Re: entropy and sustainabilityt

[john hull]

Robert wrote:
'meaning a pristine environment 6 billion years from
now might be worth more to them than one now.  After
all, by then the human race, the "cancer on the
planet" might be gone and the environment will be
"truly natural" according to some points of view.'

For those who haven't heard of it, check out VHEMT
(pronounced "vehement").  It's the Voluntary Human
Extinction Movement, you can learn all about it at
www.vhemt.org.  It's an eye opener.

-jsh



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Re: entropy and sustainabilityt

[Robert A. Book]

> --- Anton Sherwood <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> John Perich wrote:
> > . . . here's a thought: in six billion years, the sun will burn out,
> > making all research into sustainability and environmental / resource
> > economics a waste of time. . . .
> 
> But what is the present value of something 6 billion years in the future?
> 
> Fred Foldvary

Depends on your discount rate!   ;-)

I suspect radical environmentalists, to the extent that they are
time-rational at all, do not discount very steeply.  They might well
have a zero discount rate, or even a negative one -- meaning a pristine
environment 6 billion years from now might be worth more to them
than one now.  After all, by then the human race, the "cancer on the
planet" might be gone and the environment will be "truly natural"
according to some points of view.


--Robert