Science, truth and realism are under attack in the early 21st century. ”Quite literally, parts of our society appear to be losing their grip on the boundary between reality and fantasy.” The problem lies also with science itself. “When fundamental physics itself get hijacked by an anti-realist philosophy, we are in danger.” Humanist academics have contributed to the current predicament by drawing anti-realist conclusions from quantum mechanics and by holding that science is no more than a social construction. Thus interests of power and business tend to prevail over truth and realism. Einstein initiated the quantum revolution, but he “did not become one its leaders, because his realism required that he reject the theory as it was developed in the late 1920s”. Einstein left the revolution unfinished, in spite of making moves in the right direction. Lee Smolin aims at nothing less than the completion of Einstein’s project in realist terms.

The uncertain future of Earth’s climate depends on whether negative or positive feedback loops dominate. While we know that also complex (and partly unknown) rhythmics and negative feedback loops play a role, the evidence strongly suggests that global warming is now accelerating through multiple self-reinforcing mechanisms. For example, the melting of ice in the Polar Regions contributes to global warming because sea ice reflects much of the sun’s energy back into space, while dark water absorbs it. Hence, there is no automatic planetary homeostasis, at least not in the human scales of time. The stability of climate requires reflexive self-regulation consciously aiming at homeostasis. The planetary future does not just happen but has become increasingly something that ‘we’ make of it. But who is this ‘we’?

Advance voting of the 2019 Finnish parliamentary elections began on 3 April, a week and a half before Election Day. Change is in the air; many hope for a shift towards a more democratic, socially and environmentally responsible direction. The main opposition progressive parties – Social Democratic Party, Green Party, and Left Alliance – are doing well in the polls. First published in English by Brave New Europe on 4 April 2019.

Amidst the Brexit chaos, more than five million UK citizens and residents have now signed the petition “revoke Article 50 and remain in the EU”. The chaos is of course not unexpected.

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