Simplicity and Sustainability: Pointers from Ethics and Science

In this paper, we explore the notion of simplicity. We use definitions of simplicity proposed by philosophers, scientists, and economists. In an age when the rapidly growing human population faces an equally rapidly declining energy/material resources, there is an urgent need to consider various not...

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Main Authors:	Mehrdad Massoudi, Ashwin Vaidya
Format:	Article
Language:	English
Published:	MDPI AG 2018-04-01
Series:	Sustainability
Subjects:	sustainability simplicity ethics entropy mathematical modeling
Online Access:	http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/4/1303

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spelling	doaj-13f185b3fcf84767959dffa2f643ff062020-11-25T00:00:48ZengMDPI AGSustainability2071-10502018-04-01104130310.3390/su10041303su10041303Simplicity and Sustainability: Pointers from Ethics and ScienceMehrdad Massoudi0Ashwin Vaidya1Center for Nonlinear Analysis, Department of Mathematical Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3890, USADepartment of Mathematical Sciences, Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ 07043, USAIn this paper, we explore the notion of simplicity. We use definitions of simplicity proposed by philosophers, scientists, and economists. In an age when the rapidly growing human population faces an equally rapidly declining energy/material resources, there is an urgent need to consider various notions of simplicity, collective and individual, which we believe to be a sensible path to restore our planet to a reasonable state of health. Following the logic of mathematicians and physicists, we suggest that simplicity can be related to sustainability. Our efforts must therefore not be spent so much in pursuit of growth but in achieving a sustainable life.http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/4/1303sustainabilitysimplicityethicsentropymathematical modeling
collection	DOAJ
language	English
format	Article
sources	DOAJ
author	Mehrdad Massoudi Ashwin Vaidya
spellingShingle	Mehrdad Massoudi Ashwin Vaidya Simplicity and Sustainability: Pointers from Ethics and Science Sustainability sustainability simplicity ethics entropy mathematical modeling
author_facet	Mehrdad Massoudi Ashwin Vaidya
author_sort	Mehrdad Massoudi
title	Simplicity and Sustainability: Pointers from Ethics and Science
title_short	Simplicity and Sustainability: Pointers from Ethics and Science
title_full	Simplicity and Sustainability: Pointers from Ethics and Science
title_fullStr	Simplicity and Sustainability: Pointers from Ethics and Science
title_full_unstemmed	Simplicity and Sustainability: Pointers from Ethics and Science
title_sort	simplicity and sustainability: pointers from ethics and science
publisher	MDPI AG
series	Sustainability
issn	2071-1050
publishDate	2018-04-01
description	In this paper, we explore the notion of simplicity. We use definitions of simplicity proposed by philosophers, scientists, and economists. In an age when the rapidly growing human population faces an equally rapidly declining energy/material resources, there is an urgent need to consider various notions of simplicity, collective and individual, which we believe to be a sensible path to restore our planet to a reasonable state of health. Following the logic of mathematicians and physicists, we suggest that simplicity can be related to sustainability. Our efforts must therefore not be spent so much in pursuit of growth but in achieving a sustainable life.
topic	sustainability simplicity ethics entropy mathematical modeling
url	http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/4/1303
work_keys_str_mv	AT mehrdadmassoudi simplicityandsustainabilitypointersfromethicsandscience AT ashwinvaidya simplicityandsustainabilitypointersfromethicsandscience
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Simplicity and Sustainability: Pointers from Ethics and Science

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