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Every problem exists until it doesn't. Saying that a problem has not yet been solved and therefore cannot be solved is a fallacy. It's not a question of whethe
by NickM 7y ago
Every problem exists until it doesn't. Saying that a problem has not yet been solved and therefore cannot be solved is a fallacy.
It's not a question of whether the human race can solve this problem, it's a question of whether we will solve it. There are no fundamental physical or technological limitations that prevent us from running the world on 100% clean energy, it's just a matter of overcoming our species' collective political apathy on this issue...and the kind of blind pessimism you're expressing tends to lead to more apathy, not progress.
- npo9 7y ago> Saying that a problem has not yet been solved and therefore cannot be solved is a fallacy. I didn’t say the problem cannot be solved. I said the problem is continuing, and current data indicates it will continue to be a problem. You may call my opinion pessimistic. I think I’m being realistic, and our outlook is just this bleak. The global effort to fight climate change is falling significantly short to the task.
- greglindahl 7y agoI don't think anyone is saying that we've already done enough and the prognosis is good. Also, you appear to be criticizing the people who are doing useful things, without offering any alternative. Bleak indeed.
- npo9 7y agoI’m not criticizing people working on the problem. I’m criticizing the viewpoint that we are right around the bend and the fight is almost over. This is an unrealistic viewpoint. We aren’t right around the bend. There is no indication that governments will stop subsidizing oil. Personal transportation might be electrified, but it’ll take decades and meanwhile other pollution sources would have grown to eat out the progress gained. It’s unknown how far we can reasonably advance solar and battery technologies. It’s likely that raising global wealth and raising global population will result in raising global consumption (and pollution). Electric airplanes are decades (centuries?) away from taking over significant portions of air traffic. This is a hard problem. You’re patting yourself on the back and pretending that we’re almost done. We don’t have the political or economic structures to solve this problem. We don’t have good enough science or engineering to compete against fossil fuels. We don’t have enough time to build either.
- greglindahl 7y agoI don't think anyone has the view that you're criticizing. Sorry to repeat myself.