Bibliograph

Type

Label

The wizard and the prophet, two remarkable scientists and their dueling visions to shape tomorrow's world, Charles C. Mann

Language

eng

Bibliography note

Includes bibliographical references (pages 479-584) and index

resource.biographical

collective biography

Illustrations

mapsillustrations

Index

index presentno index present

Literary Form

non fiction

Main title

The wizard and the prophet

Nature of contents

bibliography

Oclc number

999673749

Responsibility statement

Charles C. Mann

Sub title

two remarkable scientists and their dueling visions to shape tomorrow's world

Summary

Presents two influential scientists, William Vogt (1902-1968), and Norman Borlaug (1914-2009), whose diametrically opposed views shaped modern understandings about the environment and related public policiesIn forty years, Earth's population will reach ten billion. Can our world support that? What kind of world will it be? Those answering these questions generally fall into two deeply divided groups--Wizards and Prophets, as Charles Mann calls them in this balanced, authoritative, nonpolemical new book. The Prophets, he explains, follow William Vogt, a founding environmentalist who believed that in using more than our planet has to give, our prosperity will lead us to ruin. Cut back! was his mantra. Otherwise everyone will lose! The Wizards are the heirs of Norman Borlaug, whose research, in effect, wrangled the world in service to our species to produce modern high-yield crops that then saved millions from starvation. Innovate! was Borlaug's cry. Only in that way can everyone win! Mann delves into these diverging viewpoints to assess the four great challenges humanity faces--food, water, energy, climate change--grounding each in historical context and weighing the options for the future. With our civilization on the line, the author's insightful analysis is an essential addition to the urgent conversation about how our children will fare on an increasingly crowded Earth.--AMAZON

Table Of Contents

Prologue -- One law : State of the species -- Two men : The prophet ; The wizard -- Four elements : Earth: food ; Water: freshwater ; Fire: energy ; Air: climate change -- Two men : The prophet ; The wizard -- One future : The edge of the petri dish -- Appendix : Why believe? (part one and two)

resource.variantTitle

Wizard and the prophet, two remarkable scientists and their dueling visions of tomorrow's world

Creator