Population 7 billion. Changes ahead. (page 6)

freydo

If you just look at the US, in 1800 the population was around 8 million.

By 1950 after civil war, two world wars, the swine flu......it was 200 million.

Can you say like rabbits?

BurnTheShips

Well said Besty, however, I think it will not be necessary to go cybernetic, despite Kurzweil's claims. The revolution will be biological.

BTS

Lion Cask

Seems the thread still has a bit of a pulse.

Biological machines vs cybernetic machines, BTS and besty? Brings science fiction to mind. However, I think I have to agree with BTS on this one. Stem cell breakthroughs will pave the way.

BizzyBee

Is there a plan for the 7 billion+ unaugmented humans?

Terry

If the intelligent problem-solvers of the world STOP having children, then--only the NON problem solving people who are easily manipulated, superstitious and ignorant will people the planet.

Draw whatever conclusions you want about this.

One could draw the conclusion that you equate concern about over-population with manipulation, superstition and ignorance.

From your previous post about us all fitting inside Texas, you seem to be saying that over-population is only about physical space.

If indeed those are your positions, one could conclude that you are a simple-minded fool.

Sigh...I suppose that outburst adequately represents the strength of your arguments.

I remember watching TV when I was a little boy with my grandparents in the room when a scene of starving 3rd world people appeared with mothers cradling spindly, bloated babies with flies on their faces.

I remember wondering WHY would starving people be having sex and producing babies that will surely die.

Even at that tender age I was aware that HUMAN CHOICES create problems and HUMAN CHOICES solve them.

If that is being a simple-minded fool I plead guilty as charged!

BurnTheShips

Is there a plan for the 7 billion+ unaugmented humans?

There are 7 billion plans for each and every one.

BTS

BizzyBee

If the solution to over-population is for people to stop having babies, it is an unworkable solution. That idea has been floated for decades. The barriers to implementation are overwhelming, unless we employ methods that are so repugnant that we will never achieve consensus.

China's attempt to enforce the one-child rule has led to unintended consequences that are, in some instances, disastrous. Any serious attempt to institute such a policy in other countries would be scrutinized in light of China's experience.

In the very near meantime, the world population continues to grow exponentially and the consequences are being felt NOW. An immediate and far-reaching solution is needed NOW. I predict that the material and ideologic sacrifices needed are going to be painful indeed.

BurnTheShips

If the solution to over-population is for people to stop having babies, it is an unworkable solution. That idea has been floated for decades. The barriers to implementation are overwhelming, unless we employ methods that are so repugnant that we will never achieve consensus.

Wealth and prosperity combined with equal rights for women controls population. This has been demonstrated over and over again in country after country. In a society where a woman's value is only as a baby factory, you have high birth rates. In one where she is not a man's property and can go to college and pursue a career and has control of her own life, birth rates drop vertiginously. Much of Europe has fallen below replacement rates. The US would have 0 population growth without immigration. You want to slow population growth? Fight for women's rights everywhere. We must break the back of misogynistic Islam.

That is the solution.

BTS

besty

Well said Besty, however, I think it will not be necessary to go cybernetic, despite Kurzweil's claims. The revolution will be biological.

From memory Kurzweil argues the hybrid human is already in development. Technological solutions to augment or replace sight and hearing are working today. We've all seen the astonishing success of artificial limbs - the IAAF have already banned augmented humans from competing against non-augmented. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Pistorius

Kurzweil makes the point that the human brain is astonishingly capable in some ways and yet massively innefficient in other ways. And that the combination of flesh and engineering will transform our capabilities beyond our imagination.

The point I made about 'all the information in the world in our pocket' does not require much imagination to move that knowledge from our pocket to inside our body - arguably less of a stretch in concept than moving that knowledge from the physical realm to the digital.

And that will require brain augmentation beyond what biology can offer. He argues that the combination of physical augmentation, biotechnology and nano-technology will be next phase in human evolution

Now if I had an augmented memory I wouldn't have to rely on my poor ole' flesh only model to recall Kurzweil's arguments :-)

beksbks

I'm not saying population control is not a worthy goal.

But, I do know this.

If the intelligent problem-solvers of the world STOP having children, then--only the NON problem solving people who are easily manipulated, superstitious and ignorant will people the planet.

Draw whatever conclusions you want about this.

Isn't education containing accurate information to be preferred to fear-mongering?

I just had this discussion with my step daughter less than a week ago. I agree with you completely. Why is it that concern about over population is automatically met with accusations of fear-mongering or being pro euthanasia or Illuminati crazy? Until we can at least reach consensus on the fact that it is a problem, we are never going to get to the education point.

Wealth and prosperity combined with equal rights for women controls population. This has been demonstrated over and over again in country after country. In a society where a woman's value is only as a baby factory, you have high birth rates. In one where she is not a man's property and can go to college and pursue a career and has control of her own life, birth rates drop vertiginously. Much of Europe has fallen below replacement rates. The US would have 0 population growth without immigration. You want to slow population growth? Fight for women's rights everywhere. We must break the back of misogynistic Islam.

BTS

Precisely. Personally, I would add legislative carrots and sticks as well.

Population 7 billion. Changes ahead.

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