Quo vadis Homo sapiens?

• Published in: Futures : the journal of policy, planning and futures studies Vol. 36; no. 10; pp. 1139 - 1145
• Main Author: Cocks, Doug
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-12-2004; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Guidelines; Learning; Predictions; Social conditions & trends; Social skills
• ISSN: 0016-3287; 1873-6378
• DOI: 10.1016/j.futures.2004.03.012

For those who are curious, this is a marvelous time to be speculating about the span and richness of the human species. The past is the springboard for constructing believable stories about the future. But even the hardest of sciences is wary of making sharp predictions nowadays and multiple scenarios of plausible possible futures are the future-gazer's primary tool. There is remarkable agreement amongst future-gazers about some possibilities. One is that while every century is difficult, the 21st century is going to be a particularly difficult ones for Homo sapiens. Starting now, people need to nurture and boost the "social learning" process. Four guidelines to get the ball rolling include: 1. We need to learn how to learn more effectively. 2. We must recognize the importance of taking an experimental approach to social learning. 3. Crucial to the social learning process is how we educate and nurture our children. 4. Scientific research must continue to have an increasing role in social learning.