From: gts (gts_2000@yahoo.com)
Date: Sat May 24 2003 - 13:22:00 MDT
Harvey Newstrom wrote:
gts wrote:
>> One might even argue that extropianism is a philosophical attempt
>> to prepare an escape from the doomed world we created at the advent
>> of agriculture.
> Or, one might even argue that extropianism is a philosophical
> attempt to prepare even more technologies to gain control
> over nature, produce more resources, expand civilization
> further, and become even more productive. In short, to
> extend the agricultural revolution toward meeting more and
> more human needs with greater efficiency.
Most of us here are working on the premise that Jared Diamond was at least
partially correct in his essay to cite the development of agriculture as a
primary cause of many modern world problems (e.g., overpopulation in
under-developed countries, famine, tyranny, standing armies leading to
massive world wars, etc). Apparently you don't accept that premise. You
assume in your last sentence that the agricultural revolution has met more
needs than it created, when Diamond would argue that the revolution created
more needs than it met.
If Diamond is right, as I believe he is, then I think extropianism can be
viewed as a philosophical attempt to prepare an escape from (or a solution
to) the doomed world
we created at the advent of agriculture. Agriculture is not the answer to
the problem. Agriculture and its ramifications are the problem.
Mez points out that agriculture has had some positive benefits too,
something that no one here denies, but I think those benefits can be (or
could have been) obtained without agriculture.
Most importantly, and most obviously in my view, we need to find a way to
solve the problem of overpopulation, a problem which became real as a result
of the agricultural revolution. This is a serious problem we face at least
until such time as we find a way to colonize other planets. I would rather
see 6 billion healthy educated prosperous humans on Earth than 50 billion
impoverished humans scrambling desperately for their share of limited
resources.
-gts
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