Limiting The Future

In Derrick Jensen’s interview “Limiting the Future” [December 1995], David Ehrenfeld claims that we will never succeed in understanding the human mind, ecosystems, or physiological functioning, and therefore we should not try.

It’s a good thing Ehrenfeld wasn’t around in the days when we did not yet understand the germ theory of disease. Ehrenfeld may throw in the towel if he wishes and rest his hope on the beneficent intervention of a supposed God, but I prefer to put my money on humanity’s continuing attempt to understand all it can.

His essay “Forgetting,” on the other hand, was right on target with its argument for a reduction in university administration and a greater priority for teaching.