4 ms·

However appealing this might be for some, I hope we "solve" global population growth first. Of course that means we need an ethical, voluntary, way of keeping

However appealing this might be for some, I hope we "solve" global population growth first. Of course that means we need an ethical, voluntary, way of keeping population in check. Which infers true sexual equality, or you get one child policies as successful as China's. Or we have an exponential increase in lifespan and ever more people chasing those finite resources. So, it's going to be a world very different from ours, or it's going to be a bloody mess. May you live in interesting times?

ant6n 11y ago
The trick is not to 'use up' finite resources. There's lots of energy coming from the sun. And matter can and should be recycled.
- anexprogrammer 11y ago
  Oh, I agree. It's just that historically we've not been terribly good at that.
paulddraper 11y ago
Population growth has been declining since the 60s. UN estimates are that we'll peak at 10 billion. Besides that it's already happening, reducing population growth isn't necessarily a good thing, in econimic terms of aggregate "utility." Is there a difference between preventing birth and causing death?
- cgriswald 11y ago
  That estimated peak is based on existing and projected death rates. Even Japan's population would grow if death from old age and age-related disease ceased.
  - paulddraper 11y ago
    Correct. The projection is a projection. If the projection is wrong, the projection will be wrong. I just give slightly more credence to the UN's projection than Aldring's.
crusso 11y ago
We have many examples whereby societies that become "comfortable" see decreasing birth rates leading to negative population growth. As mortality pressure decreases, the urgency and drive to hurry up and have children decreases. There's no reason to believe that if we all suddenly could live forever that we wouldn't dramatically slow down how quickly we had children. Talk to any family about why they're stopping to have children. You'll normally get answers along the lines of, "Well, we're not getting any younger." What if you know that you're not getting any older either? Personally, if my wife and I hadn't been pushing into our 30's and worried about having a couple of kids before we were too old, we would have waited indefinitely. Who knows... maybe we might not even have been married? If you have 1,000's of years ahead of you, do you saddle yourself with one person for an eternity?

ant6n 11y ago

The trick is not to 'use up' finite resources. There's lots of energy coming from the sun. And matter can and should be recycled.

anexprogrammer 11y ago
Oh, I agree. It's just that historically we've not been terribly good at that.

paulddraper 11y ago

Population growth has been declining since the 60s. UN estimates are that we'll peak at 10 billion. Besides that it's already happening, reducing population growth isn't necessarily a good thing, in econimic terms of aggregate "utility." Is there a difference between preventing birth and causing death?

cgriswald 11y ago
That estimated peak is based on existing and projected death rates. Even Japan's population would grow if death from old age and age-related disease ceased.
- paulddraper 11y ago
  Correct. The projection is a projection. If the projection is wrong, the projection will be wrong. I just give slightly more credence to the UN's projection than Aldring's.

crusso 11y ago

We have many examples whereby societies that become "comfortable" see decreasing birth rates leading to negative population growth. As mortality pressure decreases, the urgency and drive to hurry up and have children decreases. There's no reason to believe that if we all suddenly could live forever that we wouldn't dramatically slow down how quickly we had children. Talk to any family about why they're stopping to have children. You'll normally get answers along the lines of, "Well, we're not getting any younger." What if you know that you're not getting any older either? Personally, if my wife and I hadn't been pushing into our 30's and worried about having a couple of kids before we were too old, we would have waited indefinitely. Who knows... maybe we might not even have been married? If you have 1,000's of years ahead of you, do you saddle yourself with one person for an eternity?