A whole range of new discoveries and theories, from chaos to complexity, from string theories to postmodern notions of truth and reality, are forcing us to question, indeed abandon, the legacy of the Baconian Age and interrogate the very idea that "humans" are the center, sum and substance of the world!

The long-term future is a product of a complex set of interacting factors, forces and processes wherein humans have an active role, but do not, and cannot, determine the outcomes. We must transcend history in an imaginative and bold manner: foresight is key to our survival.

Addressing issues of human survival in this framework also forces us to recognize that we, as humans, have a responsibility; not just as current custodians of the planet, but also as shapers of long-range futures: viable futures, with meaningful legacies for generations far ahead. Disregarding this responsibility would be tantamount to leaving the future generations a wasteland as their inheritance.

This compilation of essays, talks and interviews presents the canvas upon which to explore these issues within a framework of larger totalities-such as "humankind" and "planet earth"-within the scope of an evolutionary time frame. What results is a blueprint for negotiating a global transition to avoid collapse.