How many more people must suck the resources out of the earth before the Church changes its policy? I suggest that even science can not mediate the damage if population grows at a sufficiently rapid rate.
Some of the ecological damage from overpopulation is permanent. However, results from many different societies have shown that science together with enlightened social policy can reduce or even reverse population growth. This can happen remarkably swiftly, sometimes in a single generation. It is much cheaper it used to be. In the 1960s some experts worried that we would not have enough money to distribute contraception. Others worried that traditional societies would resist the changes, or that village health care providers and women would not be skilled enough to use it. Of course money is a problem, now mainly because the present US administration refuses to provide it and wants to lecture people about abortion and morality instead. There is resistance in some societies, especially those mired in war such as Afghanistan. But there is less resistance than many people expected. And it turns out Third World women can take care of themselves as well as First World women can. (A no-brainer.)
Contraception is essential, obviously, but not sufficient. As I said before, three other reforms are needed: education and freedom for women; improved health care for everyone, especially children; and old age pensions. The latter two are essential because in many societies children are the only security parents have in their old age. People who have no children starve. Where there is no healthcare parents must have 7 or 8 children to ensure that one or two will survive.
As for education, it turns that women everywhere want education, money empowerment and freedom. (Another no-brainer!) Low-cost Internet connections in remote Indian villages and elsewhere are bringing it to them in ways that would have been unimaginable 30 years ago.
The remaining problems are political, not scientific. The biggest roadblocks, as far as I can see, are the Catholic and Muslim religions. If they disappeared overnight I think it would be a big improvement. In Europe, especially Italy, people ignore the sex morality of the Catholic church. Let us hope they soon learn to ignore it in Peru and Brazil as well. I am confident that they can and they will. People are much smarter than we give them credit for.
Improvements in contraception were among the most important scientific discoveries of the 20th century -- or indeed, of any century. They are right up there with electricity, vaccination, anesthetics, and flight. Most of the hard work was done in America, and we should take great pride in this. I wish this history was taught in schools, but I suppose students nowadays hardly learn about Pasteur or Edison. Much of the research was conducted under the guidance and inspiration of Margaret Sanger, with funds she scrounged together. Sanger was one of America's greatest scientific heroes. I am inordinately proud of the fact that my grandmother pitched in to help her financially and in other ways. It was only a bit role in history, but look at the result! If cold fusion succeeds I will have played a similar small but essential role. Sanger, needless to say, fought a pitched battle with religion, just as Huxley did. Humanitarians such as Sanger have brought a million times more happiness, well-being, and solid, reality-based self-knowledge to people than the Pope and all those other mystical mumblers tied together. Nowadays many liberal religious people honor Sanger but they were no help back then when she needed them. She had to fight them every step of the way, just as CF researchers have to fight the DoE.
- Jed
