理查德·巴剋敏斯特·富勒（1895—1983年）是一位美國建築師、工程師、幾何學傢、製圖師、哲學傢、未來學傢和發明傢。著名的網格球頂便是他的傑作。富勒是當代最齣色的思想傢之一，以其研究地球危機所采用的綜閤化視角而聞名。50多年來，他有眾多創造發明，理念先進，緻力於“以少勝多”，發掘創新潛力，提高人類生活水平。富勒一生勤勉，著述近30本。他熱心於公眾啓濛，環遊世界各地發錶演講，聽眾數以萬計。1983年，富勒在病逝之前不久榮獲瞭美國總統自由勛章。該奬項是美國最高的平民榮譽。頒奬詞中稱贊道：“他在幾何學、教育學和建築設計領域卓有貢獻，為這些領域的發展樹立瞭標杆。”富勒離世後，化學傢發現瞭一種新型的碳分子同素異形體，由於其分子結構類似於網格球頂，將其命名為“巴剋敏斯特·富勒烯”，當今科學界通常稱它為“巴剋球”。

Buckminster Fuller (1895a "1983) was an architect, engineer, geometrician, cartographer, philosopher, futurist, inventor of the famous geodesic dome, and one of the most brilliant thinkers of his time. For more than five decades, he set forth his comprehensive perspective on the worlda (TM)s problems in numerous essays, which offer an illuminating insight into the intellectual universe of this renaissance man. These texts remain surprisingly topical even today, decades after their initial publication. While Fuller wrote the works in the 1960a (TM)s and 1970a (TM)s, they could not be more timely: like desperately needed time-capsules of wisdom for the critical moment he foresaw, and in which we find ourselves. Long out of print, they are now being published again, together with commentary by Jaime Snyder, the grandson of Buckminster Fuller. Designed for a new generation of readers, Snyder prepared these editions with supplementary material providing background on the texts, factual updates, and interpretation of his visionary ideas. Initially published in 1969, and one of Fullera (TM)s most popular works, Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth is a brilliant synthesis of his world view. In this very accessible volume, Fuller investigates the great challenges facing humanity, and the principles for avoiding extinction and a oeexercising our option to make it.a How will humanity survive? How does automation influence individualization? How can we utilize our resources more effectively to realize our potential to end poverty in this generation? He questions the concept of specialization, calls for a design revolution of innovation, and offers advice on how to guide a oespaceship eartha toward a sustainable future. And it Came to Pass a " Not to Stay brings together Buckminster Fullera (TM)s lyrical and philosophical best, including seven a oeessaysa in a form he called his a oeventilated prosea, and as always addressing the current global crisis and his predictions for the future. These essays, including a oeHow Little I Knowa, a oeWhat I am Trying to Doa oe, a oeSoft Revolutiona, and a oeEthicsa, put the task of ushering in a new era of humanity in the context of a oealways starting with the universe.a In rare form, Fuller elegantly weaves the personal, the playful, the simple, and the profound. Utopia or Oblivion is a provocative blueprint for the future. This comprehensive volume is composed of essays derived from the lectures he gave all over the world during the 1960a (TM)s. Fullera (TM)s thesis is that humanity a " for the first time in its history a " has the opportunity to create a world where the needs of 100% of humanity are met. This is Fuller in his prime, relaying his urgent message for earthiansa (TM) critical moment and presenting pioneering solutions which reflect his commitment to the potential of innovative design to create technology that does a oemore with lessa and thereby improves human lives . . . a oeThis is what man tends to call utopia. Ita (TM)s a fairly small word, but inadequate to describe the extraordinary new freedom of man in a new relationship to universe - the alternative of which is oblivion.a Buckminster Fuller.