Leslie Paul Thiele – författare

An exploration of the impact of unintended consequences in an interdependent world and of the opportunities for creativity and community.

We live today in a global web of interdependence, connected technologically, economically, politically, and socially. As a result of these expanding and deepening interdependencies, it has become impossible fully to control—or foretell—the effects of our actions. The world is rife with unintended consequences. The first law of human ecology—which declares that we can never do merely one thing—is a truth we ignore at our peril. In Indra''s Net and the Midas Touch, Leslie Paul Thiele explores the impact of interdependence and unintended consequences on our pursuit of sustainability.

Unfortunately, good intentions provide no antidote to the law of unintended consequences, and proffered cures often prove worse than the disease. Biofuels developed for the purpose of reducing carbon emissions, for example, have had the unintended effect of cutting off food supplies to the needy and destroying rain forests. We must fundamentally transform our patterns of thinking and behavior. Thiele offers the intellectual and moral foundations for this transformation, drawing from ecology, ethics, technology, economics, politics, psychology, physics, and metaphysics. Awareness of our interconnectedness, he writes, stimulates creativity and community; it is a profound responsibility and a blessing beyond measure.

The Art and Craft of Political Theory provides a critical overview of the discipline’s core concepts and concerns and highlights its development of critical thinking and practical judgment. The field’s interdisciplinary strengths are deployed to grapple with emerging issues and engage afresh enduring ideals and quandaries. While conventional definitions of key concepts are provided, original and controversial perspectives are also explored, revealing continuity in a tradition of thought while emphasizing its diversity and innovations. The Art and Craft of Political Theory illustrates the analytic and interpretive skills, the moral and philosophic discernment, and the historical knowledge needed to appreciate a tradition of thought, to contest its claims, and to make good use of its insights.

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This concise, lively and accessibly written book is essential reading for all students of political theory.

The Art and Craft of Political Theory provides a critical overview of the discipline’s core concepts and concerns and highlights its development of critical thinking and practical judgment. The field’s interdisciplinary strengths are deployed to grapple with emerging issues and engage afresh enduring ideals and quandaries. While conventional definitions of key concepts are provided, original and controversial perspectives are also explored, revealing continuity in a tradition of thought while emphasizing its diversity and innovations. The Art and Craft of Political Theory illustrates the analytic and interpretive skills, the moral and philosophic discernment, and the historical knowledge needed to appreciate a tradition of thought, to contest its claims, and to make good use of its insights.

Topics include:

This concise, lively and accessibly written book is essential reading for all students of political theory.

Reading Nietzsche''s works as the "political biography of his soul," Leslie Thiele presents an original and accessible essay on the great thinker''s attempt to lead a heroic life as a philosopher, artist, saint, educator, and solitary. He takes as his point of departure Nietzsche''s conception of the soul as a multiplicity of conflicting drives and personae, and focuses on the task Nietzsche allotted himself "to make a cosmos out of his chaotic inheritance." This struggle to "become what you are" by way of a spiritual politics is demonstrated to be Nietzsche''s foremost concern, which fused his philosophy with his life. The book offers a conversation with Nietzsche rather than a consideration of the secondary literature, yet it takes to task many prevalent approaches to his work, and contests especially the way we often restrict our encounter with him to conceptual analysis. All deconstructionist attempts to portray him as solely concerned with the destruction of the subject and the dispersion of the self, rather than its unification, are called into question. Often portrayed as the champion of nihilism, Nietzsche here emerges as a thinker who saw his primary task as the overcoming of nihilism through the heroic struggle of individuation.

A comprehensive introduction to the ethics of sustainability for empowering professionals and practitioners in many different fields

By building the framework for balancing technological developments with their social and environmental effects, sustainable practices have grounded the vision of the green movement for the past few decades. Now deeply rooted in the public conscience, sustainability has put its stamp on various institutions and sectors, from national to local governments, from agriculture to tourism, and from manufacturing to resource management. But until now, the technological sector has operated without a cohesive set of sustainability principles to guide its actions. Working Toward Sustainability fills this gap by empowering professionals in various fields with an understanding of the ethical foundations they need to promoting and achieving sustainable development.

