The Future

 

I would like to present a number of other subjects, namely:

  • The Arms Race in Space
  • Robots in War
  • The Legal Ramifications of Extending Life
  • The Global Economic Issues of the Drug War
  • Gender Issues Involving Birth Control and Infanticide
  • The Complex Socio-Economic Inquiries Surrounding Immigration and Migration
  • Languages and Their Looming Extinction
  • The Power and Pervasiveness of Oil
  • The Remaking of Cities
  • A Global Language
  • Slow Cities
  • Slow Food
  • Jury Nullification in Ecological/Environmental Protest Trials
  • And Then Some

For my own extended reading and, perhaps, for you as well, I have earmarked “The Alphabet Versus The Goddess” (where surgeon Leonard Schlain explores the conflict between word and image, proposing that alphabetic literacy reconfigured the human brain to usher in the reign of patriarchy and misogyny); Jonathan Glover’s “Humanity: A Moral History of The Twentieth Century”; “From Dawn to Decadence: Five Hundred Years of Western Cultural Life,” by Jacques Barzun; “Power, Politics, and Culture: Interviews with Edward Said;” Jeremy Rifkin’s, “The European Dream;” “Disaster Capitalism,” by Naomi Klein; Michael Pollan’s “In Defense of Food;” E. S. Schumacher’s “A Guide for the Perplexed;” The Weather Makers,” by Tim Flannery; “A Natural History of the Senses,” by Diane Ackerman; esteemable Eduardo Galeano’s, “Upside Down: A Primer for the Looking Glass World” and “Mirrors”;” Richard Ellis’ “Tiger Bone & Rhino Horn;” “The Fruit Hunters,” by Adam Leith Gollner; Fiammetta Rocco’s “The Miraculous Fever-Tree;” Okot p’Bitek’s, “Song of Lawino;” “The Palm-Wine Drinkard,” by Amos Tutuola; “Ghostwalk” by Rebecca Stott; “The Rise of the Indian Rope Trick,” by Peter Lamont; Mohammed Hanif’s, “A Case of Exploding Mangoes;” Susie Orbach, “Bodies;” “Justice,” by Michael J. Sandel; Robert Glennon’s “Unquenchable;” Stewart Brand’s “Whole Earth Discipline;” and “The Bottom Billion” by Paul Collier.

The Course Bibliography, which by no means intends to be complete and is always looking for suggestions of interdisciplinary titles to add, is appended to this article along with a collection of websites and magazine name references.  A partial list of organizations from which I have drawn sustenance is also included.  Your recommendations to additional sources are appreciated.