I. Read the text and complete tasks C1 - C4.

It seems to me that today, when humanity has come close to an ecological catastrophe, when all the terrible consequences of utopian claims to total control of social processes are extremely clear, the fate of the humanistic ideal is connected with the rejection of the idea of ​​mastery, suppression and domination. The new understanding of the relationship between nature and man corresponds not to the ideal of anthropocentrism, but to the one developed by a number of modern thinkers, in particular, the famous scientist N.I. Moiseev, the idea of ​​co-evolution, the joint evolution of nature and humanity, which can be interpreted as a relationship of equal partners, if you like, interlocutors in an unplanned dialogue...

This can and should be understood in a broader sense. Freedom as an integral characteristic of the humanistic ideal is conceived not as mastery and control, but as the establishment of equal partnerships with what is outside of a person: with natural processes, with another person, with the values ​​of a different culture, with social processes, even with unreflexible and " opaque” processes of my own psyche.

C5 (1). Name 3 main global problems of our time.

C 6. Illustrate with three examples the relationship between the problems associated with the widening gap between developed and third world countries and the problem of preventing a new world war.

C6 (1). Give three examples of the relationship between global problems of our time.

C7 (1). Today, in connection with the existence of global problems of our time, there are quite loud calls for the rejection of scientific and technological progress, the cessation of research in the field of the latest technologies. Do you share this point of view? Are these calls consistent with the concept of sustainable development? Give three reasons to support your opinion.

C7 (2). Speaking at a scientific conference, an environmental scientist said: “It is time to realize that humanity is coming to its end. We do not have the strength and ability to save ourselves. We are doomed". Do you agree with this opinion? Give three reasons to support your position.

C8. You have been instructed to prepare a detailed answer on the topic "The environmental crisis as a global problem of our time." Make a plan according to which you will cover this topic. The plan must contain at least three points, of which two or more are detailed in sub-points.

Answers to the tasks of the topic " Global problems of our time»

Part 1

1. 
   C1 - C4

1) realities modern society:

- “Humanity has come close to an ecological catastrophe”;

- "all the terrible consequences of utopian claims to the total control of social processes are extremely clear";

2) the essence of the new understanding humanistic ideal:

"the idea of ​​co-evolution, the joint evolution of nature and humanity, which can be interpreted as a relationship of equal partners, if you like, interlocutors in an unprogrammed dialogue."

1. 
   “Freedom as an integral characteristic of the humanistic ideal is conceived ... as the establishment of equal partnerships with what is outside of a person: with natural processes, with another person, with the values ​​of a different culture, with social processes, even with non-reflective and “opaque” processes of my own psyche";
2. 
   “freedom is understood as such an attitude when I accept the other, and the other accepts me”;
3. 
   "free acceptance based on understanding as a result of communication."

1. 
   the establishment of human dominance over nature has led to irreversible changes external environment;
2. 
   irreversible changes in the external environment have a negative impact on human health, the functioning of society;
3. 
   the amount of resources that the rapidly growing humanity can use for its development has been significantly reduced;
4. 
   the installation of domination extended to the relationship of a person to his own kind, to public interests.

1. 
   “relationships with natural processes”: the use of nature-saving and resource-saving technologies by man, limiting consumption;
2. 
   “relationship with another person”: recognition of the unconditional value of the personality of another person, respect for his freedom;
3. 
   “relationships with the values ​​of a different culture”: a tolerant attitude towards the values ​​of a different culture and the bearers of these values;
4. 
   "relationships with social processes": rejection of the installation of personal and group egoism, consumerism, striving for social peace;
5. 
   “relationships with non-reflexive and “opaque” processes of my own psyche”: an attentive attitude to one’s own psychological state sparing its adjustment in necessary cases, the maximum use in the activity of one's own mental abilities and states.

1. 
   C1 - C4

Limited resources;

The North-South problem;

Demographic;

Consequences of NTR.

C2. Assumptions:

Humanity's scientific knowledge and technical means for global transformational activities (and means of destroying life on the planet);

Formation of a consumer society in which speed and comfort are among the dominant values.

C3. Examples supporting the author's statement:

communist ideologies;

Ideology of the Enlightenment;

The illusion of the omnipotence of science and the possibility of its victory over hunger and disease.

C4. Overcoming the contrasts between "rich" and "poor" countries in the near future is hardly possible, since this is hindered by the following:

The situation of uncontrolled births in conditions of limited resources and unfavorable living conditions;

A small share of participation in the global division of labor;

Growth of military and other expenditures of developed countries, preventing the redistribution of funds in favor of "poor" countries.

C5 (1). The main global problems of our time:

Ecological;

Demographic;

The North-South Problem.

C6 (1). Examples of the relationship of global problems of our time:

The threat of an ecological crisis forces economically developed countries to transfer harmful, environmentally hazardous industries to third world countries, which exacerbates the North-South problem;

The threat of international terrorism in modern conditions is closely related to the problem of preventing nuclear war, maintaining peace (terrorists are trying to gain access to technologies for the production of weapons of mass destruction);

demographic problem in modern world acts primarily as a problem of the rapid demographic growth of third world countries, which increases the backlog from economically developed countries.