In addition, Working Toward Sustainability:

By demonstrating that sustainable solutions tart with ethical choices, this groundbreaking book helps professionals in virtually every sector and field of endeavor work toward sustainability.

A comprehensive introduction to the ethics of sustainability for empowering professionals and practitioners in many different fields

By building the framework for balancing technological developments with their social and environmental effects, sustainable practices have grounded the vision of the green movement for the past few decades. Now deeply rooted in the public conscience, sustainability has put its stamp on various institutions and sectors, from national to local governments, from agriculture to tourism, and from manufacturing to resource management. But until now, the technological sector has operated without a cohesive set of sustainability principles to guide its actions. Working Toward Sustainability fills this gap by empowering professionals in various fields with an understanding of the ethical foundations they need to promoting and achieving sustainable development.

In addition, Working Toward Sustainability:

By demonstrating that sustainable solutions tart with ethical choices, this groundbreaking book helps professionals in virtually every sector and field of endeavor work toward sustainability.

 The pursuit of sustainability has generated lifestyle changes for individuals across the globe; innovations within the arts and sciences, business, design, engineering, and agriculture; historic policies and laws at municipal and state levels; and crucial international protocols and agreements.  Yet the meaning of sustainability remains unsettled, and the term frequently serves as green veneer for business as usual rather than a driver of fundamental change.

The second edition of this popular and lively book explores the concept and practice of sustainability through a broad range of current issues and debates.  Fully revised and updated, the book integrates expanded global breadth with increased attention to the importance of local relationships and responsibilities, while illustrating that sustainability demands creativity as well as conservation.  New Inquiry and Exploration sections with links to web-based resources are also included to help students probe and deepen central debates and topics. 

Sustainability presents a hopeful account of crucial opportunities while directly confronting the hurdles, disputes and challenges that lie ahead. It will be a valuable resource for students and general readers keen to grapple with one of the most pressing issues of our times.

The quest for sustainability has generated lifestyle changes for individuals across the globe, transformations within the arts, sciences, business, design, engineering, and agriculture, innovative policies and laws, and historic international agreements. Yet the means to achieving sustainability remain unsettled and disputed, even as its crucial importance in the face of the climate crisis grows.

The third edition of this popular and lively text explores the concept and practice of sustainability across a broad range of issues and topics. Fully revised and updated, the book underlines the importance of creativity in the service of conservation within ecological, economic, technological, political, legal, and cultural arenas. Chapters conclude with new Discuss, Explore, and Take Action sections that pose probing questions for review and discussion. A new final chapter presents four practical principles that readers may employ to guide the investigation of sustainability problems and their crafting of viable solutions.              

Sustainability presents a hopeful account of the opportunities before us while squarely confronting the daunting challenges that lie ahead. It provides a crucial resource for students grappling with many of the most urgent issues of our time.

The second edition of this intellectually and practically engaging book, includes a valuable new section on justice and updated material throughout. While integrating the insights of ancient, modern and postmodern political thought, Thiele offers a thorough exploration of the art and craft of political theory.

People relish novelty, enjoy convenience, and are prone to distraction. These natural tendencies are now being dangerously exploited in the digital world.  So we find ourselves bewitched by the shimmering screens of our digital devices, like moths circling a flame. It may only be a matter of time before our downward spiral reaches a deadly nadir.

Leslie Paul Thiele incisively explores the psychological, social, and political impacts of social media, artificial intelligence, and digital platforms that are designed to capture our attention and maximize engagement. Digital technologies offer countless benefits.  But in the attention economy, they also heighten distraction and dependence, erode cognitive and social skills, proliferate misinformation, amplify political polarization, increase social isolation, and leave us despondent. Governmental regulation is needed, but it cannot replace the individual’s responsibility to exercise self-governance.

Thoroughly grounded in the latest scientific research but accessible to the general reader, this book explains how we can cultivate the dispositions, habits, and skills needed to sustain human agency and strengthen democratic prospects.  In an age of incessant technological upgrading, Thiele demonstrates a vital and practical means to avert human downgrading.