Quintessential Solutions to Existential Problems: How Human Factors and Ergonomics Can and Should Address the Imminent Challenges of Our Times.

Abstract

To examine and evaluate ways in which an understanding of the quintessential element of Human Factors/Ergonomics can address the spectrum of existential threats that confront contemporary civilization. HF/E is dedicated to improving quality of life. Paradoxically, many processes which sustain contemporary civilization act to reduce that overall quality. Some technological developments themselves now even present existential threats to the fragile skein of civilization itself. Many disciplines address these diverse threats, and each may be advised and facilitated by HF/E knowledge and methods. It is a moral imperative of our science to contribute what we can to proposed resolutions. A primary conduit, by the established strengths of HF/E can contribute to potential solutions is identified. The present work advocates for specific, practical interventions using a direct-perception mediated, panopticon principle, that derives from the corpus of our science. Limitations upon a general, social understanding of imminent global concerns, which are largely ignorable when not actually present, are brought to immediate consciousness via an HF/E principle emphasizing the direct-perception of threat. It is argued that this, and allied HF/E insights can generate practical steps toward problem resolution at both macroscopic and localized levels of implementation. The primary, practical application of the proposed panopticon principle is to use our science to save global civilization. It is postulated that this represents useful employment of the knowledge we have adduced and accumulated across our discipline's existence.