C6 (2). Examples that reveal the global nature of the environmental problems of the modern world:

Climate warming is leading to the melting of polar ice caps and an increase in the level of the world's oceans, which in the future may change the contours of continents, swallow islands and archipelagos, i.e. the human environment is threatened;

The population of all countries of the continents suffers from pollution of soils, atmosphere and the World Ocean by industrial and household waste;

disappearance certain types animals not only affects local ecosystems, but in its long-term consequences disrupts the balance of the global ecosystem.

Faculty of Production Management
Department of Economics and Management in Tourism and Hospitality

ESSAY
"On the economic and social geography of the world"

On the topic:
"The relationship of global problems of mankind"

Performed:
Checked:

Content

Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………...3
MAIN PART
The concept of global problems of mankind…………..………………………………… ...4
The main global problems of mankind………..…………………………... .......6
The relationship of global problems of mankind……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
The main trends towards overcoming global problems………………………..13
Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………...16
List of used literature………………………………………………… 17
Applications……………………………………………………………………………….18

2
Introduction
Today, mankind is faced with the most acute global problems of mankind, threatening the very existence of civilization and even life itself on our planet.
The twentieth century is a turning point not only in world social history, but also in the very fate of mankind. The fundamental difference between the outgoing century and all previous history is that humanity has lost faith in its immortality. He became aware of the fact that his dominance over nature is not unlimited and is fraught with the death of himself. In fact, never before has humanity itself grown by a factor of 2.5 in the lifetime of only one generation, thereby increasing the strength of the “demographic press”. Never before has humanity entered a period of scientific and technological revolution, has not reached the post-industrial stage of development, has not opened the way to space. Never before had so many natural resources been required for its life support, and the waste it returned to the environment was also not so great. Never before has there been such a globalization of the world economy, such a unified world information system. Finally, never before has the Cold War brought all of humanity so close to the brink of self-destruction. Even if it is possible to avoid a world nuclear war, the threat to the existence of mankind on Earth still remains, because the planet will not withstand the unbearable load that has been formed as a result of human activity.
It is becoming more and more obvious that the historical form of human existence, which allowed him to create a modern civilization, with all its seemingly limitless possibilities and conveniences, has given rise to many problems that require cardinal solutions - and, moreover, without delay.
The global problems of our era are a natural consequence of all modern
global situation prevailing on the globe. For a correct understanding of the origin, essence and possibility of their solution, it is necessary to see in them the result of the previous world-historical process in all its objective inconsistency. This provision, however, should not be understood tritely and superficially, considering modern global problems as simply local or regional contradictions, crises or disasters traditional in the history of mankind that have grown to planetary scales. The global problems of modernity are generated, in the final analysis, precisely by the all-penetrating unevenness of the development of world civilization.

Purpose of this essay- to give modern ideas about the essence of global problems and the nature of their interrelations.

3
MAIN PART

The concept of global problems of mankind

Global problems are those problems that, firstly, concern all mankind, affecting the interests and destinies of all countries, peoples and social strata; secondly, they lead to significant economic and social losses, and in case of their aggravation, they can threaten the very existence of human civilization; thirdly, they require for their solution cooperation on a global scale, joint actions of all countries and peoples.
Most studies agree that despite all the diversity of global problems, they have a common specificity that distinguishes them from other problems. This specificity of global problems lies in the fact that they have a number of common features:
- They are global in nature, that is, they affect the interests and destinies of all (or at least the majority) of humanity;
- They threaten humanity with a serious regression in the conditions of life and the further development of productive forces (or even the death of human civilization as such);
- Need an urgent and urgent solution;
- Interrelated;
- They demand joint actions of the entire world community for their solution.
These problems themselves take the form of contradictions, disproportions and violations in certain spheres of human life. Different authors classify them differently. The following classification seems to be the most acceptable:
- Intersocial problems - war and peace, the cessation of the arms race, the demilitarization of the economy, the problem of overcoming the backwardness of developing countries and the development of man, ensuring his future;
- Global problems of a humanitarian, cultural and ethnic nature - a demographic problem, overcoming hunger, diseases;
- Global problems in the field of interaction between society and nature - protection environment, food problem.
The problem of interaction between man and society with the natural environment is very relevant. In our time, it has acquired a qualitatively new character, since the very essence of environmental crises has changed: now they are the result not of natural disasters, as it was before, but
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human economic activity. And if earlier environmental pollution was of a local nature, now it is not limited to individual states, but spreads to the entire planet.
Of great importance is the exploration of outer space - the space age has only three decades, but has already made it possible to understand the common destinies, that the resources of the Earth are not unlimited. The essence of the problem here is that space research is very complex and its cost is growing exponentially every day and beyond the power of any one state.
The food problem is closely connected with demographic development. The scale and rate of population growth act both as a factor influencing the state of food, environmental and other problems of a planetary nature, and as an independent global problem. The essence of this problem lies in the fact that the main population growth in the world falls on developing countries with a low level of economic and cultural development. Demographic processes require conscious control on the part of the states concerned.
The problem of war and peace is acute. The world wars of the past had tragic consequences for mankind: the total human losses in the First World War amounted to 9 million people, and the total value of the destroyed material assets was measured at 30 billion dollars; 40 states participated in the Second World War and more than 50 million people died, and the damage amounted to 315 billion dollars. Therefore, now the problem of war and peace is one of the main issues of world politics.
At the beginning of the 21st century, science made a sharp leap forward. Hence the technical and industrial progress of mankind, unprecedented in history. But it was global technological progress that gave rise to negative global consequences (due to a sharp and not always justified increase in the consumption of natural resources, including non-renewable ones), which caused pressure on the natural potential of the planet; due to negative anthropogenic development on the natural environment; rapid demographic growth that is not accompanied by a corresponding increase in the food base; different levels of development of countries; constant improvement in the production of weapons - all this is the reason for the aggravation of global problems.

