362:(A) committed myself, my wife, and our infant daughter directly to the design, production, and demonstration of artifact accommodation of the most evident but as-yet-unattended-to human-environment-advantaging physical evolutionary tasks, and (B) paid no attention to "earning a living" in humanity's established economic system, yet (C) found my family's and my own life's needs being unsolicitedly provided for by seemingly pure happenstance and always only "in the nick of time," and (D) being provided for "only coincidentally," yet found (E) that this only "coincidentally," unbudgetable, yet realistic support persisted, and did so (F) only so long as I continued spontaneously to commit myself unreservedly to the task of developing relevant artifacts, and if I (G) never tried to persuade humanity to alter its customs and viewpoints and never asked anyone to listen to me and spoke informatively to others only when they asked me so to do, and if I (H) never undertook competitively to produce artifacts others were developing, and attended only to that which no others attended
663:. To estimate the completion date of a project, a chart is drawn showing all of the necessary sub-tasks and their durations, placed in chronological order. The last task cannot begin until all of tasks on which it depends have been completed. These tasks depend, in turn, on other tasks. It is usually possible to draw numerous paths through the chart from beginning to end, but it is the longest path, called the
379:
visual pattern-detecting abilities to solve complex problems such as weather-forecasting, resource conflicts, and wars (p. 183). Data for the
Geoscope can come from the world maps produced by the US, using radio triangulation, during and after World War II (p. 184). Geodesic domes will be built to enclose entire cities (p. 179).
412:
true energy cost of a gallon of gasoline is more than one million (1980) US dollars. The amount of scrap metals in circulation means that no more mining is necessary (p. 205). A global electrical supply grid will enable more efficient use of energy, and make intermittent renewable energy more practical (p. 202).
631:(p. 315); Raleigh cotton mill (p. 325); Growth House - sustainable greenhouse (p. 329); O-Volving shelves (p. 331); tetrahedral floating city (p. 333); Cloud Nines - spherical floating cities (p. 336); 8,000-foot Tokyo Tower (p. 338); containerised passenger air travel (p. 340).
411:
is a simulation of global economic activity. Computers can be used to calculate the optimal answer to any economic, technological or social question. The computers will tell us that the true cost to the environment of using fossil fuels is prohibitive, and renewable energy should be used instead. The
358:
I assumed that nature would "evaluate" my work as I went along. If I was doing what nature wanted done, and if I was doing it in promising ways, permitted by nature's principles, I would find my work being economically sustainedβand vice versa, in which latter negative case I must quickly cease doing
353:
Fuller observed that when he did things for the benefit of others, it had a positive effect on his life, but when he did things merely for his personal benefit, the outcome was negative. This eventually led him to the proposition that if he dedicated his life to the betterment of humanity, he would
368:
I could tentatively conclude that my two assumptions were valid: (1) that nature might economically sustain human activity that served directly in the "mainstream" realization of essential cosmic regeneration, which had hitherto been accomplished only through seeming "right-angled" side effects of
690:
is part manifesto, part autobiography. Fuller admits in one place that this is "egostistical" (p. 378), but excuses this by saying that he wants to show not just his conclusions, but also the thought processes that led to them. He believes that every person must think for himself and take as
378:
The
Geoscope is a large-scale, animated globe of the Earth intended to help people visualise the spatial and temporal patterns of human activity, either in real time or replayed at different speeds. If the human mind is presented with all of this information at once, it should be able to use its
680:
The Earth's material resources, like those of a spaceship, are finite. The book explains that early humans did not understand this, because the Earth seemed like a boundless flat surface. We now know that the Earth is a sphere, and this fact should inform all of our
315:, which appropriates the wealth of the planet for its own ends. Corruption in the form of "lawyer-capitalism" has led the US to become effectively bankrupt (p. 114), with the common people obliged to fund the profitmaking activity of corporations. (p. 101)
359:
what I had been doing and seek logically alternative courses until I found the new course that nature signified her approval of by providing for its physical support. Wherefore, I concluded that I would be informed by nature if I proceeded in the following manner:
618:
The first task in humanity's critical path is to build a global electricity grid (p. 309). The second task is to provide movable dwellings for all - city-sized and family-sized domes (p. 310). Fuller has the following designs ready for production: the
505:
of two million tasks, one million of which required new technological solutions (p. 248). Fuller has applied a similar project-planning approach to the saving of humanity, and has created a list of critical-path items (p. 248).
