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Re: Ecological Economics and Entropy



On Wed, 11 Dec 1996, Brian Carnell wrote:

> On 10 Dec 1996 06:04:21 GMT, sync@inforamp.net (J McGinnis) wrote:
> 
> >Comparing our current situation to the past may show us some areas of
> >improvement, but it also shows us that at no time have we had the
> >destructive potential that we do now. And that we're not putting that
> >potential to much better use than we ever have.
> 
> You don't consider the enormous increase in human life expectance, for
> example, to be a good use of our increased potential? The dramatic
> worldwide reduction in infant mortality isn't something to cheer
> about?
> 
> All in all I'd say we've done okay, and things will get even better
> once Asia and Africa enjoy true freedom.

As Herman Daly states in his introduction to _Valuing the Earth_, if a 
human population has a decreased infant mortality rate and an increased 
life expectancy (i.e. humans, in general, are having a much more 
permanent stay on earth), than the total flow of energy and matter used 
by these people must be reduced.  Decreases in infant mortality are only 
positive when coupled with increased knowledge of birth control and 
social or political encouragement towards smaller families.  Longer lives 
are only valuable when the elderly can be encouraged to serve as leaders 
and sages in a human quest for societal improvement, and human 
consumption over a lifetime is decreased dramatically.

Toby Reiter



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