5
The main global problems of mankind

Ecological problem
The scientific achievements of the 11th century created the illusion of almost complete controllability, but the economic activity of human society, the extensive use of natural resources, the huge scale of waste - all this is in conflict with the capabilities of the planet (its resource potential, fresh water reserves, the ability to self-purify the atmosphere, waters, rivers, seas, oceans).
There are two aspects of the environmental problem:
- environmental crises arising as a result of natural processes;
- crises caused by anthropogenic impact and irrational nature management.
Melting of glaciers, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, floods, etc. are natural factors. They are natural on our planet. The solution to such problems lies in the possibilities of their forecasting.
But other environmental crises also arose. For centuries, man uncontrollably took everything that nature gives him and she "revenges" him for every wrong step.
The main problem is the inability of the planet to cope with the waste of human activity, with the function of self-purification and repair. The biosphere is being destroyed. Therefore, the risk of self-destruction of humanity as a result of its own life activity is great.
Nature is influenced by society in the following areas:
- use of environmental components as a resource base for production
- the impact of human production activities on the environment
- demographic pressure is not nature (agricultural land use, population growth, growth of large cities).
The current situation on the planet is characterized by a sharp deterioration in the quality of the environment - pollution of air, rivers, lakes, seas, unification and even complete disappearance of many species of flora and fauna, soil degradation, desertification, etc. The adverse impact of human activity has spread to the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere , the lithosphere. This conflict creates a threat of irreversible changes in natural systems, undermining natural conditions and resources for the existence of generations of the planet's inhabitants. The growth of the productive forces of society, population growth, urbanization, scientific and technological progress are the catalysts for these processes.
Even the global warming trend is linked to pollution.
atmosphere.
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Carbon dioxide passes the radiant energy of the Sun, but delays the thermal radiation of the Earth and thereby creates a "greenhouse effect". The content of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is growing (as a result of deforestation, burning of forests, due to pollution with industrial waste and exhaust gases. Emissions of chlorofluorocarbons also contribute to climate warming. The impact of human civilization on the Earth's climate is a sad reality. The greenhouse effect disrupts the planet's climate, changing such important quantities such as rainfall, wind direction, cloud layer, ocean currents and the size of the polar ice caps.The level of the World Ocean may rise, there will be problems for island nations.
The most important component of the atmosphere, which affects the climate and protects all life on Earth from solar radiation, is the ozone layer. Atmospheric ozone absorbs hard ultraviolet radiation. Nitrogen oxides, heavy metals, fluorine, chlorine, and bromine play an active role in the processes of formation and destruction of ozone.
With an increase in the intensity of ultraviolet radiation, scientists associate an increase in eye diseases and oncological diseases, the occurrence of mutations. Man, the oceans, climate, flora and fauna were under attack.
It is impossible not to note the impact on the ecology of radioactive contamination of the environment (nuclear energy, nuclear weapons testing). After the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, directly opposite opinions are expressed: some are for further development, others are for the elimination of all nuclear power plants and the cessation of the construction of new ones. But their existence in the coming years is an objective reality. Thermonuclear fusion, according to the IAEA, is a way of generating energy that is potentially acceptable from the point of view of ecology, safety and economy and can provide the whole world with the necessary amount of energy in the future.
Developing countries accuse the developed world of unwillingness to accept responsibility for environmental pollution, the expansion of the ozone hole, the occurrence of the greenhouse effect, and so on. They believe that economically developed countries should take the lead in global action to prevent environmental catastrophe.
Soon, not ideological, but ecological problems will come to the fore all over the world, not relations between nations, but relations between nations and nature will dominate. Man urgently needs to change his attitude towards the environment and his ideas about safety. World military spending is about one trillion a year. At the same time, there are no means to monitor global climate change,
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a survey of the ecosystems of vanishing tropical rainforests and expanding deserts. Governments continue to view security only from a military perspective. And although the possibility of unleashing a nuclear war still exists, the concept of security must still include concern for the environment.
The natural way to survive is to maximize the strategy of frugality in relation to the outside world. All members of the world community must participate in this process.

