Perspective 24
1.4.1 Physical, Biological and Structural Uniformity of Living Organisms 24
1.4.2 Societal Complexity 25
Chapter 2: Distinct Characteristics of Modern Civilization 30
2.1 The Prevalent Impact of Science and Science-Based Technology 30
2.1.1 Biology, Medicine and Biotechnology 32
2.2 The Fundamental Role of Energy 34
2.2.1 The Significance of Energy for Civilization 34
2.3 Distinct Characteristics of Modern Civilization Related to Energy 38
2.3.1 Increase in World Population 38
2.3.2 Increase in Urban Population 40
2.3.3 Increase in the Consumption of Energy, Principally Fossil Fuels 41
2.3.4 Increase in Resource Consumption and the Consequential Increase in Environmental Pollution and Climate Change 41
2.3.5 The Increased “Negative” Use of Energy (Increased Use of Energy for Destruction and War) 45
2.3.6 Increase of Societal Complexity 46
2.3.7 Increased Gap in the Standard of Living Between the Energy Rich and the Energy Poor Peoples 46
2.3.8 Resource Consumption and Sustainability of Modern Civilization 49
2.3.8.1 Tame Consumerism 49
2.3.8.2 Conserve Energy 50
2.3.8.3 Increase Food Production 51
Chapter 3: Science 60
3.1 Introduction 60
3.2 Meaning of Knowing 61
3.2.1 The Inductive Method of Science 61
3.2.2 Reductionism and Holism 64
3.2.3 The Indirect and the Complicated 67
3.3 The Nature of Truth and the Image of Reality 68
3.4 The Laws and Concepts of Science (Physics) 69
3.5 Distinct Characteristics of Science 71
3.6 The Universality of Science 73
3.6.1 Limits to the Universality of Science 74
3.6.2 Needs of the Universality of Science 80
3.7 Science and Society 80
3.7.1 The Scientist 80
3.7.2 Scientist and Society 81
3.7.2.1 Mutual Responsibility 81
3.7.2.2 Needs of Scientists and Society 82
3.7.3 The Scientist as Policy Advisor and as Advocate 83
Chapter 4: Scientific and Technological Frontiers 91
4.1 Introduction 91
4.2 Scientific and Technological Frontiers 92
4.2.1 Complexity 92
4.2.1.1 Complexity in Nature 92
4.2.1.2 Complexity in Society and Values 95
4.2.2 Molecular Genetics and Molecular Medicine 96
4.2.3 New Materials 97
4.2.3.1 Nanomaterials 97
4.2.3.2 High-Temperature Superconductors 98
4.2.4 Energy (New Sources, New Carriers, New Transformations of Energy, and New Ethical Issues) 100
4.2.4.1 Future Energy Sources and Needs 101
4.2.4.2 A Unique Form of Energy: Light 102
4.2.4.3 The Concept of Energy and Its Philosophical Dimension 103
4.2.4.4 The Energy-Climate Era 103
Chapter 5: Values of Society and Science 107
5.1 Introduction 107
5.2 The Precepts and Concepts of Values 108
5.3 Traditional Human Values 109
5.3.1 Values of Faiths and Cultures 109
5.3.1.1 Values of Faiths 109
5.3.1.2 Values of Cultures 113
5.3.2 Contextualization of Values 114
5.4 Universal, Common and Complementary Values 116
5.4.1 Universal Values 116
5.4.2 Common Values 117
5.4.3 Complementary Values 118
5.5 Values of and in Science 119
5.5.1 Values in Science 119
5.5.2 Values of Science 120
5.6 The Impact of Science on Values 121
5.7 The Future of Values 123
Chapter 6: Boundaries of Science 128
6.1 Introduction 128
6.2 Scientific Questions Without Scientific Answers 129
6.3 Extrapolation of Scientific Knowledge 133
6.4 Examples of Extreme Cases of Scientific Reductionism and Inductive Extrapolation Therefrom 135
Chapter 7: Energy 140
7.1 Introduction 140
7.1.1 The Fundamental Role of Energy 140
7.1.2 Energy for Civilization 141
7.2 Primary Energy Sources 142
7.2.1 Energy for Today and for Tomorrow 142
7.2.2 Fossil Fuels Mainly Coal, Oil and Natural Gas
7.2.2.1 Coal 144
7.2.2.2 Oil 144
7.2.2.3 Natural Gas 145
7.2.3 Renewable Energy Sources, Mostly Hydroelectric, Solar, Wind, Biofuels and Geothermal 148
7.2.3.1 Hydroelectric Power 148
7.2.3.2 Solar Energy 149
7.2.3.3 The Role of Light 149
7.2.3.4 Energy from Controlled Nuclear Fusion Using Laser Light 153
7.2.3.5 Wind 155
7.2.3.6 Biofuels 155
7.2.3.7 Geothermal 155
7.2.3.8 Other Renewable Energy Sources 156
7.2.4 Nuclear Power, from Nuclear Fission and, in the Future, from Nuclear Fusion 156
7.2.4.1 Additional Nuclear Options (Breeder Reactors) 159
7.2.4.2 Nuclear Energy from Nuclear Fusion 160
7.2.5 Trends in Primary Energy Consumption by Fuel and Emerging Primary Energy Mix 164
7.2.6 Energy Conservation 165
7.3 Electricity 167
7.3.1 Need for Energy Storage 167
7.3.1.1 Energy Storage Options 169
7.3.1.2 Smart Grids (for Transmission and Distribution) 171
7.3.2 Electrical Energy Transmission and Distribution 171
7.4 Energy and Poverty 173
7.4.1 The Fundamental Role of Electricity 174
7.4.2 The Poor Regions of the Earth and their Need for Energy: Today’s Reality 174
7.4.2.1 What Is it in for Today’s Poor? 177
7.4.2.2 Supply of Electricity to the Energy-Impoverished Regions of the Earth 178
7.5 Energy and Beyond: Conditions for Sustainability of Modern Civilization 179
Chapter 8: The Future: QUO VADIS HOMO SAPIENS? 191
8.1 Change and Its Challenges 191
8.1.1 Future Scientific and Technological Frontiers and Their Challenges 192
8.1.2 Change Our Perception of Resources 193
8.2 Toward a Better Future 194
8.2.1 From a World of Fear to a World of Hope 194
8.2.2 Uphold the Image of Man and Respect His Dignity 195
8.2.3 Society: From Conflict to Complementarity 197
8.3 A Hopeful Future Based on Science and Values 198
Appendix: Energy: Scientific, Philosophical and Theological Dimension1 201
Introduction 201
The Beginning and the Evolution of the Universe 202
Energy at the Beginning and from the Beginning of the Universe 205
The Philosophical Dimension of Energy 206
Aristotle’s Philosophy on Energy and Its Relationship to the Current Scientific View 206
The Philosophical / Theological Dimension of Energy 208
The Scientific, the Philosophical and the Christian Perspective 212
Towards the Whole: Beyond Science 212
Index 218