Prospective Ergonomics in the Anthropocene era: reconsidering human needs

This position paper discusses the roles of Prospective Ergonomics to face the challenges of Anthropocene. In particular, we question the nature of human needs to distinguish between fundamental needs essential to human development and artificial needs partly responsible for overconsumption and detrimental effects on Earth system. An overview of theories of human needs across Psychology, Economics and Sociology contributes to clarifying which kind of needs should be supported in the future, and which kind of satisfiers (ways of actualising needs) should be designed in a sustainable perspective. Ethical implications and dilemmas for Prospective Ergonomics are also discussed.