Simon (Ref. 24) says "We have in our ... libraries the technology to feed, clothe, and supply energy to an ever-growing population for the next 7 billion years." Is this a realistic view?
What will be an ideal response?
Simon is an economist. Economics is a human endeavor. The limits that exist to
increase of human population are not human-generated limits but exist independent of
human beings.
technology is based on the fruits of science. It cannot supersede science.
Physical limits, such as insolation, are different from those set by humans. Simon seems to
have ignored this distinction.
You might also like to view...
A radioactive sample has an activity R. For which of the following changes would the activity remain unchanged?
a. The number of radioactive nuclei in the sample is doubled. b. The half-life of the radioactive nuclei is doubled. c. The decay constant is doubled. d. A time period equal to two half-lives is allowed to elapse. e. All of the above changes result in a change in the activity.
My battery charger uses 12. watts. At 6.0 cents per kilowatt-hour, how much does it cost to charge batteries for 24. hours?
A) 0.28 cents B) 1.4 cents C) 0.74 cents D) 1.7 cents E) 2.3 cents
Why were astronomers in the 1990s surprised to learn that the expansion rate of the universe is getting faster with time?
A) They did not expect the universe to be expanding at all. B) They assumed that the expansion rate should never change. C) They expected gravity to be slowing the expansion rate with time.
The interior of Earth is very hot because of ________.
A. the radioactive decay of elements B. internal combustion C. oxidation D. fusion reactions