>>What you call "man" is in reality billions of individuals. Taken together with the vagueness of "harmony" and "trash" it is hard to see a cogent argument in what you say.<<
In reality (you talk like you've got a lock on that one) individuals compose a species and species are composed of individuals--2 sides of the same coin. The study of society is the sudy of the relation between the group and its individual memebers.
BTW, I was not attempting to make a cogent argument, just expressing some feelings and opinions. By harmony I mean not doing significant harm to our environment and life support systems. By trashing I mean doing significant harm. There has been much evidence presented on the thread lately that we are and may be doing significant harm.
>>I respect the environment, and teach my children the same. It does not change the fact that we are using up our resources, and damaging our environment, unavoidably, by our mere presence<<
Yes we are using up resources. It is possible that we could live in a way which sustains, replenishes and renews resources. I disagree that we have to return to the lifestyle of a hunter gatherer in order not to dispose of the earth. We certainly will need to control the population in order to do so. We might have to change a few things also. Much of what Del and Alex suggest could help us along those lines. If we can create the technology to explore space and colonize other planets, we can create the technology to live a sustainable lifestyle on the earth with renewable resources.
If we cannot live here in a renewable and sustainable fashion, why will we be able to do so on other planets. Is that your vision? A species which colonizes planet anfter planet, uses its resources and moves on? The cockroaches and rats of the universe?
That being said, I find space exploration fascinating and exciting. Personally, I suspect we are creatures of the earth and will be unable to live comfortably and happily outside of the earth's atmosphere and biosphere. Perhaps we can carry essential elements of the biosphere with us, but it will take a very long time and be very expensive. I may be wrong, but there is no evidence to the contrary. |
