-----Original Message----- From: F. Marc de Piolenc [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, 6 June 2001 11:15 PM To: Biofuel List Subject: [biofuel] "We don't need no..."
"Appal Energy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: "Dr. Nering made no claims or stipulations about population growth in his analogy. Rather, he used actual estimated increases in global energy consumption. The 5% growth per annum which he "assumed" is a global reality. Whether the percentage remains, increases or decreases from 5% was not his primary point. (Mind you, if the percentage changes, it will be by human choices, no matter what direction it turns.) The increase in global consumption is not only due to population increase, but flat out consumption increase by other countries adopting western "uncivilization" consumption patterns." No matter how you slice and dice it, 5% growth IS a simple exponential, because that growth is at least implicitly compound (if linear, you have to specify a base). And assuming a continued simple exponential growth of ANYTHING is palpable nonsense. *** Marc, I'm not a mathematician, but I believe that if you plot the mean value of the average per capita amount of energy that man can control since say, 20,000 years ago, (when it was about one manpower) to the present day, (when it is measured in megatons) you get a simple exponential curve. And if, as is quite likely, gravitational force can be controlled, that curve will reach an infinite discontinuity. Hanns *** You can have a lot of fun demonstrating that the Universe will be devoured in X years, but all you're really demonstrating is that the model is invalid. No doubt the students will remember - I only hope they remember to question! Marc de Piolenc Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Please do NOT send "unsubscribe" messages to the list address. To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Please do NOT send "unsubscribe" messages to the list address. To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