demographic problem
The number of earthlings is growing rapidly. But each person consumes a large number of various natural resources. Moreover, this growth is primarily in the underdeveloped or underdeveloped countries. However, they are guided by the development of the state, where the level of well-being is very high, and the amount of resources consumed by each inhabitant is huge. If we imagine that the entire population of the Earth (the main part of which today lives in poverty, or even starves) will have a standard of living as in Western Europe or the USA, our planet simply cannot stand it. But to believe that the majority of earthlings will always vegetate in poverty, ignorance and squalor is unfair, inhumane and unfair. The rapid economic development of China, India, Mexico and a number of other populous countries refute this assumption.
Consequently, there is only one way out - birth control with a simultaneous decrease in mortality and an increase in the quality of life.
However, birth control runs into many obstacles. Among them are reactionary social relations, the huge role of religion, which encourages large families; primitive communal forms of management in which large families benefit; illiteracy and ignorance, poor development of medicine, etc. Consequently, the backward countries face a tight knot of complex problems. However, very often in backward countries those who put their own or tribal interests above state interests rule, they use the ignorance of the masses for their own selfish purposes (including wars, repressions and other things), the growth of armaments and similar things.
The problem of ecology, overpopulation and backwardness is directly related to the threat of possible food shortages in the near future. Today, in a large number of countries, due to rapid population growth and insufficient development Agriculture modern methods. However, the possibilities of increasing its productivity, apparently, are not unlimited. After all, an increase in the use of mineral fertilizers, pesticides, etc. leads to a deterioration in the ecological situation and an increasing concentration of substances harmful to humans in food. On the other hand, the development of cities and technology takes out of circulation
8
many fertile lands. Especially harmful is the lack of good drinking water.

Problems of energy resources.
Artificially low prices misled consumers and triggered the second phase of the energy crisis. Today, energy obtained from fossil fuels is used to maintain and increase the achieved level of consumption. But since the state of the environment is deteriorating, energy and labor will have to be spent on stabilizing the environment, which the biosphere can no longer cope with. But then more than 99 percent of electrical and labor costs will be spent on environmental stabilization. But the maintenance and development of civilization remains less than one percent. There is no alternative to increasing energy production yet. But nuclear power came under the powerful pressure of public opinion, hydropower is expensive, non-traditional types of energy production - solar, wind, tidal - are under development.
There remains the traditional thermal power industry, and with it the dangers associated with atmospheric pollution. The work of many economists have shown: electricity consumption per capita is a highly representative indicator of the standard of living in a country.

The problem of AIDS and drug addiction.
Fifteen years ago, one could hardly have predicted that the media would receive so much attention to the disease, which was briefly called AIDS - "acquired immunodeficiency syndrome."
Now the geography of the disease is striking. According to the World Organization
health care, at least 100,000 cases of AIDS have been detected worldwide since the start of the epidemic. The disease was found in 124 countries. Most of them are in the USA.
The social, economic and purely humanitarian costs of this disease are already high, and the future is not so optimistic as to seriously count on a speedy solution to this problem.
No less evil is the international mafia and especially drug addiction, which poisons the health of tens of millions of people and creates a fertile environment for crime and disease.
Even today, even in developed countries, there are countless diseases, including mental ones.
In theory, hemp fields should be guarded by workers of the state farm - the owner of the plantation. The foreman's are red from constant lack of sleep. Understanding this problem, one must take into account that in this small North Caucasian republic there is no poppy and hemp crops - neither public nor private. The republic has become a "transshipment base" for Datura dealers from various regions. Growth
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drug addiction and the struggle with the authorities resembles a monster with which he fights. This is how the term “drug mafia” arose, which today has become a synonym for millions of ruined lives, broken hopes and destinies, a synonym for a catastrophe that has befallen an entire generation of young people.
In recent years, part of the drug mafia's profits has been spent on strengthening its "material base". That is why the caravans with the "white death" in the "golden triangle" are accompanied by detachments of armed mercenaries. The drug mafia has its own runways and so on. A war has been declared against the drug mafia, in which tens of thousands of people and the latest achievements of science and technology are involved on the part of governments. Among the most commonly used drugs are cocaine and heroin. The health consequences are exacerbated by the use of two or more types of different drugs alternately, and by particularly dangerous methods of administration. Those who inject them into a vein face a new danger - they put them at great risk of contracting acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), which can lead to death.
Among the reasons for the growing addiction to drugs are young people who do not have a job, but even those who have a job are afraid of losing it, whatever it may be. There are, of course, reasons for a “personal” nature - there is no relationship with parents, no luck in love. And drugs in difficult times, thanks to the "concerns" of the drug mafia, are always at hand. " White death"Not satisfied with the positions won, feeling the growing demand for their goods, the sellers of poison and death continue their offensive.

The problem of thermonuclear war.
No matter how serious dangers for mankind may be accompanied by all other global problems, they are even remotely incomparable in the aggregate with the catastrophic demographic, ecological and other consequences of the world thermonuclear war, which threatens the very existence of civilization and life on our planet.
Back in the late 70s, scientists believed that a world thermonuclear war would be accompanied by the death of many hundreds of millions of people and the resolution of world civilization.
Studies on the likely consequences of a thermonuclear war have revealed that even 5% of the nuclear arsenal of the great powers accumulated to date will be enough to plunge our planet into an irreversible environmental catastrophe: the soot rising into the atmosphere from incinerated cities and forest fires will create a screen impenetrable to sunlight and will lead to a drop in temperature by tens of degrees, so that even in the tropical zone a long polar night will come.
The priority of preventing a world thermonuclear war is determined
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not only by its consequences, but also by the fact that a non-violent world without nuclear weapons creates the need for prerequisites and guarantees for the scientific and practical solution of all other global problems in the conditions of international cooperation.

