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Mathematical Modelling for Sustainable Development

  • Book
  • © 2006

Overview

Authors:
  1. Marion Hersh

    1. Centre of Systems and Control, Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK

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  • The book is mathematically sound and it is written in a way that makes the material accessible for practical researchers without a very strong mathematical background

Part of the book series: Environmental Science and Engineering (ESE)

Part of the book sub series: Environmental Engineering (ENVENG)

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Table of contents (18 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xxx
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  2. Sustainable Development: An Overview

    Pages 1-74

  3. Holistic Approaches and Systems Methodologies

    1. Introduction to Systems Ideas

      Pages 81-90

    2. Engineering Mathematics Representations

      Pages 91-117

    3. State Space System Representations

      Pages 119-142

    4. Mental Models, Sense Making and Risk

      Pages 143-164

    5. Systems Methodologies

      Pages 165-188

    6. Case Study: Reduction of Domestic Waste

      Pages 189-224

  4. Decision Making and Multi-Criteria Optimisation

    1. Optimisation

      Pages 237-259

    2. Mathematical Background to Decision Making

      Pages 261-292

    3. Multi-Criteria Problems

      Pages 293-318

    4. Multi-Criteria Decision Support Methods

      Pages 319-345

    5. Case Study: Waste Management Options

      Pages 347-375

  6. Back Matter

    Pages 543-557
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Keywords

About this book

Many people are convinced that Sustainable Development and Mathematics are completely unrelated. Sustainable Development, in its role of a value laden imperative for polluting and over-consuming societies, seems to be totally unconnected to mathematical reasoning and ignorant of the values behind its symbols. Still, they are not only connected: they need each other. Mathematics needs Sustainable Development. When science was gradually reinvented in European medieval societies, it was legitimised as contributing to the disclosure of God’s divine creation. The conflicts that emerged became well known as a result of the clash between Galileo and the Church. Science found a new legitimacy through recognition that it was a powerful force against superstition. In the Enlightenment the argument was pushed forward by attributing Progress to the advancement of science: science could produce a better world by promoting rationality. In our modern society, science has become intimately linked to technology. Science for its own sake unfortunately rarely has positive outcomes in terms of research grant applications. Meanwhile, science and technology, and the progress they are supposed to produce, meet with wide scale scepticism. We all know of the current global problems: climate change, resource depletion, a thinning ozone layer, space debris, declining biodiversity, malnutrition, dying ecosystems, global inequity, and the risk of unprecedented nuclear wars. Science has to engage with these problems or lose its legitimacy.

Authors and Affiliations

  • Centre of Systems and Control, Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK

    Marion Hersh

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