David Hawk's new book, Human Nature and the Potential in Nurture, investigates the interplay between human systems, industrial development, and environmental conditions. Published recently, the work draws on Hawk's doctoral research in systems sciences and professional collaborations with businesses, governments, and academic institutions.
The book examines how industrialization reshaped the production of shelter, food, transportation, and other essential systems, creating what Hawk describes as an expanding "science of the artificial." A central focus is the transition from naturally occurring systems to increasingly engineered environments. Hawk analyzes how industrialization altered the ways societies organize resources, regulate behavior, and interact with ecological systems, considering both historical developments and contemporary global structures.
By applying systems-thinking principles, Hawk explores the relationship between technological advancement and governance. The investigation spans disciplines including planning, management, engineering, policy, and organizational development, addressing how institutions attempt to manage complexity and how those approaches affect social and environmental outcomes.
"The research sought to understand how human-created systems emerged, how they evolved, and how they influence relationships between society and the environment," Hawk said regarding the book's purpose.
Hawk, who was raised on an Iowa farm, pursued higher education in engineering, city planning, and corporate planning. His professional experience includes service in Vietnam, urban planning projects in Europe and North America, and academic appointments across several countries. Throughout his career, he has served as a professor, consultant, academic administrator, and program developer, contributing to educational programs in engineering, business management, architecture, planning, leadership, and public policy, as well as doctoral-level institutes for executive education in Sweden and Finland.
Human Nature and the Potential in Nurture is available through major online booksellers in print and digital formats, including Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and Walmart.
