Abstract:

Distribute a better view of the human predicament, and descriptions of behaviors that resolve it. (so responsible funders choose programs that more than delay the inevitable)

30 years of research shows, the way 6 billion people gather, process, and value the available information, will not produce a clear enough view of the human predicament to help them choose behavior to avoid it.

Even leaders, such as yourselves, lack an image of the human predicament that includes a rapid approach of major civilization collapse. Consequently each is not looking for more powerful behaviors to avoid it. For example, (sans China) leadership are not prepared to champion a solution that includes rapid population decline of the order that would happen if every person on the globe adopted a one child per family behavior.

If responsible funders are not prepared to advance such a solution, because it looks too extreme for the predicament they "can" visualize with their existing cognitive abilities, then someone has to present this predicament in ways it can be understood. Someone has to show why lesser measures will be too little and too late to keep humankind from a dark age (possibly a dark age from which we will not reemerge.)

I believe this can be accomplished using a temporal view of any biological community crashing its footprint into its environment's carrying capacity and lowering wellbeing to subsistence for most if not all its population. This view, for the special characteristics of the human community, is presented on the attached DVD which you can view on any TV with a DVD player. It is presented on the attached CD that will play in most quicktime equipped computers. And it can be viewed from most internet connected computers. Just point your browser to: /Qxtras_folder-2/HighIntellectRequHead.html

This presentation, which was given in Oslo, London, and places in the US in the last 6 months, had surprising success in opening eyes to a larger predicament and new opportunities to address it.

If after viewing this video, you find this argument compelling please consider helping SKIL ( Stanford Knowledge Integration Lab.) disseminate it. Consider funding the printing of a 125 page paperback containing a DVD and 40 companion essays. The essays written for the lay reader using contemporary conditions, complement the DVD's theme, that human's underestimate their predicament and thus are unmotivated to take the actions that would resolve it. The reason for this underestimation is caused by limitations on how each person gathers processes and values information. These essays can be viewed on the web at: /position_papers_folder/head_position-papers.html at the SKIL website; along with pointers to technical reports and academic books summarizing research at SKIL, including learning theory useful in the design of curriculum for a future generation that thinks and behaves better than you and me.

The target audience for the initial printing, is other foundations and individuals who might be encouraged to become supporters of this avenue of humankind's improvement.

The talk has been so enthusiastically received that one listener had me bring it to Oslo and another provided a 10K travel grant to take this talk on the road during the next 6 months. I have planned more than 20 talks in as many cities between now and June. The essays and DVD provided by your grant would leverage results from these meetings and provide out reach to not yet contacted foundations and individuals.

The cost of printing and combining 5000 DVD's and 5000 paperback bound copies of the the essays is ~$8K. A smaller run of 1000 copies would cost about 3K. Of this printing, your organization would be given copies to have or forward to your collegial groups. For a nominal handling cost, a portion of these copies will be delivered to the directors and staffs of organizations you choose. We would hope that they too would find the SKIL line of reasoning useful for understanding the human predicament and allocate some of their resources to take a more temporal look at the human predicament and get involved in choosing activities that go beyond weaker activities that only delay a bad result. The rest of the copies will be sold at SKIL seminars and events as fund raisers to pay SKIL staff and expenses. The book would also be sold online the SKIL web site, other online sites, book sellers. I will retain the copyright for future printings.

I will be available by phone and email to answer questions. I would be delighted to present a live version of the talk at your meeting if your have such programs in addition to your business meeting. That way I can provide full answers to your questions.

Respectfully submitted.

Jack Alpert PhD

Director: Stanford Knowledge Integration Laboratory

PS More complete information including my bio can be found at http://www.skil.org