11
The relationship of global problems of mankind

All global problems of our time are closely connected with each other and mutually determined, so that their isolated solution is practically impossible. Thus, ensuring further economic development Humanity with natural resources obviously presupposes the prevention of growing environmental pollution, otherwise it will lead to an ecological catastrophe on a planetary scale in the foreseeable future. That is why both of these global problems are rightly called environmental and even with a certain reason are considered as two sides of a single environmental problem. In turn, this environmental problem can be solved only on the path of a new type of environmental development, fruitfully using the potential of the scientific and technological revolution, while at the same time preventing its negative consequences. And although the pace of ecological growth over the past four decades as a whole in developing times, this gap has increased. Statistical calculations show that if the annual population growth in developing countries were the same as in developed countries, then the contrast between them in terms of per capita income would have been reduced by now. Up to 1:8 and could be in comparable sizes per capita twice as high as now. However, this "demographic explosion" in developing countries, according to scientists, is due to their continuing economic, social and cultural backwardness. The inability of mankind to develop at least one of the global problems will most negatively affect the possibility of solving all the others.
In the view of some Western scientists, the interrelation and interdependence of global problems form a kind of “vicious circle” of disasters insoluble for humanity, from which there is either no way out at all, or the only salvation lies in the immediate cessation of ecological growth and population growth. Such an approach to global problems is accompanied by various alarmist, pessimistic forecasts of the future of mankind.
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Main trends towards overcoming global problems

The global problems of human development are not isolated from each other, but act in unity and in interrelation, which requires radically new, conceptual approaches to their solution. The measures taken by the peoples of the world to solve global problems are often blocked economically and politically by the arms race, regional, political and military conflicts.
The scale and acuteness of today's global problems require the combined efforts, constructive and decisive actions of governments, political parties, social movements of all countries of the world. Today, the creative interaction of all countries and peoples in the name of survival and development should become a top priority. A new political thinking must be formed, a revolution must be made in the way of life and consciousness of people.
In the modern world, there are two real positions on solving global problems. The first of them is the position of highly developed states. It boils down to the following points:
a) the solution of global problems should take place in such forms that would not infringe on the interests of developed countries, but would contribute to extracting maximum profit from this;
b) solving the problems of providing resources should be carried out at the expense of stocks of raw materials and energy carriers of other countries, thus supporting their one-sided development as appendages of agrarian raw materials complexes for the economies of developed countries;
c) the solution of the food problem in developing countries should be based on certain assistance in such volume and forms that would allow putting pressure on their political structures;
etc.................

The problems of modernity and the future of mankind - these are the questions that concern everyone contemporary politicians and scientists. This is quite understandable. After all, the future of the Earth and all mankind really depends on the solution of modern problems.

Origin of the term

The term "global problems" began to appear in the scientific literature in the late 60s of the last century. This is how scientists characterized both the new problems that appeared at the junction of the industrial and information eras, and the old ones that existed in the system "man - nature - society", which have worsened and aggravated in modern conditions.

Fig 1. Environmental pollution

Global problems are problems that cannot be solved by the forces of one country or one people, but, at the same time, the fate of the entire human civilization depends on their solution.

Causes

Scientists identify two large groups causes of global problems.

• The development of local problems, conflicts and contradictions into global ones (this is due to the process of globalization, unification and generalization of mankind).
• Active transformative human activity that affects nature, the political situation and society.

Types of global problems

The global problems facing humanity include three large groups of problems (modern classification).

table"List of global problems of mankind"

TOP 3 articleswho read along with this

All global problems are interconnected and affect each other. It is impossible to solve them separately, an integrated approach is needed. That is why priority global problems were identified, the essence of which is similar, and on the solution of which the near future of the Earth depends.

Let us represent the dependence of problems on each other schematically and name the global problems of mankind in order of their importance.

Fig 2. Relationship of global problems with each other

• Peace problem (disarmament of countries and prevention of a new world global conflict) is connected with the problem (hereinafter referred to as “-”) of overcoming the backwardness of developing countries.
• Ecological problem is a demographic problem.
• energy problem - resource problem.
• food problem - use of the oceans.

It is interesting that the solution of all global problems is possible if we try to solve the most important and urgent problem at the moment - the world's space exploration.

Common features (signs) of global problems

Despite the fact that there are many global problems at the present stage of human development, they all have common features:

• they affect the vital activity of all mankind at once;
• they are objective factor human development;
• they require an urgent decision;
• they involve international cooperation;
• the fate of the entire human civilization depends on their decision.

