Technological Positivism
July 11, 2008There are two broad themes that this blog is going to deal with: Climate and Energy. In discussing those themes, the basic philosophical foundation is what I am going to call “technological positivism.” By that, I mean a working assumption that the solution to the crises of climate change and rising demand for energy (and the consequent upward spiral in energy prices) can be found, relatively quickly, in technological innovation. Regarding energy, that means taking the affirmative steps to maximize the immense energy sources that we know are available right now. Regarding climate, that means exploring and endorsing the various geo-engineering solutions to climate change.
Now, among many of the post-structuralist bent, the word “positivism” is a pejorative – and doubly so for a combination of technology and positivism – but there are few real solutions to these crises likely to come from that crowd. Climate change, to the degree that it is anthropogenically created, is a product of our technology. A technological problem should have a technological solution, not a sociological one; a re-ordering of technologies rather than a radical re-ordering of societal priorities
Essentially, it is our belief that what we face is not an energy crisis, not a climate crisis, but rather a crisis of the will. We have the ability within our grasp to relieve pressure on both the climate and the energy fronts, if only we will find within ourselves the will to do so.
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