Team

Prof. Dr. Egon Becker

Associate Research Scientist
+49 69 7076919-0 info@isoe.de

Egon Becker was a co-founder of ISOE and worked on transdisciplinary methods and concepts, among other things. He specialized in the methodology of social ecology, complexity research and philosophy of science. Egon Becker studied communications engineering, mathematics, physics, philosophy and sociology at the Technical University of Darmstadt and the University of Frankfurt am Main, where he completed his doctorate in theoretical solid state physics. He pursued his research activities in the field of theoretical physics at Yale University and Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main. In Frankfurt, Egon Becker held a position as Professor of Science and University Research from 1972 until his retirement in 2000. Between 1984 and 1993, he was simultaneously working as a visiting professor in Kassel, Rio de Janeiro and Mexico. His theoretical and methodological work was groundbreaking for the successful development of ISOE. Egon Becker passed away on November 15, 2024.

ResearchGate

Focus of research

  • Methodological issues in social ecology
  • Complexity theory
  • Philosophy of science

Projects

  • Transdisciplinary Cognitive Integration

    Transdisciplinary Cognitive Integration

    Scientific staff at ISOE developed the Social Ecology research programme, and, after a process of critical reflection, published the results as a book.

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  • Concept for the Framework Programme "Social-ecological Research" SÖF

    Concept for the Framework Programme "Social-ecological Research" SÖF

    The intention was to supplement the BMBF "Research for the Environment" programme with a new funding programme by the name of 'Social-Ecological Research". ISOE was commissioned to devise the conceptual framework. On this basis, 2000 saw the start of the 10-year funding period for all three funding programmes in three areas (integrated research, infrastructure funding, and the promotion of young scientists). It was the aim of this particular funding programme to strengthen Germany's expertise in social-ecological research and thus – taking special account of the potential available at non-university, independent research institutes – in transdisciplinary environmental and sustainability research as a whole.
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  • Forecasts of Social-Ecological Transformations

    Forecasts of Social-Ecological Transformations

    In the exploratory study, links between society, the supply system and Nature were examined. Scientists looked at how the uncertainty involved in forecasting complex interrelations could be reduced through the use of suitable models. In the modern water supply system, for example, natural and social processes are closely interwoven; in the language of physics, one would say they are "strongly coupled": for instance ecologically motivated savings by consumers, the falling away of water-intensive industries, or capacity problems in supply networks due to demographic change. Models can prove helpful in dealing with couplings of this kind.
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  • Sustainability as a Concept in the Social Sciences

    Sustainability as a Concept in the Social Sciences

    In this project, representatives from 11 countries contributed jointly on the concept of sustainability in the social sciences. The aim was to initiate an international process of discussion and reflection. One aspect concerned how to go about formulating sustainability as a viable, transdisciplinary social science concept. The other main concern was the extent of reorientation required in the social sciences in order to conduct interdisciplinary, problem- and actor-related sustainability research.
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