Faustian Economics --Wendell Berry

1. ChunyanShao (Shandong University) Faustian Economics --Wendell Berry

2. Introduction: Argumentation • Purpose: to convince, to make the reader agree with its point of view, support it, and change their way of thinking and behaving. • A debatable topic, a point that can be and actually is viewed from different or opposing angles. • It should be supported by sufficient evidence. • The most important element: good logic. All the evidence should be logically connected with other evidence and with the conclusion.

3. Organization • Part I (1-2): Our response to the end era of cheap fossil fuel • Part II (3-9): The fantasy of limitlessness, its cause, problems. • Part III (10-17): Humans are limited • (10-12) Humans live in natural limits. • (13-15) We should not desire for limitlessness. • (16-17) Limitedness is rooted in our cultural tradition. • Part IV (18-24): Our limits requires us to do and not to do certain things. • Part V (25-32): We can draw lessons from the arts. • Part VI (33): Conclusion

4. P. 1 LPs • Curtail—cut short, abbreviate • oblivion--The condition or quality of being completely forgotten • Ethanol--乙醇, 酒精 • Switchgrass--柳枝稷 • Dogged--Stubbornly persevering; obstinate.

5. P. 1 Questions • What is the general reaction to the end of the era of cheap fossil fuel? • What strategies do people employ? • Why is the faith that “science will find an answer” unscientific? • What is the dominant response? • What is not destructible? • Will people stop doing what they have been doing? • At what cost are they doing this?

6. P. 3 LPs • Prodigal--Rashly or wastefully extravagant • Extravagant--Given to lavish or imprudent expenditure • The Book of Exodus, the second book of the Hebrew Bible, tells how the children of Israel, led by their prophet Moses, leave slavery in Egypt.

7. P. 3 Questions • Topic? • How do we obscure the problem? • Why do we define ourselves as “higher animals” with relief? • Why to define ourselves as animals is to define ourselves as limitless animals? • Where does the contradiction lie?

8. P. 4 LPs • Unbridled-- Unrestrained; uncontrolled • Cutting edge—the most important position • Boost---promote vigorously • Tissue-- a web; a network • Contraption--A mechanical device; a gadget. • Rote-- Mechanical routine • Industrial fundamentalism—the strong and blind belief that industrialization will bring progress. • Contain-- To hold or keep within limits; restrain • Temperance--Moderation and self-restraint, as in behavior or expression

9. P. 4 Questions • Topic: Our society is built upon delusional assumptions of limitlessness. • What was wrong with the common language? • What supports the “Unbridled Energy”? • What was the optimism? • What attitude does the author demonstrate in asking the two questions? • What does the contrast between “thousands of years” and “another hundred” show? • What does the fire refer to? • What does “a hundred more year” refer to? • What consequence will an economy of no limits lead to?

10. P. 5 LPs & questions • In keeping with---in accordance with • Conceive---think • What economy does our unconstrained consumptiveness result in? • What kind of belief does this mode of economy cultivate in people?

11. P. 6 LPs • Reconcile---To reestablish a close relationship between • Apprehension--Fearful or uneasy anticipation of the future; dread • Claustrophobia--An abnormal fear of being in narrow or enclosed spaces • Thence--From that circumstance or source; therefrom • Paradoxical--exhibiting inexplicable or contradictory aspects

12. P. 6 Questions • Where might the limitlessness come from? • Do we know how the limitlessness of resources and their exhaustion are reconciled with each other? • What feeling do people have for the smallness of the world? • What makes us realize the smallness of the world? • What leads to claustrophobia? • What leads to the desire for freedom? • Why does the desire to enlarge the small world make the world even smaller and finally reduce it to nothing?

13. P. 7 LPs • Come about---To take place; happen • Credo--The Apostles' Creed or the Nicene Creed • Crown--To bring to completion or successful conclusion; consummate • Cult---worship, devotion

14. P. 7 Questions • What wish does the belief in limitlessness imply? • What is the root of all the problems? • What will this eventually result in?

15. P. 8 LPs & Questions • Encumber---To hinder or impede the action or performance of • Neighborly---Having or exhibiting the qualities of a friendly neighbor • Accountable---Liable to being called to account; answerable • What does normalization refer to? • What does moral minimalism mean?

16. P. 9 LPs • Autistic---孤独病的; 自我中心的 • Expenditure--An expense • Ballot---A sheet of paper or a card used to cast or register a vote, especially a secret one • Workmanship---The skill of a craftsperson or an artisan • Deplete---To decrease the fullness of; use up or empty out.

17. P. 9 Questions • What is autistic industrialism? • What makes people of intelligence and ability embarrassed? • Why are they embarrassed? • Why does the X marked on paper not fulfill our idea of voting? • What is out idea of voting now? • What is the work most needing to be done? • Can it be done? • What is wrong with our monetary wealth?

18. P. 10 LPs • Plunder---To rob of goods by force, especially in time of war; pillage • Homeopathy---顺势疗法：一种疾病治疗体系，以小剂量运用一种药物为基础，这种药物的大量服用可在健康人体内产生一种类似于疾病本身的症状 • Ill--Something that causes suffering; trouble

19. P. 10 Questions • How do we know that we are limited? • Time of inescapable limits • Not to be granted another world • Cannot solve all the problem with science and technology • Cannot cure the ills of economy • Under pressure to perceive ourselves as limited

20. P. 11 LPs • Cut off---separate from others; isolate • Self-imposed---voluntarily assumed or endured • Watershed--The region draining into a river, river system, or other body of water • Elect---To make a choice or selection

21. P. 11 Questions • Is this constraint a condemnation? • What does this constraint do to us? • What cut us off from our human heritage? • How does every cultural and religious tradition define us? • In what circumstances do we live as animals? • Why must we live like that? • What differentiate us as human?

