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I am certainly not saying that with approval, but I think it is undeniable that war has served, intentionally or otherwise, throughout history as a way of getti

I am certainly not saying that with approval, but I think it is undeniable that war has served, intentionally or otherwise, throughout history as a way of getting out from under economic crises of various forms. We can see examples of this in many of the British Empire's colonial conflicts. Without the growth sparked by WW2, it's hard to imagine the American economic boom of the post war period. Obviously this doesn't mean everyone benefited from it or that it was good, hence my musing about the benefit of a "science" war, although perhaps I should have been more clear that I am using the term as analogy only. I mean it as an intense period of competition, which surely you can agree can be beneficial.

dantheman 17y ago
This is the standard broken window fallacy (http://bastiat.org/en/twisatwins.html#broken_window http://bastiat.org/en/twisatwins.html#broken_window). Just a hurricane destroying a city doesn't improve its economic well being even though there will be a boom in construction and other such industries -- at the end of the day everyone involved is poorer. If you want to talk about the post war boom, it could be explained by the complete destruction of europe and an industrial america able to sell to them. There can be big technology improvements during war due to individuals working night and day to save their lives, but in general the same thing can happen in peace time by people working night and day. It won't happen because they want to enjoy their lives.
- smhinsey 17y ago
  It seems that a somewhat flippant comment has ended up with us talking around one another and me appearing pro-war in some weird way, which honestly couldn't be further from the truth. I'm not sure what is to be gained by continuing this discussion, so I will concede the point. I probably could've avoided this whole thing by quoting the word war instead of science. Mea culpa. All I was really trying to say is that I'd love to see a space race to Mars.

dantheman 17y ago

This is the standard broken window fallacy (http://bastiat.org/en/twisatwins.html#broken_window http://bastiat.org/en/twisatwins.html#broken_window). Just a hurricane destroying a city doesn't improve its economic well being even though there will be a boom in construction and other such industries -- at the end of the day everyone involved is poorer. If you want to talk about the post war boom, it could be explained by the complete destruction of europe and an industrial america able to sell to them. There can be big technology improvements during war due to individuals working night and day to save their lives, but in general the same thing can happen in peace time by people working night and day. It won't happen because they want to enjoy their lives.

smhinsey 17y ago
It seems that a somewhat flippant comment has ended up with us talking around one another and me appearing pro-war in some weird way, which honestly couldn't be further from the truth. I'm not sure what is to be gained by continuing this discussion, so I will concede the point. I probably could've avoided this whole thing by quoting the word war instead of science. Mea culpa. All I was really trying to say is that I'd love to see a space race to Mars.