Figure 3. Hunger in Africa

Main Directions for Resolving World Problems and Threats

To solve global problems, the efforts of all mankind are needed, and not only material and physical, but also psychological. In order for the work to be successful, it is necessary

• form a new planetary consciousness, constantly inform people about threats, give them only up-to-date information, teach;
• develop effective system cooperation of countries in the issue of solving global problems: studying, monitoring the state, preventing aggravation of the situation, creating a forecasting system;
• concentrate a large number of power to solve global problems.

Social predictions of the existence of mankind

Based on the fact that at the moment there is an aggravation and expansion of the list of global problems, scientists do social projections the existence of mankind:

• pessimistic forecast or environmental pessimism(in short, the essence of the forecast boils down to the fact that humanity is waiting for a large-scale environmental catastrophe and inevitable death);
• optimistic forecast or scientific and technical optimism(scientists hope that scientific and technological progress will lead to the fact that global problems are resolved).

What have we learned?

The term "global problems" is not new, and it does not refer only to those problems that appeared at the end of the 20th century. All global problems have both their own characteristics and similarities. They are interrelated and the solution of one problem depends on the timely resolution of another.

The topic "Global problems of our time" is one of the main topics in social science lessons at school. On the topic "Global problems, threats and challenges" they make reports and write abstracts, and it is necessary not only to give examples of problems, but also to show their connection, and explain how it is possible to cope with a particular problem.

Topic quiz

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Task number 26. With the help of three examples, illustrate the interconnection of global problems of our time with examples. (Each example should be formulated in detail).

Answer to this question:

1. Environmental problem and the problem of "North and South". For example, in order to maintain a favorable level of ecology on their territory, economically developed states move environmentally hazardous production to the countries of the "third world", which worsens living conditions in these countries, exacerbates the problem of "North and South".

2. The problem of international terrorism and the threat of a new world war. For example, terrorism on an international scale carries the threat of using nuclear weapons that infect large masses of people, which gives rise to the problem of preventing world nuclear wars and maintaining peace.

3. Demographic problem and the problem of "North and South". For example, the demographic problem in the modern world acts primarily as a problem of the rapid demographic growth of the Third World countries, which increases their lagging behind economically developed countries.

4. The relationship between the problem of “war and peace” and the problem of the ecological crisis (In the state of M., official tests of nuclear weapons took place on the orders of the president of this state. The creation and testing of nuclear weapons was to equip the armed forces of the state so that in case of war, it could fight back "The tests were unsuccessful. As a result of these tests, the air in the south of the country was heavily polluted. Thus, the problem of "war and peace" is inextricably linked with the problem of the ecological crisis)

5. The relationship between the problem of the ecological crisis and the demographic problem (In the state of G., the air is so heavily polluted (a large number of plants and factories) that all citizens have to wear special masks that protect them from harmful substances in the air. Citizens of the state do not consider it right to give birth children in such an ecological situation, because they can be born with congenital diseases.Therefore, in the state of G. there is a low birth rate and a high death rate (also due to polluted air), which creates a demographic.Thus, the problem of the ecological crisis is very much associated with demographic issue)

6. The relationship between the "north-south" problem and the problem of terrorism (In the state of T., commodity production, economic, political and other ties with countries are poorly developed, while in other states there is already a post-industrial society and constantly developing innovative technologies. Due to the crisis situation in the state of T., social tension and deviant behavior arose there. A terrorist group was created in this state, which made its way into one of the developed states and committed a terrorist attack there, in which several hundred people died. Thus, the problem of "north-south" is inextricably linked with the problem of terrorism)

Origin of global problems

Global Issues and Social Progress

Humanity in the face of global problems

Now, at the turn of the millennium, humanity is faced with the most acute global problems that threaten the very existence of civilization and even life itself on our planet. The term "global" itself originates from the Latin word "globe", that is, the Earth, the globe, and since the end of the 60s of the XX century it has become widespread to refer to the most important and urgent planetary problems of the modern era, affecting humanity as a whole. . This is a set of such acute vital problems, on the solution of which the further social progress of mankind depends, and which, in turn, can be resolved only thanks to this progress.

Global problems and social progress. The global issues primarily include the following:

• prevention of thermonuclear war, creation of a non-nuclear non-violent world that provides peaceful conditions for the social progress of all peoples on the basis of a consensus of their vital interests,
• mutual trust and universal solidarity;
• overcoming the growing gap in the level of economic and cultural development between the developed industrial countries Western and developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America the elimination of economic backwardness throughout the world, the elimination of hunger, poverty and illiteracy, into which many hundreds of millions of people are now plunged;
• ensuring the further economic development of mankind with the natural resources necessary for this, both renewable and non-renewable, including food, raw materials and energy sources;
• overcoming the ecological crisis generated by the catastrophic in its consequences human invasion of the biosphere, accompanied by pollution of the natural environment - atmosphere, soil, water basins - industrial and agricultural waste;
• stopping rapid population growth ("demographic explosion"), which complicates socio-economic progress in developing countries, as well as overcoming the demographic crisis in economically developed countries due to a fall in the birth rate in them significantly below the level that ensures a simple change of generations, which is accompanied by a sharp aging of the population and threatens these countries with depopulation;
• timely foresight and prevention of various negative consequences of the scientific and technological revolution and rational, effective use its achievements for the benefit of society and the individual.

