Faith that freedom is best protected by competition among interests may be misplaced if applied to issues critical to the future of all humanity, and in which human society must concur and cooperate if it is to cope. The veritable world is more than a political economy, and neither governance through competition nor the opaque forces of the market place will modify nor nullify the dynamics and limitations of nature. Redirections implied by the World Scientists' Warning to Humanity may be beyond the readiness of present world society to implement. Scientists are better able to warn against what should not be done than to advise on how to avoid destructive decisions. Humanity may destroy its higher achievements, and degrade and impoverish its environment, but an environment remains-much poorer than the one in which humanity arose, seemingly to dominate.
History demonstrates that human achievements can be lost.
The greatest loss to the human species could be loss of confidence in its own rationality, and weakening of its will to cultural survival. 35 Evidence that the modern world has put its future at risk is persuasive of the need to critically examine the direction toward which future-shaping actions appear to be tending. If the coordinated efforts of science and social research, aided by government and the shapers of public opinion, were focused realistically on the effects of critical trends, a credible assessment of our present policies and practices might be forthcoming. We may then have more reliable evidence for encouraging constructive trends while correcting those leading toward unwanted consequences. Some efforts in this direction are being made, but have not yet reached the level of a major social purpose.