• norsk
    • English
  • English 
    • norsk
    • English
  • Login
View Item 
  •   Home
  • Faculty of Social Sciences
  • Department of Geography
  • Department of Geography
  • View Item
  •   Home
  • Faculty of Social Sciences
  • Department of Geography
  • Department of Geography
  • View Item
JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

The World Model Controversy

Myrtveit, Magne
Working paper
Thumbnail
View/Open
WPSD1.05WorldControversy.pdf (474.6Kb)
URI
https://hdl.handle.net/1956/1974
Date
2005
Metadata
Show full item record
Collections
  • Department of Geography [535]
Abstract
In 1971 Jay Forrester published his book World Dynamics, where he presented a high-levelsimulation model of the socio-economic-environmental world system. The main purpose ofthe model and the accompanying book was to encourage an open debate about the long-termfuture on our planet. The World Model was created in a time where pollution and othernegative effects of industrialization and economic growth started to become recognized.Forrester made the assumption that life on earth is bounded within certain limits, such asavailable space and resources. Based on this he concluded that exponential economic growthcannot continue forever; sooner or later one or more limits will be reached. The question,then, is how mankind can manage its own future in ways that can avoid an unpleasantencounter with the limits to growth. The Club of Rome, a non-profit research organization,appointed Dennis Meadows, Donella Meadows and others to elaborate on the work initiatedby Forrester. The resulting report, Limits to Growth, became a bestseller almost over night.Large parts of the established economic community reacted with massive criticism towardsthe limits to growth ideas, and characterized the work as dooms day prophecies with no basisin observed data and established theories. In this essay I describe System Dynamics andeconometrics; the scientific home bases of the two sides in the controversy. Based on atheoretical framework developed by Ernan McMullin, I try to categorize the issues that werediscussed in the context of the World Model. My findings are that the World Model debate isa mixed controversy, involving different views on facts, theories, principles and values. Thecontroversy has evolved over three decades, and has not ended. The main questions are stillrelevant and subject to discussion among scientists, politicians, environmentalists, andordinary people.
Publisher
The University of Bergen
Series
Working Papers in System Dynamics

Contact Us | Send Feedback

Privacy policy
DSpace software copyright © 2002-2019  DuraSpace

Service from  Unit
 

 

Browse

ArchiveCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsDocument TypesJournalsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsDocument TypesJournals

My Account

Login

Statistics

View Usage Statistics

Contact Us | Send Feedback

Privacy policy
DSpace software copyright © 2002-2019  DuraSpace

Service from  Unit