Dr. Robert McGuire, research professor of economics, explores the historical development of humanity and the economy through an integration of biological and economic perspectives in his new book, Parasites, Pathogens and Progress.
Together with Philip R. P. Coehlo, a professor of economics at Ball State University, McGuire emphasizes the paradoxical impact of population growth and density on progress. An increased population leads to increased market size, specialization, productivity, and living standards. Simultaneously, increased population density can provide an ecological niche for pathogens and parasites that prey upon humanity, increasing morbidity and mortality. The tension between diseases and progress continues, with progress dominant since the late 1800s.
To learn more about the book, visit The MIT Press.