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Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1998 20:19:37 -0800
From: Ted Toal <ttoal@jps.net>
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To: ppn <ppn@csf.colorado.edu>
Subject: Irrational?
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Jim Talboy said:

<< However to clarify, I'm
suggesting the big picture is "irrational" and yet beyond our capabilities to
understand at this point. >>

Perhaps you meant to say "Rational"?

I think there is no arguing that the big picture is ultimately far beyond our
capability of understanding at this point.  Which actually is all the more
reason to be concerned.  It MIGHT be that earth can hold several trillion
people just fine, and with a few adjustments to attitudes here and there the
wildlife will do well too under that condition.  But, since we don't KNOW for
certain and do not have the ability to analyze the earth as a system and
understand it thoroughly, and since everything we DO KNOW points overwhelmingly
in the direction that we have a major problem, the prudent position is to do
whatever we can to humanely stop and reverse population growth.

<< I am also suggesting that those who'd be left to
implement the program cannot be given isolated, particular solutions that
ignore the whole.>>

Who are you referring to?  What solutions?  I think everyone working on the OP
problem is doing their best to understand the whole, to understand all the
pieces and how they work together.

<<  The whole is simply not going to respond to piecemeal solutions, and
irrational Ol' Mother Nature, will resist interference.>>

In a sense the entire problem is due to interference with 'Ol' Mother Nature'.
I disagree that piecemeal solutions will have no effect.  They will.  But of
course the more one can understand the whole and apply solutions that deal with
the whole, the better.