X-Message-Number: 585
From: 
Subject: Birth Control: Necessary but Life-Preventing
Date: Fri, 20 Dec 91 8:45:55 MST

Thomas writes:
> 
> Immortalism will force serious attention to birth control. Pacific 
> islanders ...
> 

I agree that much attention will need to be given to population growth--
*IF* we have run out of places to put people!

Hi, I'm Dave Droit, new to the knowledge of cryonics and extropy, though
I've always had a strong love of life AND indescribable hatred of the
thought of nonexistence.

I agree with the extropian philosophy that life is precious and should not
be taken from others.  I extend that philosophy to include the notion
that *quality* life should not be prevented, as well.  What if YOUR mother 
or father had exercised birth control just *1* time more than they did?
Where would you be now?

I am the youngest of four children, and have wondered what it would have
been like to have had younger siblings.   This may seem strange, but I
miss them!!  (More correctly, I miss the opportunity to have enjoyed
younger siblings.)

Since we are optimistically talking about a future of great technological
advances, let's think about a future where we have learned how to make
this planet MUCH more inhabitable--in terms of available room!  I dearly
love my children (and already love the thought of great-grandchildren though
my own children are only 6 and 9) and sincerely hope that the time will 
never come that a generation will be not be allowed to enjoy children of 
their own.

Let's make it so!       (space colonization is an obvious long-term answer)

-- 
David M. Droit                      InterNet:  
Bull HN Information Systems         Voice:     +1 602 862 5758
Mail Stop Z24                       FAX:       +1 602 862 4290
13430 North Black Canyon Highway    Home:      +1 602 996 3110
Phoenix, AZ 85029

[ David, if you look REALLY long-term, population control still appears
  necessary, even if we scatter throughout space in all directions at
  almost the speed of light.  This is because, unless we change our habits,
  population will grow exponentially with time (R^T for some R > 1) whereas
  the space available for that population can grow only polynomially with
  time ((cT)^3).  Eventually, the exponential function will overwhelm
  the polynomial function (although I am not sure that that will happen
  within the lifetime of this universe).
  Alternatively, if most people want to have children yet still keep their
  population growth polynomial, they may, on average, choose to reproduce
  less often than now.  Rather than doubling their numbers every M years, as
  they do now, they may double every NT years, for some constants M and N.
  Fortunately, we have plenty of time to work on this problem.  Too many
  of our other problems desperately require solutions within the next few
  years... - KQB ]

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