These are the most important and urgent global problems of the modern era, faced by humanity at the turn of the new millennium of its history. The list of global problems, of course, is not limited to those listed above; many scientists both in our country and abroad, with a certain reason, include others in it: international terrorism, the spread of drug addiction and alcoholism, the spread of AIDS, Ebola, new outbreaks of tuberculosis and malaria and other health problems, as well as problems of education and social provision, cultural heritage and moral values, etc. Of fundamental importance, however, is not the compilation of any exhaustive list of global problems, but the identification of their origin, nature and characteristics, and most importantly, the search for scientifically substantiated and practically realistic ways to solve them. It is with this that a number of general theoretical, socio-philosophical and methodological issues in their study are connected, which by now have developed into a consistent concept of global problems of our time, based on the achievements modern science and philosophy.

The very term "global problems", first introduced in the late 1960s in the West, became widespread largely due to the activities of the Club of Rome. However, many of these problems were anticipated at the beginning of the 20th century by such prominent scientists as E. Leroy, P. Teilhard de Chardin and V. I. Vernadsky. Since the 1970s, the concept of the "noosphere" (the sphere of the mind) developed by them was directly switched, among other things, to research in the field of the philosophy of global problems.

The origin of global problems. Modern global problems are a natural consequence of the entire global situation that has developed on the globe in the last third of the 20th century. For a correct understanding of their origin, essence and the possibility of their solution, it is necessary to see in them the result of the preceding world-historical process in all its objective inconsistency. This position, however, should not be understood superficially, considering global problems as simply traditional local or regional contradictions, crises or disasters that have grown to planetary scales. On the contrary, being the result (and not just the sum) of the previous social development of mankind, global problems are a specific product of the modern era, a consequence of the extremely aggravated uneven socio-economic, political, scientific, technical, demographic, environmental and cultural development in a completely new, particular historical situation.

This is not only and not even so much about the uneven development of individual countries, but also about the uneven development of various spheres of life and activity within these countries, the uneven development of various aspects of the life of a person who, in the conditions of his life, in his behavior and consciousness, can, figuratively speaking, to simultaneously dwell in different historical epochs, separated by decades and centuries. And these historical contrasts are combined with the rapid process of internationalization that has gripped our planet. In comparison with past historical epochs, both the planetary unity of humanity, welded together by a common destiny, and its unprecedented diversity have immeasurably increased.

The six billion people who now live on our planet, being contemporaries in relation to each other, coupled with economic interdependence and almost instantly perceive all events in the world thanks to the latest means of mass communication and information, at the same time live not only in different countries and various social systems, but also from the point of view of the level of development they have achieved, they live, as it were, in different historical epochs; often on one continent and even in one country, tribal communities semi-isolated from the outside world, barely emerging from the Neolithic (in the Amazon basin, in Tropical Africa or in New Guinea) are only an hour or two away by jet from the economic and intellectual centers of modern civilization.

Despite the striking social, economic, political and cultural contrasts, it is still legitimate to talk about the formation of a single civilization on our planet. However, its approval and development are unthinkable without the universal recognition of such fundamental humanistic principles as the freedom of peoples to choose their future, the growing multivariance of social progress and the supremacy of universal human interests over countless centrifugal forces. History has inexorably put on the agenda the transition from political confrontation to dialogue, from ideological and religious fanaticism to de-ideologization of interstate relations, to tolerance and pluralism, from irreconcilable confrontation to the joint evolution of different peoples on the basis of their mutual military, environmental, economic security.

The global problems of modernity are ultimately generated precisely by the all-penetrating uneven development of world civilization, when the technological power of mankind has immeasurably exceeded the level it has reached. public organization, political thinking is clearly lagging behind political reality, and the motives for the activities of the predominant mass of people and their moral values ​​are very far from the social, environmental and demographic imperatives of the era.

Relationship and hierarchy of global problems. The historical originality and social uniqueness of the global situation that has developed on the threshold of the third millennium imperiously demanded from humanity a high moral responsibility and unprecedented practical actions both in the domestic politics of individual countries and in international relations, both in the interaction of society with nature, and in the relationship between people themselves.

All global problems of our time are closely connected with each other and mutually determined, so that their isolated solution is practically impossible. Thus, ensuring the further economic development of mankind with natural resources obviously presupposes the prevention of increasing environmental pollution, otherwise this will lead to an environmental catastrophe on a planetary scale in the foreseeable future. That is why both of these global problems are rightly called environmental and even with a certain reason are considered as two sides of a single environmental problem. In turn, this environmental problem can be solved only on the path of a new type of economic development, fruitfully using the potential of the scientific and technological revolution, while at the same time preventing its negative consequences.

