The Limits to Transforming the Environment and the Limits to Sociological Knowledge
This paper argues that the social sciences are fragmented in addressing the environmental challenge of increasing resource depletion. To address this problem, the paper puts forward a framework which encompasses several disciplinary approaches, and above all a long-term historical perspective and a...
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Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/2/8/2483/ |
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doaj-3c7bee9176524e9896934eef2e79c69c2020-11-24T23:03:25ZengMDPI AGSustainability2071-10502010-08-01282483249810.3390/su2082483The Limits to Transforming the Environment and the Limits to Sociological KnowledgeRalph SchroederThis paper argues that the social sciences are fragmented in addressing the environmental challenge of increasing resource depletion. To address this problem, the paper puts forward a framework which encompasses several disciplinary approaches, and above all a long-term historical perspective and a realist sociology of science and technology which, in combination, provide a means of understanding the disruptive changes in the transformation of the environment. The paper then focuses on energy and gives an overview of the various social forces that can potentially counteract the future tensions arising from the foreseeable depletion of energy sources. It argues that only some of these countervailing forces—namely state intervention and technological innovation—provide viable potential solutions to these tensions. However, these solutions themselves face severe constraints. The paper concludes by arguing that a realistic assessment of constraints is the most useful, though limited, service that social science can contribute to our understanding of the relation between social and environmental transformation. http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/2/8/2483/sociologyscience and technologyenvironmentenergy |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Ralph Schroeder |
spellingShingle |
Ralph Schroeder The Limits to Transforming the Environment and the Limits to Sociological Knowledge Sustainability sociology science and technology environment energy |
author_facet |
Ralph Schroeder |
author_sort |
Ralph Schroeder |
title |
The Limits to Transforming the Environment and the Limits to Sociological Knowledge |
title_short |
The Limits to Transforming the Environment and the Limits to Sociological Knowledge |
title_full |
The Limits to Transforming the Environment and the Limits to Sociological Knowledge |
title_fullStr |
The Limits to Transforming the Environment and the Limits to Sociological Knowledge |
title_full_unstemmed |
The Limits to Transforming the Environment and the Limits to Sociological Knowledge |
title_sort |
limits to transforming the environment and the limits to sociological knowledge |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Sustainability |
issn |
2071-1050 |
publishDate |
2010-08-01 |
description |
This paper argues that the social sciences are fragmented in addressing the environmental challenge of increasing resource depletion. To address this problem, the paper puts forward a framework which encompasses several disciplinary approaches, and above all a long-term historical perspective and a realist sociology of science and technology which, in combination, provide a means of understanding the disruptive changes in the transformation of the environment. The paper then focuses on energy and gives an overview of the various social forces that can potentially counteract the future tensions arising from the foreseeable depletion of energy sources. It argues that only some of these countervailing forces—namely state intervention and technological innovation—provide viable potential solutions to these tensions. However, these solutions themselves face severe constraints. The paper concludes by arguing that a realistic assessment of constraints is the most useful, though limited, service that social science can contribute to our understanding of the relation between social and environmental transformation. |
topic |
sociology science and technology environment energy |
url |
http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/2/8/2483/ |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT ralphschroeder thelimitstotransformingtheenvironmentandthelimitstosociologicalknowledge AT ralphschroeder limitstotransformingtheenvironmentandthelimitstosociologicalknowledge |
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1725633933291290624 |