From: Bob McDaniel <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>John McCarthy of Stanford has another take on the future:
><http://www-formal.Stanford.EDU/jmc/progress/>
>
>(An extract)
>This page and its satellites will contain references to articles, my own
>and by others, explaining how humanity is likely to advance in the near
>future. In particular, we argue that the whole world can reach and
>maintain American standards of living with a population of even 15
>billion. We also argue that maintaining material progress is the highest
>priority and the best way to ensure that population eventually
>stabilizes at a sustainable level with a standard of living above the
>present American level and continues to improve thereafter.
>From McCarthy's page: "With the development of nuclear energy, it became
possible to show that there are no apparent obstacles even to billion year
sustainability."
Billion years? Sure why not if you live in fantasyland. McCarthy is a
devotee of the late Julian Simon. Simon (like most economists, all
politicians, lawyers, most sociologists) assume away energy laws and ecology
issues.
The people who believe in such nonsense are lunatics -- not scientists. See
the difference in my LUNATIC POLITICS at http://dieoff.com/page141.htm
Here's an experiment any lunatic can try at home:
#1. Put a piece of cake on a plate.
#2. Eat the cake.
#3. See if you still have the cake.
Genuine lunatics may have to do the experiment a few times before the
implications fully sink in.
Once they understand the concept, the next step is for them to seriously
entertain the idea that there really is no Santa Claus.
Jay -- www.dieoff.com
