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William Frederick Cottrell (1903-1979), an American sociologist, developed a general theory of social and economic change based on changes in energy sources and their conversion technologies. In Energy and Society (1955), Cottrell describes the evolution of human culture in terms of energy. He is the first social scientist to identify the importance of the net energy return, or the energy surplus, delivered by a society’s energy system. Cottrell also emphasized the importance of energy transitions, such as the shift from animate energy sources (human labor and draft animals) to inanimate energy sources and their associated converters (fossil fuels, steam, and the internal combustion engine).
Cottrell, William Frederick
Cottrell, William Frederick
This article has been reviewed by the following Topic Editor: Tom Lawrence
Citation
Cutler J. Cleveland (Lead Author);Tom Lawrence (Topic Editor) "Cottrell, William Frederick". In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). [First published in the Encyclopedia of Earth January 23, 2009; Last revised Date January 23, 2009; Retrieved May 23, 2013 <http://www.eoearth.org/article/Cottrell,_William_Frederick>
The Author
Cutler J. Cleveland is Professor of Earth and Environment at Boston University, where he also is on the faculty of the Center for Energy and Environmental Studies. Professor Cleveland is Editor-in-Chief of the Encyclopedia of Energy (Elsevier, 2004), winner of an American Library Association award, the Dictionary of Energy (Elsevier, 2005), Handbook of Energy (Elsevier, forthcoming), and is the Founding Editor-in-Chief of the Encyclopedia of Earth. He is the recipient of the Adelma ... (Full Bio)
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