Future Studies, Religion, Ethics, Philosophy

Nick, Trend Forecasting is a form of religious, philosophical study, for it forces us to weigh what is of value to us.  It goes this way.  We decipher trends, and then we make decisions, which involve values, on how to respond to them.  Trend Forecasting is indeed very philosophical, religious, ethical.  It is not surprising to find that Dr. Peter Bishop, a personal friend of your humble servant here, one of the top Trend Forecasting educators in the world was a Jesuit priest for seven years before migrating to the University of Houston, where he has created a highly successful Strategic Foresight Institute that gives both master's and bachelor's degrees in this subject!  He and I have met several times at World Future Society Conferences, and, in fact, in 2009, your humble servant here took his all-day workshop on how to teach Future Studies!  Dr. Bishop and I in fact talked about the values dynamic in Trend Forecasting (aka Future Studies, Strategic Foresight).  FYI  Dr. Bishop gives five-day workshops - he condenses what we do here into five days - in Houston and Brussells, Belgium each year.  The price tag for the five days is $5,000 (no joke).  The Oxford Scenarios Program at Oxford University in the fall of each year provides similar education over five days.  Its price tag is $8,000!  Your humble servant here believes the greatest moments, opportunities for Trend Forecasting are still coming!  He champions trend forecasting education for the "little guy" - who cannot pay $5-8,000 to learn how to apply the techniques to position themselves to seize emerging opportunities and avoid emerging dangers.  Therefore, you could say, my interest in Trend Forecasting also has its roots in ethics, religious values.  Yes, as you learn more about this emerging field, you will find it does involve ethical, religious, philosophical issues, questions, decisions, perspective.  I plan to share this with all members of our course to make them aware of this important dynamic, value of our course.  Thank you for stimulating this feedback.  Dr. Rux