22. P. 12 LPs • What is freedom? • How is free connected to friend? • What does this suggest about our identity?

23. P. 13 LPs • Predicament---A situation, especially an unpleasant, troublesome, or trying one, from which extrication is difficult; a dilemma. • Ransack---To search or examine thoroughly; to search carefully for plunder; pillage • Assuage--To make (something burdensome or painful) less intense or severe; To satisfy or appease (hunger or thirst, for example) • Nominal---Existing in name only. • Circumscribe---To limit narrowly; restrict; To determine the limits of; define

24. P. 13 Questions • What does the predicament send the author thinking? • Who is Faustus? • What does he long to do? • How does he assuage his thirst? • Why was the author astonished? • Where is hell? • What does the limitless hell have to do with limitlessness? • What is your understanding of hell and limitlessness?

25. P. 14 LPs • Tut--- Used to express annoyance, impatience, or mild reproof • Pageant--An elaborate public dramatic presentation that usually depicts a historical or traditional event. • Gluttony---excess in eating or drinking • Disdain---To regard or treat with haughty contempt; despise

26. P. 15 LPs • Affable--Easy and pleasant to speak to; approachable. • Archangel--A high-ranking angel • Surfeit--Overindulgence in food or drink • Circumlocution---The use of unnecessarily wordy and indirect language. • Fart--A usually audible discharge of intestinal gas • Mortal---Causing death; fatal

27. P. 16 LPs • Recourse---The act or an instance of turning or applying to a person or thing for aid or security • At a minimum---the least possible

28. P. 16 Questions • Why does the author bring the language of religion into a scientific discussion? • What are we doing now? • What did the scientists, technicians and politicians try to do? • Were they successful? • What good would going back to tradition do?

29. P. 17 LPs • Persist--o hold firmly and steadfastly to a purpose, a state, or an undertaking despite obstacles, warnings, or setbacks; last • Unalienable--Not to be separated, given away, or taken away; inalienable • Preoccupation--The state of being preoccupied; absorption of the attention or intellect • Assign---To ascribe; attribute • Innate---Possessed at birth; inborn

30. P. 17 Questions • Who defined us? • Where do our rights come from? • Were it because of the fear of death that we hold fast to religion?

31. P. 18 Questions • What does it mean to be human? • What does the last sentence mean?

32. P. 19 LPs • Earnest--Marked by or showing deep sincerity or seriousness • Predatory--Of, relating to, or characterized by plundering, pillaging, or marauding • Beneficent--- Producing benefit; beneficial

33. P. 19 Questions • What does the word free in “Free Market” mean now? • What a question did the two vets actually ask? • Why can’t a predatory economy have a good result?

34. P. 20 Questions • What is a community economy? • What good would a community economy do? • Which do you think the author favors, the predatory economy or the community economy? Why?

35. P. 21 LPs & Questions • Witting---Aware or conscious of something • Vanguard---The foremost or leading position in a trend or movement • What have most scientists and technicians served? • How did the scientists and technicians justify themselves? • What was the consequence of so doing?

36. P. 22 LPs & Questions • Domesticity---domesticities Household affairs • What do we need now? • What would this be? • How does this work? • What would the limits be?

37. P. 23 LPs & Questions • Frontier---An international border • Leverage---举债经营 • What would the idea of limitation bring to people?Why? • Was outward expansion good? Why or why not? • Why does the author mention Faustus and Satan here?

38. P. 24 LPs • Salutary---Favorable to health; wholesome • What is a mistake? • What was Satan’s fault? • What was Faustus’ error? • Do people on our age like Faustus and Satan?

39. P. 25 LPs & Questions • Inducement---Something that helps bring about an action or a desired result; an incentive: • Solace---Comfort in sorrow, misfortune, or distress; consolation • Properly understood, what can our human and earthly limits be? • What was our serious cultural loss? • What could a small place provide?

40. P. 26 LPs • Omniscient---Having total knowledge; knowing everything • Omnipotent---Having unlimited or universal power, authority, or force; all-powerful. • Premise---A proposition upon which an argument is based or from which a conclusion is drawn

41. P. 26 Questions • What should we do to recover form our disease? • How should we start over? • What should we learn? • Will it be better if we have a replacement? • What would happen if we have two lives?

42. P. 27 Questions • What should we do to deal with the problems? • Why should we turn to art?

43. P. 28 LPs & Analysis • Unremitting---Never slackening; persistent • Sustain---maintain • Topic sentence? • What does the last sentence mean?

44. P. 29 LPs & Questions • Husbandry---The act or practice of cultivating crops and breeding and raising livestock; agriculture • Forestry---The science and art of cultivating, maintaining, and developing forests • By what does the natural ecosystem survive? • What should we do to make our world productive? • How could we do that?

45. P. 30 Questions &Analysis • In what sense are scientists artists? • What is special in science? • What is the underlying myth in science? • What does the last sentence imply?

46. P. 31 Questions &Analysis • Methodology--- a set of working methods • Genome---[生]基因组,染色体组 • Incidental---Occurring or likely to occur as an unpredictable or minor accompaniment • How does science contrast with arts?

47. Ps. 32-33 LPs • Forevermore---forever • viable---Capable of success or continuing effectiveness; practicable • Sanity---Soundness of judgment or reason • Conform---To bring into agreement or correspondence; make similar