369:
the chromosomically focused biological creatures; and (2) that the generalized physical law of precessional behaviors does govern socioeconomic behaviors as do also the generalized laws of acceleration and ephemeralization.
536:
Unlike the Apollo
Project, the critical-path items in the project to save humanity can all be accomplished with existing technologies (p. 253). A global video education system must be developed (p. 265).
350:
is used as a metaphor for the ability of a person to influence the world by applying pressure in an unconventional direction (p. 144). Fuller's religious beliefs are explained (p. 151).
441:
It costs ... more than a million dollars to produce each gallon of petroleum when the amount of energy as heat and pressure used for the length of time necessary ... is charged for at
497:
Education is key to improving humanity's living conditions (p. 232). The USSR tried to destabilise the US education system by inciting its students to riot (p. 236). The
24:
284:
below (p. 43). There has been an evolution of religious ideas from those of the
Egyptian pyramid-builders, whose ambition was to deliver a single individual, the
671:, which was planned using this method. Fuller's plan to reorganise the global economy in a sustainable way also has a critical path, which is identified in the book.
354:
achieve the greatest positive outcome. So he decided to live his entire life as an experiment to prove or disprove this proposition. He writes (p. 145):
541:
I am certain that none of the world's problems...have any hope of solution except through total democratic society's becoming thoroughly...self-educated.
595:
In 1929 the USSR used its gold wealth relative to the USA's poverty to pay United States industry to set up industries in USSR, in USSR's first three
705:
shows that the author, like Karl Marx, arrived at his vision of the ideal only after a serious attempt to understand the evolution of human affairs.
346:", is intended to show how much a single human being with little money can do to influence world affairs (p. 128). The mechanical principle of
240:
from simpler organisms, humanity was of extraterrestrial origin and other organisms evolved from us (p. 7). From this base, humanity developed
985:
581:
In Los
Angeles, private-incinerator and later car-pollution laws were passed to shift the blame for smog from industry to citizens (p. 279).
272:
is central to our understanding of ecology (p. 34). This knowledge probably originated in prehistoric times, was certainly known to the
793:
585:
Today, big business ... is completely transnational. Now only the world's people are left bound within their respective 150 national pens.
489:
This part of the book explains Fuller's plan to set humanity on the path to a sustainable existence with no need to fight over resources.
1087:
256:
is used to show the distribution of humanity over the Earth's surface. Over half the population lives in the regions watered by the
970:
521:
We are being taught by all the foregoing to assume as closely as possible the viewpoint, the patience, and the competence of God.
643:
Appendix II - Chronological
Inventory of Prominent Scientific, Technological, Economic, and Political World Events: 1895 to Date
1092:
1013:
1077:
825:
728:
181:
1051:
596:
213:
The following is a list of the main claims and opinions presented in the book, reported without discussion or criticism.
276:, but was then suppressed for centuries by organised religion because it was incompatible with the official story of a
452:
There can be no planetary equity until all the sovereign nations are abolished and we have but one accounting system
311:
were the first institutions to make organised use of extortion (p. 68). This was then followed by the growth of
120:
786:
510:
by 1985 we should be able to transmit humans around the globe by radio scanning or an equivalently unexpected means
185:
one of Fuller's best-known works. Vast in its scope, it describes Fuller's own vision of the development of human
1072:
980:
624:
463:
The world's population will stop increasing when and if the integrated world electrical energy grid is realized.
955:
701:
Mr. Fuller has always made himself easy to dismiss by wandering off the deep end of optimism, but a reading of
1007:
288:, into the afterlife, to the modern belief that everybody has a right to enjoy life on Earth (p. 51).
142:
1046:
779:
1097:
1082:
943:
667:, that determines the time that the project will take to complete. The book refers frequently to the
319:
Eventually the U.S. taxpayers will be asked to make "free-of-risk" bail-outs of "private" enterprises
868:
236:, where the average sea temperature is closest to that of the human body (p. 6). Rather than
817:
571:
The drive to make money...seeks to monopolize order while leaving...disorder to overwhelm others.
