Daniel P. Fischer
Dan Fischer was raised to understand that success in this world is measured by the contribution one makes to society and ones fellow man. This first led him to attend a Catholic seminary – diocesan, then missionary; it took eight years (and falling asleep in many a church service) for him to realize that his interest was people, not religion. Vietnam provided a convenient alternative. When the U.S. Army Intelligence Corp stationed him in Germany, it changed his life. The dramatic difference between European and American cities and European respect for history struck a cord, and led to his first career in city management and urban planning. Love of mountains drew him to Colorado, with service in Manitou Springs, Federal Heights, Westminster and Broomfield. As a social philosopher, he developed what he terms a ‘humane planning ethic’ during his government service.
The Chevron Shale Oil Company offered him the opportunity to undertake preliminary design of a new town in western Colorado that ‘de-emphasized the automobile’ and recognized that ‘people come first’ in the urban environment – the embodiment of his ‘humane planning ethic.’ Chevron’s city adjacent to De Beque was never built, as declining oil prices made development of shale oil infeasible. Consulting activities while stranded in Grand Junction after the five major shale oil firms terminated their projects eventually led to relocation to Macon, Georgia, where a two year consulting contract resulted in 25 years of service to Mercer University - a relationship which continues to this day.
Dan continues his commitment to livable and sustainable cities as a citizen activist in Macon and through academic activities at Mercer, where he teaches or has taught Urban Ecology, Environmental Ethics and Social Philosophy. Anthropolis – A Tale of Two Cities, published in 1992 by the Mercer University Press and now available in a Kindle/eBook version, embodies his humane planning ethic and a search for sustainable cities. He is currently working on a novel entitled World of our Children: Erik’s Saga, which will explore the impacts of global warming, climate change and peak oil. His thesis: the impacts will occur over time, and impact different places in dramatically different ways, depending in large part on how proactive cities and regions are in preparing for these challenges.
