Most Finns recognise Pekka Kuusi as a central figure in both defining and designing the Finnish version of the Nordic welfare state. But fewer are familiar with the direction his thinking took later in life – towards planetary questions, deeply informed by evolution theory. His book This World of Man (1982) was ahead of its time. Back then, it was rare for social scientists to examine humanity, society, and civilisation through the lens of biological evolution. Thinkers like Jared Diamond and Yuval Noah Harari would bring similar themes to global audiences only much later.
In Kuusi’s own words, we have treated human being too one-dimensionally – as a purely cognitive species. This, he argued, limits our ability to address large-scale challenges resulting from cultural evolution: ecological collapse, nuclear armament, extreme inequality. His proposition was that we must learn to see humans as children of the Earth – biological beings driven by the same essential needs as all other life: to acquire energy (i.e. food), secure shelter, process and manage information, and reproduce.
Our understanding of the human–planet relationship has expanded dramatically since the early 1990s. The recently published book Uusi eloonjäämisoppi (A New Survival Doctrine) revisits and revitalises Kuusi’s ecological framework by integrating the most relevant research from recent decades. The result is a systems-level perspective on humanity’s place in the Anthropocene – a new geological epoch defined by human activity.
The book explores the interdependence between humans and ecosystems, recognises our shared evolutionary and genetic heritage with other species, and re-evaluates what has long been considered unique about human cognition and learning – especially now in the age of artificial intelligence. It also outlines how different types of capital, governance structures, belief systems and evolutionary traits shape our collective capacity to respond to planetary-scale risks.
Pekka Kuusi’s ecological thinking has long inspired a small but dedicated group of scholars and practitioners, largely gathered around the Pekka Kuusi Ecofoundation. I’ve had the privilege of serving on its board for nearly two decades. I was also one of the co-authors of Uusi eloonjäämisoppi, alongside Sauli Rouhinen, Osmo Kuusi, Sirpa Kurppa, Raimo Lovio, Antero Honkasalo and Mikko Pyhälä. My contribution was a chapter titled “The Survival Doctrine of Civilisation”.
These questions – on our planetary future, survival and thriving – remain more urgent than ever.