927:
172:
37:
1000:
938:
933:
734:
654:
502:
556:
Corn is wasted in generating unnecessarily fatty but more profitable beef (p. 272).
8:
840:
343:
312:
221:
The first part of the book explains the history and present state of the global economy.
767:
YouTube
Channel: 52 Living Ideas - Why read Critical Path by Buckminster Fuller with us?
910:
802:
712:
560:
Billions of dollars of government subsidies now go to the conglomerate farmland owners.
1021:
904:
620:
194:
127:
115:
56:
1028:
990:
660:
190:
176:
153:
70:
1033:
675:
269:
202:
948:
856:
668:
628:
498:
273:
245:
766:
756:
248:
and colonised the rest of the planet (p. 15). There is evidence that the
1066:
886:
241:
60:
307:
Human history has been shaped by the continual growth and success of greed.
874:
862:
608:
Having committed ourselves to solving humanity's problems with artifacts...
396:
253:
186:
898:
474:
It has been found that within a 100 mile radius a wind is always blowing.
380:
134:
892:
880:
408:
347:
308:
249:
995:
975:
771:
427:
We have four billion billionaires aboard our planet, as accounted by
337:
334:
The second part of the book explains Fuller's getting a perspective.
237:
99:
965:
960:
384:
257:
198:
285:
233:
224:
761:
197:
based, amongst other things, on his detailed description of why
640:
Appendix I - Chronology of
Scientific Discoveries and Artifacts
277:
23:
229:
128:
392:
388:
281:
154:
602:
551:
751:
1022:
The Last
Dymaxion: Buckminster Fullerβs Dream Restored
531:
492:
201:
of resources need no longer be a decisive factor in
338:Chapter 4 - Self-Disciplines of Buckminster Fuller
263:
1064:
986:R. Buckminster Fuller and Anne Hewlett Dome Home
716:, published April 19, 1981; accessed 2010-07-21
252:began in Southeast Asia (p. 17). Fuller's
297:Fire is the Sun unwinding from the tree's log.
291:
225:Chapter 1 - Speculative Prehistory of Humanity
787:
171:is a book written by US author and inventor
373:
179:. First published in 1981, it is alongside
794:
780:
22:
402:
659:The title of the book is a term used in
1065:
801:
1014:Buckminster Fuller: Thinking Out Loud
775:
603:Chapter 10 - Critical Path: Part Four
552:Chapter 9 - Critical Path: Part Three
826:Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth
757:WorldGame 2.0 - Global Solutions Lab
729:Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth
710:James Traub, "Nonfiction in Brief",
182:Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth
691:little as possible on trust (p.xi).
532:Chapter 8 - Critical Path: Part Two
493:Chapter 7 - Critical Path: Part One
13:
14:
1109:
1088:Works about the theory of history
971:Proposed Brooklyn Dodgers stadium
745:
391:the potential of a route through
752:Global Energy Network Institute
911:Expo 67 United States Pavilion
264:Chapter 2 - Humans in Universe
1:
740:
634:
484:
1093:Books about economic history
1008:Buckminster Fuller Challenge
981:Old Man River's City project
956:Cloud Nine tensegrity sphere
695:
625:Old Man River's City project
416:Experience can only increase
270:spherical shape of the Earth
7:
1078:Books by Buckminster Fuller
721:
647:
329:
292:Chapter 3 - Legally Piggily
232:began in the atolls of the
216:
208:
10:
1114:
193:, and his highly original
1042:
944:Design science revolution
920:
849:
809:
383:was the heartland of the
152:
140:
126:
114:
106:
94:
86:
76:
66:
55:history of civilization,
51:
43:
33:
21:
869:Dymaxion deployment unit
374:Chapter 5 - The Geoscope
818:Nine Chains to the Moon
260:glaciers (p. 20).
