Basic Tenets

From the humanistic point of view, the environment is the place where the natural and human order undergo some kind of fusion.  The Center thus considers the interplay between human beings and environment from two complementary points of view: 1) Human beings always transform the environments in which they live and function; in fact, practically all inhabited environments are artificial in the sense that they have been profoundly altered by human cultures; and 2) Human beings are shaped by  the environments in which they develop, each culture reflecting the  influence of the environment in which it has been created and has evolved.

Human life implies interventions into nature.  Properly managed, these interventions can be not only ecologically sound but also creative of new environmental values.  In many parts of the world they have indeed resulted in "humanized" environments which are ecologically stable, economically profitable, esthetically pleasurable, and favorable to the continued growth of civilization. 

Admittedly, human interventions into nature have often been destructive and are now responsible for the ecological problems which threaten the whole planet.  There is overwhelming evidence, however, that many forms of environmental damage can be repaired.  As a result of proper management, damaged ecosystems have recovered more rapidly and at lower cost than had been anticipated.  We now have the kind of knowledge that makes it possible to take advantage of the resiliency of nature, provided there is the social will to act. 

Any change implies risk.  There cannot be any progress without social or technological changes and, therefore, without risk.  Our societies have to develop better methods, not only for anticipating risks associated with changes, but also for evaluating the willingness of people to accept these risks.  The acceptability of risk is probably always conditioned by the desirability of certain social values. 

Changes inevitably have consequences that cannot be predicted and that differ in their effects on various social systems.  The usual methods for dealing with these inevitable difficulties are (a) increasing governmental regulation to improve safety and fairness and (b) confrontations between environmentalists and business leaders.  Regulation and confrontation are costly and tend to paralyze initiatives essential for progress.  The Center provides facilities and opportunities that enable scholars to discuss with scientists, technologists and other decision-makers the socio-environmental problems arising from new developments. The discussion of these problems is best carried out not in an adversary atmosphere but in a cooperative spirit.  

Therefore, the Center continues to experiment with ways to reformulate and disseminate this knowledge about current problems.