> Presumably that extinction would take place several generations from now? One great way to avoid or slow extinction would be to procreate. ... is that necess

> Presumably that extinction would take place several generations from now? One great way to avoid or slow extinction would be to procreate. ... is that necessarily true? If our current population is well above the long-term carrying capacity, in terms of maximizing 'time there are humans on the planet', could the best course involve letting the population decrease for an extended period, and then aiming for a steady population only after we're near that carrying capacity. A yeast cell in a wine bottle can reproduce while sugar is plentiful, but the increased population leads to more rapid sugar consumption and eventually fermentation stops.