175:with the assistance of
1073:1981 non-fiction books
719:
616:
593:
579:
568:
549:
529:
518:
482:
471:
460:
449:
438:
424:
403:Chapter 6 - World Game
387:world, as it gave the
371:
327:
305:
928:Allegra Fuller Snyder
699:
606:
583:
569:
558:
539:
519:
508:
472:
461:
450:
439:
425:
414:
356:
342:Fuller's diary, the "
317:
295:
268:Our knowledge of the
173:R. Buckminster Fuller
38:R. Buckminster Fuller
1001:Buckminsterfullerene
934:Current solar income
762:Global Solutions Lab
735:Technocracy movement
841:Dymaxion Chronofile
685:Personal integrity.
313:international trade
18:
1025:(2012 documentary)
1017:(1996 documentary)
803:Buckminster Fuller
713:The New York Times
254:Dymaxion World Map
16:
1060:
1059:
195:economic ideology
164:
163:
87:Publication place
57:Economic Ideology
1105:
1098:Technology books
1083:Futurology books
1029:Karlis Johansons
991:Ephemeralization
796:
789:
782:
773:
772:
717:
661:project planning
614:
591:
577:
566:
547:
527:
516:
480:
469:
458:
447:
436:
422:
325:
303:
191:economic history
177:Kiyoshi Kuromiya
156:
130:
78:Publication date
71:St Martins Press
26:
19:
15:
1113:
1112:
1108:
1107:
1106:
1104:
1103:
1102:
1063:
1062:
1061:
1056:
1038:
1034:Kenneth Snelson
916:
845:
805:
800:
748:
743:
724:
718:
709:
698:
676:Spaceship Earth
650:
637:
623:(p. 311);
615:
612:
605:
599:(p. 289).
592:
589:
578:
575:
567:
564:
554:
548:
545:
534:
528:
525:
517:
514:
495:
487:
481:
478:
470:
467:
459:
456:
448:
445:
437:
434:
423:
420:
405:
399:(p. 194).
376:
340:
332:
326:
323:
304:
301:
294:
266:
227:
219:
211:
203:global politics
145:
95:Media type
79:
29:
12:
11:
5:
1111:
1101:
1100:
1095:
1090:
1085:
1080:
1075:
1058:
1057:
1055:
1054:
1049:
1043:
1040:
1039:
1037:
1036:
1031:
1026:
1018:
1010:
1005:
1004:
1003:
993:
988:
983:
978:
973:
968:
963:
958:
953:
952:
951:
949:Design science
946:
936:
931:
924:
922:
918:
917:
915:
914:
908:
905:Fly's Eye Dome
902:
896:
890:
884:
878:
872:
866:
860:
857:Dymaxion house
853:
851:
847:
846:
844:
843:
838:
830:
822:
813:
811:
807:
806:
799:
798:
791:
784:
776:
770:
769:
764:
759:
754:
747:
746:External links
744:
742:
739:
738:
737:
732:
723:
720:
707:
697:
694:
693:
692:
682:
672:
669:Apollo Project
649:
646:
645:
644:
641:
636:
633:
629:East St. Louis
621:Fly's Eye Dome
610:
604:
601:
587:
573:
562:
553:
550:
543:
533:
530:
523:
512:
499:Apollo Project
494:
491:
486:
483:
476:
465:
454:
443:
432:
418:
404:
401:
375:
372:
339:
336:
331:
328:
321:
299:
293:
290:
274:Ancient Greeks
265:
262:
246:Southeast Asia
226:
223:
218:
215:
210:
207:
162:
161:
160:CB19 .F84 1981
158:
150:
149:
146:
141:
138:
137:
132:
124:
123:
118:
112:
111:
108:
104:
103:
96:
92:
91:
88:
84:
83:
80:
77:
74:
73:
68:
64:
63:
53:
49:
48:
45:
41:
40:
35:
31:
30:
27:
17:Critical Path
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1110:
1099:
1096:
1094:
1091:
1089:
1086:
1084:
1081:
1079:
1076:
1074:
1071:
1070:
1068:
1053:
1050:
1048:
1045:
1044:
1041:
1035:
1032:
1030:
1027:
1024:
1023:
1019:
1016:
1015:
1011:
1009:
1006:
1002:
999:
998:
997:
994:
992:
989:
987:
984:
982:
979:
977:
974:
972:
969:
967:
964:
