Steering Human Evolution: Eighteen Theses on Homo Sapiens Metamorphosis

by Yehezkel Dror

Humanity must steer its evolution.

As human knowledge moves a step ahead of Darwin’s theories, this book presents the emergence of human-made meta-evolution shaping our alternative futures. This novel process poses fateful challenges to humanity, which require regulation of emerging science and technology which may endanger the future of our species. However, to do so successfully, a novel ‘humanity-craft’ has to be developed; main ideologies and institutions need redesign; national sovereignty has to be limited; a decisive global regime becomes essential; some revaluation of widely accepted norms becomes essential; and a novel type of political leader, based on merit in addition to public support, is urgently needed.

Taking into account the strength of nationalism and vested interests, it may well be that only catastrophes will teach humanity to metamorphose into a novel epoch without too high transition costs. But initial steps, such as United Nation reforms, are urgent in order to contain calamities and may soon become feasible.

Being both interdisciplinary and based on personal experience of the author, this book adds up to a novel paradigm on steering human evolution. It will be of great interest to scholars and researchers of modern history, evolution sciences, future studies, political science, philosophy of action, and science and technology. It will also be of wide appeal to the general reader anxious about the future of life on Earth. Comments on the Corona pandemic add to the book’s concrete significance.

206 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 7, 2020

About the author

ACADEMIC POSITION:

Professor of Political Science and Wolfson Chair Professor of Public Administration, Emeritus, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

UNIVERSITY EDUCATION:

BA, The Hebrew University, 1953; Mag.Jur. The Hebrew University, 1954; LL.M., Harvard University, 1955; S.J.D., Harvard University, 1957.

MAIN SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS:

• Humanity-Craft

• Political Leadership.

• Capacities to govern.

• Policy planning and strategic choice.

• Select policy domains, with focus on global security issues.

• Israel Studies.


ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL DISTINCTIONS:

• Honorary Member, Club of Rome. Invited by Club of Rome to write a report on The Capacity to Govern, published in seven languages.

• Distinguished professorial and guest appointments at universities and policy research institutes in various countries. Fellow, Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, Palo Alto, 1962-1963. Visiting Scholar, the Woodrow Wilson Center, Washington, D.C., summer 1981. Fellow, Center for Advanced Study, Berlin, 1981-1982. Distinguished Guest Scholar, Science Center Berlin, 1983. Visiting Scholar, Russell Sage Foundation, New York, 1983. Visiting Fellow, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, autumn 1990.

• Emeritus Fellow, World Academy of Art and Science. Member, European Academy of Sciences and Arts. Former Member, International Institute of Strategic Studies.

• First Annual Harold Lasswell Award of Policy Studies Association as "outstanding scholar in contributing to the understanding of public policy", 1983. "Fulbright 40th Anniversary Distinguished Lecturer" at 1986 American Political Science Association Meeting. 1990-1991; Vice-President and 1991-1992 President of the Policy Studies Association. "Ludwig Von Bertalanffy Memorial Lecture", at 1994 International Society for the Systems Sciences Annual Meeting. Aaron Wildavsky Book Award by Policy Studies Organization, for chapter in best policy studies book published in 1993-94. Thomas R. Dye Award for "outstanding service to the Policy Studies Organization", 1997. Arthur Ruppin Haifa Municipality Anniversary of Israel Prize for best social science book, 1999. Landau Prize (one of the most prestigious prizes given in Israel for scientific research) for outstanding contributions to social sciences, 2002. Israeli Political Science Association Annual Certificate of Merit for exceptional contributions to political science, 2003.

• Recipient of the Israel Prize for 2005 for outstanding original scientific and applied work in policy making, capacities to govern and strategic planning.

• Recipient of the Nadav Foundation Jewish Peoplehood Award in 2011, for contribution to the development of Jewish People leadership.

SELECT PROFESSIONAL

• 1968 to 1970: Senior Staff Member, the RAND Corporation, USA.

• 1970-1972: Director of Policy Analysis, World Institute, Jerusalem (a government-sponsored Think Tank).

• 1974-75: Visiting scholar at LSE; Distinguished Visiting Professor, University of Edinburgh; Advisor of the Central Policy Review Staff, Cabinet Office.

• 1989-1991, Senior Professor and Project Leader, working on European Union policy and structure issues, European Institute of Public Administration, Maastricht.

• Senior consultative positions with international organizations, such as UNDP, OECD and the United Nations.

• Intense workshops in statecraft, rulership, governance capacities, policy planning and strategic choice, for senior politicians and policy advisors in a variety of countries.

• High-level policy planning advisor to Israeli government ministries and bodies, including two Prime Ministers. Chairperson and member of a variety of governmental and public commissions.