In the view of some scientists, the interconnection and interdependence of global problems form a kind of "vicious circle" of disasters insoluble for humanity, which either cannot be avoided at all, or the only salvation from them is an immediate cessation economic growth and population growth. Such an approach to global problems is accompanied by various alarmist, pessimistic forecasts of the future of mankind. In the 1970s and 1980s, many gloomy prophecies were published in the West, based on the conviction that humanity was unable to solve global problems. The author of one of them, the American sociologist R. L. Heilbroner, predicting, under the influence of the first reports to the Club of Rome, the fall of mankind into a new barbarism on a devastated planet, pessimistically stated: “And if under the question:“ Is there hope for a person? ”- we mean the possibility to cope with the challenges that the future throws at us without monstrous retribution, then the answer is: "There is no such hope!"

In contrast to such pessimistic moods, many scientists in their views on the future adhere to social optimism, dictated by the belief that humanity has the necessary intellectual potential and material resources to solve global problems, no matter how complex they may be. Therefore, both in theory and in practice, optimistic scientists and politicians around the world, concerned about the survival of mankind and the preservation of civilization, are characterized by a constructive approach to global problems.

The correct definition of priorities in solving global problems is of exceptional practical and political importance. The "hierarchy" of global problems is by no means reduced to their formal scientific classification. It presupposes not simply the priority of some of them in relation to others in accordance with the objective significance of each of them for mankind, with the urgency of their solution. Based on the totality of global problems as an interdependent complex system of real contradictions of the modern era, it is important to consider this "hierarchy" through the prism of their cause-and-effect relationships, which, in turn, dictate a certain sequence both in their theoretical analysis and in practical solution.

No matter how serious dangers for mankind may be accompanied by all other global problems, they are even remotely incomparable in the aggregate with the catastrophic demographic, ecological and other consequences of the world thermonuclear war, which threatens the very existence of civilization and life on our planet. That is why a nuclear-free, non-violent world is not only the highest social value, but also a necessary precondition for solving all other global problems of our time.

Back in the late 70s of the 20th century, scientists believed that a world thermonuclear war would be accompanied by the death of many hundreds of millions of people and the destruction of world civilization; now it has become obvious: such a war will lead to the destruction not only of mankind, but also of life itself on Earth. At the same time, as nuclear weapons spread, so does the risk of thermonuclear war, as well as the danger of a local nuclear war escalating into a regional and global one.

Studies on the likely consequences of a thermonuclear war have revealed that even 5% of the nuclear arsenal of the great powers accumulated to date (in the event of its military use) will be enough to plunge our planet into an irreversible environmental catastrophe: soot rising into the atmosphere from incinerated cities and forests. fires will create a screen impenetrable to the sun's rays and lead to a drop in the average temperature by tens of degrees, so that even in the tropical zone there will come a long polar night. As a result of such a "nuclear winter" not only humanity will perish, but, probably, life itself on Earth.

At present, the priority of preventing thermonuclear war in relation to all other global problems is increasingly recognized by the world community. However, the ending cold war"and the confrontation between the two superpowers after the abolition of one of them (the USSR) was accompanied by a sharp destabilization of the entire international system and an increase in local military conflicts in Asia, Europe and Africa. The creation of a new world order remains a good intention so far.

From now on, it becomes more and more obvious that peaceful coexistence, the solution of international conflicts not by military, but by political means - necessary condition, an imperative imperative for the survival of human civilization as a whole, for the preservation of life on our planet. Ensuring peace through military force and arms races, the desire for military superiority and political dictatorship in the current conditions have become absurd. The concept of unilateral security based on the desire for military superiority (still with difficulty!) is giving way to the realization that true security can only be achieved by political means, through the coordination of national interests and mutual trust of all peoples.

The priority of preventing thermonuclear war is also determined by the fact that a non-violent world without nuclear weapons creates the necessary prerequisites and guarantees for the scientific and practical solution of other global problems in the conditions of international cooperation.

For the first time in history, humanity has an opportunity to provide the means of subsistence for the multi-billion population of the globe, to create decent living conditions for all people. To achieve this, humanity now has the necessary economic and financial resources, scientific and technical capabilities and intellectual potential. But to realize this possibility, it is necessary good will and international cooperation based on the priority of universal human interests and values.

The global problems of civilization require for their resolution the broadest coalition of all social forces and social movements interested in social progress, and at the same time create objective conditions and subjective prerequisites for their cooperation.

Undoubtedly, humanity cannot afford to postpone the solution of priority global problems (primarily the problems of peace, disarmament, ecology, etc.) until the social and national solidarity of society prevails everywhere on our planet. Nature itself is not able to wait for this: it literally calls for salvation from the plunder of its resources and catastrophic pollution of the environment. If we postpone the solution of global problems for decades, then it is possible that as a result there will be no one and nothing to solve at all. It is precisely today that new conditions are emerging that make it possible at least to begin a phased solution of the main global problems.

By its nature, by its essence, the solution of all global problems does not go beyond the general democratic demands of the broadest sections of the population. Whether it is about preventing thermonuclear war and the survival of mankind, about establishing a new international economic order or regulating the growth of the world population, about stopping environmental pollution or overcoming the negative consequences of the scientific and technological revolution - it is possible and necessary to successfully fight for the solution of these global problems right now. on the basis of constructive and mutually acceptable cooperation of all countries and peoples, regardless of national and social contradictions.