Technocratic optimism, H. T. Odum, and the partial transformation of ecological metaphor after World War II

Taylor, Peter J.

doi:10.1007/bf00146987

Cited by 146 publications

(46 citation statements)

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“…I was puzzled by critiques coming out of the academic community that depicted systems theory as a kind of technocratic ideology used to create and justify an increasingly hierarchical social order (Lilienfeld, 1978;Taylor, 1988). So the question I sought to answer in my research was whether this was indeed the case or, alternatively, if there were significant developments under the umbrella of systems thinking that might support more participatory and inclusive models of social organization.…”

Section: Motivating Questionsmentioning

confidence: 94%

Exploring the genealogy of systems thinking

Hammond

2002

Syst. Res.

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This paper illustrates a procedure for demonstrating and quantifying the importance of passivity in linear macromodels. This issue is critical whenever the macromodels are derived from tabulated port responses, either in time or frequency domain. We show an algorithmic procedure for the design of a passive termination network that will drive a given non‐passive macromodel to instability. Several termination structures characterized by various port couplings are investigated. Relaxed passivity conditions are also given, which guarantee the stability of the macromodel under specific reduced‐coupling loading conditions. Theoretical results are applied to a set of application test cases. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Section: Motivating Questionsmentioning

confidence: 94%

Exploring the genealogy of systems thinking

Hammond

2002

Syst. Res.

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“…During World War II operations researchers had demonstrated that complex technology, such as missile guidance systems, could employ feedback loops to ensure optimum performance. After the war the study of self-regulation through feedback, or cybernetics, was transferred to peacetime research, motivated by the expectation that living and nonliving complex systems, including ecosystems, could be understood in terms of these general principles (Bowker, 1993;Taylor, 1988). …”

Section: Early Ecosystem Ecologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This had political implications. After the war, the contribution of industry and science to victory, the hazards of societal instability, and the promise of cybernetics, encouraged a burst of "technocratic optimism" (Taylor, 1988). Howard Odum promoted his ecosystem theory as a potential basis for technocratic management.…”

Section: Early Ecosystem Ecologymentioning

confidence: 99%

The ecosystem: research and practice in North America

Bocking

2013

Web Ecol.

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Abstract. Since the early 1940s, the ecosystem approach has been developed in a variety of forms by North American ecologists. Lindeman established its foundation, with his focus on functional components and energy transfers between trophic levels; this view was developed further by several ecologists, including G. Evelyn Hutchinson, and H. T. and E. P. Odum. Ecosystem ecology eventually became closely associated with powerful American institutions, such as the Atomic Energy Commission, receiving ample support; in association with the International Biological Program it became known as "big ecology". More recently, ecosystem ecology has exhibited strengthened interest in spatial patterns, the role of species in ecosystems, and global change. This history has encompassed various ontological, methodological, ethical and political claims regarding the place of this approach in the discipline of ecology and in environmental governance.

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“…La idea de "El hombre en la Biosfera" planteada, hace ya algunos años, por Margalef (1980) sintetiza esta vertiente disciplinaria y teórica hasta el día de hoy, sometiendo al hombre bajo las mismas leyes que el resto de los componentes vivos de la biosfera. El concepto de ecosistema es utilizado como una herramienta útil en el diseño de la vida en base a una ingeniería social (Taylor, 1988) y llama la atención también la afinidad entre las versiones sisté-micas de la biología y ciertas proyecciones en las estrategias de gestión del desarrollo (Kwa, 1987). La ecología como ciencia fue también el generador o alimentador de muchos discursos que dieron y dan sustento al ecologismo o ambientalismo como movimiento social y ecológico en sus diversas variantes, y que serán vistos más adelante.…”

Section: Capítulo IIunclassified