962:
959:
957:
954:
950:
947:
945:
942:
941:
940:
937:
935:
932:
929:
926:
925:
923:
919:
912:
909:
906:
903:
900:
897:
894:
891:
888:
887:Geodesic dome
885:
882:
879:
876:
873:
870:
867:
864:
861:
858:
855:
854:
852:
848:
842:
839:
836:
835:
834:Critical Path
831:
828:
827:
823:
820:
819:
815:
814:
812:
808:
804:
797:
792:
790:
785:
783:
778:
777:
774:
768:
765:
763:
760:
758:
755:
753:
750:
749:
736:
733:
731:
730:
726:
725:
715:
714:
706:
704:
703:Critical Path
689:
688:Critical Path
686:
683:
679:
677:
673:
670:
666:
665:critical path
662:
658:
656:
655:Critical path
652:
651:
642:
639:
638:
632:
630:
626:
622:
613:Fuller, p.309
609:
600:
598:
590:Fuller, p.285
586:
582:
576:Fuller, p.276
572:
565:Fuller, p.274
561:
557:
546:Fuller, p.266
542:
538:
526:Fuller, p.251
522:
515:Fuller, p.245
511:
507:
504:
503:critical path
500:
490:
479:Fuller, p.208
475:
468:Fuller, p.206
464:
453:
446:Fuller, p.200
442:
435:Fuller, p.199
431:
430:
421:Fuller, p.198
417:
413:
410:
400:
398:
394:
390:
386:
382:
370:
367:
363:
360:
355:
351:
349:
345:
335:
320:
316:
314:
310:
298:
289:
287:
283:
279:
275:
271:
261:
259:
255:
251:
247:
243:
242:boat-building
239:
235:
234:South Pacific
231:
222:
214:
206:
204:
200:
196:
192:
188:
184:
183:
178:
174:
170:
169:
168:Critical Path
159:
157:
155:LC Class
151:
147:
144:
143:Dewey Decimal
139:
136:
133:
131:
125:
122:
121:0-312-17491-8
119:
117:
113:
109:
105:
101:
97:
93:
90:United States
89:
85:
81:
75:
72:
69:
65:
62:
61:Globalization
58:
54:
50:
46:
42:
39:
36:
32:
28:First edition
25:
20:
1020:
1012:
875:Dymaxion map
863:Dymaxion car
833:
832:
824:
816:
727:
711:
702:
700:
687:
684:
674:
664:
653:
617:
607:
597:5-year plans
594:
584:
580:
570:
559:
555:
540:
535:
520:
509:
496:
488:
473:
462:
451:
440:
428:
426:
415:
406:
397:Indian Ocean
377:
365:
364:
361:
357:
352:
341:
333:
324:Fuller, p.87
318:
306:
302:Fuller, p.62
296:
280:above and a
267:
228:
220:
212:
187:civilization
180:
167:
166:
165:
939:Synergetics
899:Octet truss
429:real wealth
381:Afghanistan
309:City-states
1067:Categories
930:(daughter)
893:World Game
881:Tensegrity
741:References
681:decisions.
635:Appendices
485:Part Three
457:RBF, p.202
409:World Game
348:precession
344:Chronofile
250:Bronze Age
230:Human life
996:Fullerene
976:Gold Dome
696:Criticism
258:Himalayan
100:Paperback
67:Publisher
1047:Category
966:Dymaxion
961:Geoscope
722:See also
708:β
648:Concepts
611:β
588:β
574:β
563:β
544:β
524:β
513:β
477:β
466:β
455:β
444:β
433:β
419:β
385:Cold War
330:Part Two
322:β
300:β
238:evolving
217:Part One
209:Overview
199:scarcity
44:Language
1052:Commons
921:Related
395:to the
286:pharaoh
135:8051709
98:Print (
52:Subject
47:English
913:(1967)
907:(1965)
901:(1961)
895:(1961)
889:(1953)
883:(1949)
877:(1946)
871:(1940)
865:(1933)
859:(1928)
837:(1981)
829:(1968)
821:(1938)
501:had a
278:Heaven
148:909 19
34:Author
850:Other
810:Books
107:Pages
407:The
393:Iran
389:USSR
366:then
282:Hell
129:OCLC
116:ISBN
82:1981
244:in
110:471
1069::
627:,
205:.
189:,
59:,
795:e
788:t
781:v
678:.
657:.
102:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.