Tag Archives: Essays

Necessity is the mother of inventors: my PhD lecture

The following is the traditional Lectio praecursoria a doctoral candidate in Finland gives to the audience before his/her PhD defence. This one is mine, delivered on 12th December 2017. Esteemed custos, esteemed opponent, ladies and gentlemen! You all are probably … Continue reading

Posted in History of technology, Innovation, Scarcities and constraints | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments

Two fallacies that explain A LOT about energy discussions

I’ve been following the energy discussions actively for a decade now. Despite some incremental improvements, the debate goes round and round much the same way as it did in 2007: everyone agrees in public that we need to quit fossil … Continue reading

Posted in Ecomodernism, Energy, History of technology | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Songs from the Hungerland: reflections on Ecomodernism, history, and Nature

Songs from the Hungerland in response to 21.10.15 The Guardian opinion piece: The Brave New World of Ecomodernism During spring and summer 2014, I spent many nights under the Finnish sky. Early the next morning where the picture above was taken, I … Continue reading

Posted in Ecomodernism, Economy and the Environment, Energy, History of technology | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments