From the contraceptive to the anthropocentric revolution (Gregory Pincus in memoriam).
The author has seen more progress in science and technology than all scientists of all preceding periods together since the dawn of history and has witnessed a number of powerful revolutions (e.g. scientific, information, postindustrial, globalization, environmental, contraceptive, reproductive health, gender equity and demographic) that have profoundly changed the world and our perception of it. The contraceptive revolution started off this irreversible process with spectacular results. By 1990, contraception had become a global lifestyle for more than 900 million couples. It also resulted in subsequent revolutions in reproductive health and gender equity in a new world with a dramatically changed population structure with fewer and fewer children and more and more elderly. These revolutions will assist humankind in the 21st century in deconstructing the deterministic world view of past centuries and replacing it with a science-driven anthropocentric world view.
Diczfalusy
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Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
D003267:Contraception / Q000266:history / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D018166:Health Care Reform / Q000639:trends; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049690:History, Ancient; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011157:Population Dynamics; D018456:Reproductive Medicine / Q000266:history / Q000639:trends; D012099:Reproductive Techniques / Q000266:history; D016387:Women's Health