Abstract

VALDES COBOS, Alberto. Sciences of the Future: a Sociological Problem?. Polis [online]. 2006, vol.2, n.1, pp.105-139. ISSN 2594-0686.

The fascination for knowing what the future is designing for us has been an historical constant in the development of the human societies. It can be said that the first half of the 20th century has provided the historical conditions (the crisis of 1929, World War II and the Cold War) for the launching of the sciences or studies of the future. During the second half of the 20th century, the sciences of the future were dragged into the ideological fight promoted by the Cold War. In the Anglo-Saxon countries they speak about futurology, while in the countries of latin influence of prospective speech: The differences between these two sciences talk about the emphasis that is given on human freedom at the time of anticipating and forming the future. Although in Mexico the prospective studies have thirty years of existence, the discipline of sociology has made little or nothing to investigate on it. For that reason, the objective of this work is directed to respond the dilemmas that the sciences of the future do face in a society that some authors have described such as postmodern, uncertain and at risk.

Keywords : Sciences of the future; futurology; prospective sociology.