Arithmetic, Population and Energy

A talk by Dr. Albert Bartlett on the unsustainability of our growth at all costs economic model.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• dr
• albert
• bartlett

[EuryBartleby]

This is the kind of thing kids should be learning in schools instead of trying to remember by heart a ton of useless facts that we all forget five minutes after an exam is passed...Anyway, this is brilliantly presented and everyone who watches it will be intellectually improved. It isn't rocket science, and even if you already knew the subject of the video well, it's worth watching just to reinforce your knowledge. /2 cents

[compostjohn]

The most important video you'll ever watch!

[atescoop]

What will the world population growth look like if everyone lives as long as Dr. Doolittle???

[KingslayerSrb]

@KingslayerSrb It's all growth, growth, growth.. Mind you, there is a difference between "growth" and "progress", I have no problems with latter.

I haven't seen this new discoveries, will check them out. But I'm confused about your comment about Moore's law. Moore's law is a social construct: its not some nature's law written in stone. What makes you say that it will also apply to other things as well?

[KingslayerSrb]

@jonny7748 I'll be sure to inform him the next time I see him XD

Seriously though, what you are talking about sounds exactly like the professor's bacteria thought experiment. Bacteria find 3 new bottles and fill them up in exactly two minutes. The key word here is clearly "sustainability"; I have seen absolutely nothing that convinces me anyone even searches for this.The best I've heard is "oh, it will last us a long time, probably a million years!" We all heard this before, no?

[jonny7748]

@KingslayerSrb Read what I said to kingslayer. You are very short sighted and yourself only a higher functioning primate like the rest of us. That's just how critical thinking works which this man and you are seemingly not capable of. Do you think we have exhausted all ideas for sustainability with the given resources of the planet not to mention the moon? If so you are either a nihilst or a right wing zealot.

[jonny7748]

@KingslayerSrb Guess you didn't see what they just did with silicon at the quantom level. Michio Kaku has already been talking about this for some time along with the fact that quantom computers are actually much further away as in 100 years which is why they are playing with graphine, carbon nano tubes and synthetic diamond. Also super conductors are just now being played with and on and on. Moore's law does not only apply to silicon.

[KingslayerSrb]

@jonny7748 And actually, Moore's law (and its limit) is a PRIME example of the point the professor is trying to make in this video: you (and all the human race as a whole) simply cannot understand exponential functions.. You cannot grow infinitely on a finite resource, thats just how it is

[KingslayerSrb]

@jonny7748 I cant talk about the other things, but Moore's low is definitely NOT a factor, long term, because very soon it will hit a physical limit and we are at least a couple of decades away from quantum computers, unfortunately.. According to Michio Kaku, our quantum computers today can barely calculate that 3x5=15.. And its not going to get much better fast enough to compensate for the exhaustion of the silicon power :(

[jonny7748]

A few thoughts: What about building up like we have for some time as in sky scrapers and building off shore? What about getting off the planet? Why only mention science in agriculture? 2. LA as an example? The area is known to naturally collect atmosphere even before any population came to be there, this doesn't compare to CO. What about new tech to eat waste of every type? Nano tech is allowing us as a species to create things we can't even imagine. Moores law is not a factor? Zietgeist please.