Visit the Philosophical Park in Anacapri

Professor Gunnar Adler-Karlsson in one minute

Professor GAK (1933 – 2020) created and inaugurated the Capri Philosophical Park in year 2000. As a scientist in law, economy and social philosophy with a long-term perspective on mankind, its evolution and challenges, he wanted to highlight the wisdom of a number of philosophers who, he suggested, should guide our thoughts and behavior GAK pointed out and warned, in a number of books and speeches, for the fragile balance between the obvious progress for human development and its downside, the negative impact on Mother Nature, power distribution and the risks for disastrous wars.

GAK – the formative and inspiring years

Gunnar Adler-Karlsson, 1933–2020, was born in Karlshamn on the Swedish southeast coast. His father was a small-scale businessman in trade. He married Marianne Ernford in 1960. He graduated in law 1957 at Stockholm University, received Fulbright scholarship for Harvard University and University of California focusing on the economy of the Soviet Union and received his PhD 1968 with the thesis Western economic warfare 1947–1967. He was teaching at The Austrian Institute of Economic Research, WIFO, and became professor in Social Science at Roskilde University Center, Denmark, 1974-1988. He travelled (Brazil, Iran, Cuba, Uganda, Kenya), observed, researched and was invited to international conferences on embargo politics, trade and development issues. He participated in a study “The 1980’s Project” in the Council on Foreign Relations in USA. He highlighted upcoming issues such as weaknesses in global trade and employment, poverty and issues on investments in developing countries. In 1979 Gunnar and Marianne bought a villa in Anacapri Italy, where they spent several months every year. Casa Marianna became an oasis for those who searched for new perspectives on life and our world and wished to be challenged.

Perspectives, Production and Parco Filosofico

His first book, Function socialism, an alternative to communism and capitalism, 1967, was translated, in whole or in parts, into 20 languages. He suggested a way to organize ownership and society in functions instead of pure socialism or only capitalism. The idea impacted leaders and politicians in several countries. As a well-known world expert on embargo politics and global economic challenges, with insights into political and business practices, he realized the necessity of a deeper understanding of the forces that determine how our world is governed, with its thin balance between risks for disasters and a future for every child.
His books and lectures focused on global power execution, economical features and inequalities, the driving forces in international politics, resources, the future of developing countries and the arms race with its potent risks. He developed a global hierarchical model to understand the grand trends, where A/P goes to 1 /∞ (where A is the number of rulers, and it goes from many rulers towards 1, and P, the population, increases to an uncertain limit with global risks). His deterministic perspective included the inevitable human basic needs of food, sex, power, and arms race. The latter, necessary for any ruler to protect his people and his position, producing doom arsenals and at the same time innovative technical solutions facilitating everyday life and health standards.
In Textbook for a Global Future, 2012, 50 pages, he highlights what is necessary to realize in order to achieve a future for mankind and nature and minimize risks for chaos and wars. In spite of the clear emotional and physical difficulties, according to GAK we must seek ways to compromise with potential enemies, mitigate revenge and arrogance, understand the roots of competition and conflict as we have limited ability to manage free will. A step forward should be to integrate research and expertise in (1) population growth, (2) food supply, (3) the concept of power and (4) arms race. Out of research, history and experience, convincing ways for a peaceful human future and a sustainable ecology should be presented. GAK also created The Capri Institute for Social Philosophy where he conducted international courses and seminars for 20 years. Major themes were the future of mankind, power, survival, resources and population, free will and determinism.
His lectures included philosophers’ wisdom, biological and genetic research, intelligence, evolutionary perspectives and statistics on population, economy, risk behavior, etc. In the year 2000 he inaugurated the Capri Philosophical Park, a natural park of 10.000 square meters he had acquired, where he quoted, on stones and ceramic tiles, over 60 philosophers. Located 300 meters above sea level, the park offers spectacular views over the Mediterranean Sea and a botanical variety of Capri’s natural flora. A place for mediation on life and the future, and to “Know yourself”

The Warm Personality & his Humane-Centric Philosophy

GAK had a generous nature. He listened, encouraged, asked questions, shared episodes from his life, and delivered drafts of what he worked on, expecting comments. Humor and sudden jumps and elaborations into philosophy, the Bible, the recent scientific discoveries, Anacapri and hardworking people, were always present. On his courses and seminars, he expected careful listening, innovative solid remarks and alternative perspectives. Always waiting for what could undermine his theories.
He preferred provocation as one tool to bring people to grasp his messages. Sometimes to the limit of what his audiences were used to. He challenged myths and established truths in societies and in media. Scientists with traditional disciplines looked with skepticism when he combined different fields in order to widen people’s minds and understanding. Bringing in biology, genetics, the bell curve of intelligence, the free will and the evolutionary time perspective, and adding economic growth and inequality, his discourse became an eye-opener for many readers and listeners. Of course, he came to irritate groups who preferred (quick) social designed mechanisms and unfounded educational paths, as well as those who did not accept inequalities in people’s abilities.
He was anxious to point out ways to a good life for those who draw the low values in the genetic card pack. Wasting time on nonsense was a ‘not here’ for GAK. Thus, only logic reasoning based on science and a good judgement was accepted. A few times, though, when challenged, voices were raised. Those on the public arena with responsibilities who, according to GAK, were substantially empty and even manipulative, were often given drastic epithets.
Despondency and optimism about our future came and went. As war is common, not peace, he was always worried about the next war and its new weapons. His opinion on today’s wars and its repertoire of innovative potent physical and mind threatening weapons would surely be an unfortunate acceptance. His recurrent warning of wisely handling the small window of free will is not present.

Books

Professor Gunnar Adler-Karlsson wrote approximately 30 books. Important titles in English are:

• Functional Socialism, 1967;
• Western economic warfare 1947-1967, 1968;
• Partnership or Confrontation? Poor Lands and Rich. Essay, 1973;
• A world anti-poverty crusade. An essay on absolute poverty and how to eliminate it, 1976;
• The Political Economy of East-West-South Co-operation, 1976;
• An essay on absolute poverty and how to eliminate it, 1976;
• Textbook for the 80-ties, 1980;
• Textbook for the 90-ties, 1992;
• A monotheistic theory of power. 1 or 10.000 years in 10 pages, 1993;
• Meditations on Western Wisdom. A Guide to Capri Philosophical Park, 2000;
• Challenges for Future Generations, 2003;
• Do we rule over nature or does nature rule over us? 2000;
• The biological origin of evil, 2008;
• Textbook for a Global Future. The history of mankind in 25 points, 2012.