Political and philosophical strategies of coping with earth-wide dangerous challenges - ERNST ULRICH VON WEIZSÄCKER

One of the most suprising and yet evident facts is the distinction between “the Empty World” and “the Full World”. The empty world allowed for a steady increase of humans on the planet and of economic well-being for the avarage of people. However, in the Full World, also called the Anthropocene is confronted with sharp limits to population growth and to the growth of economic turnover. At the end of the day, we shall be in need of a “New Enlightenment”. The classical enlightenment had the convenience of allowing permanent economic growth and population growth. Nowadays, we have to deal with massive restrictions. The New Enlightenment has to deal with that, - leading to more competition on land and resources. The New Enlightenment will also apprecieate the virtue of “balance” and modesty