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In this episode, I am joined by Fred Spier, a retired senior lecturer in big history at the University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. We discuss his most recent book, Big History and the Future of Humanity.
Fred describes how complexity multiplied during the expansion of the universe, beginning with the Big Bang and leading to the formation of stars, planets, and galaxies. Eventually, life got a start on planet Earth, culminating today in humans and their societies –which represent the most complex forms of life that we know of in the universe. All of this is surprising in a universe governed by the Second Law of Thermodynamics, which tells us that everything runs down and becomes less complex over time. It seems that complexity can increase and multiply over time in small pockets of the universe where the conditions are just right — as a result of energy flows through matter. Looking forward, humans face resource constraints and mounting entropy (wastes) on their home planet, which have already created severe management challenges.
Fred Spier holds a M.Sc. in biochemistry and a M.A. and Ph.D. in cultural anthropology and social history. Early in his career, he spent ten years in cultural-anthropological and social-historical research dealing with the religion, politics, and ecology of Peru throughout its known history, and the effects in the Andean village of Zurite.
In 1993, Spier became the driving force for teaching and investigating big history at the University of Amsterdam, about which he wrote two pioneering books (referenced below), as well as numerous articles. Spier is now writing a book about the history of the biosphere using a novel approach (more information can be found here).
For more information on today’s topic, you will find an introduction to ‘big history’ in Episode 066 of our podcast >> here. Also, check out Episode 102, entitled “Managing the next 10,000 years” >> here.
Charles G. Chandler, Ph.D.
References:
Spier, Fred. 2015. Big History and the Future of Humanity. 2nd Edition. Chichester (UK): John Wiley & Sons.
Spier, Fred. 1996. The Structure of Big History: From the Big Bang until Today. Amsterdam (The Netherlands): Amsterdam University Press.
Help change the future of mankind. To find out how your organization can become part of the solution rather than part of the problem in the future of humanity, pick up a copy of my book, Become Truly Great: Serve the Common Good through Management by Positive Organizational Effectiveness.