GEOG 339 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Social Forces, Barry Commoner, Norman Borlaug
Document Summary
The ehrlich-simon bet population apocalypse vs. technological optimism in 1980, simon bet ehrlich that, by end of decade, price of several commodities would decline: Ehrlich bet, if price of these commodities increases, simon pays the difference. Paul ehrlich, environmental determinist - nature sets limits w/in which human society functions, ecology trumps. World is heading toward apocalypse - population is growing to exceed carrying capacity of planet headed for trouble, world population cannot continue to grow unchecked. Drawing on a long history of population predictions: Thomas malthus political economist exponential vs. arithmetic increases. Over generations, lose support to sustain ourselves treatise on power of population vs. power in the earth to produce subsistence for man . Our plundered planet: biological systems to not continue to infinity. Julian simon, technological optimist - not just human social organization, but also human ingenuity. The optimist utilitarian and libertarian in view.
