Path: utzoo!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!mcsun!ukc!harrier.ukc.ac.uk!rjg2
From: rjg2@ukc.ac.uk (R.J.Gibson)
Newsgroups: sci.bio
Subject: Re: Why bother? (was Re: Terraforming, sun shield)
Message-ID: <6993@harrier.ukc.ac.uk>
Date: 4 Mar 91 14:17:52 GMT
References: <6956@harrier.ukc.ac.uk> <2078@fcs280s.ncifcrf.gov> <6992@harrier.ukc.ac.uk>
Reply-To: rjg2@ukc.ac.uk (R.J.Gibson)
Organization: Computing Lab, University of Kent at Canterbury, UK.
Lines: 31


       I would like to put my 2 pence worth. I totally agree with the
"why bother?" statment. It would seem to me that an increase in
education and general availability of contraception would be a much
better way to spend the money you are advocating, rather than
improving the reliability as was previosly suggested by somebody on
the net. Ok 50% pregnances are unplanned but I think you will find
most are also unprevented. So having good contraception is no use
unless people use it!!!.  If you decide to try to "terraform" a planet
why stay in this solar sytem, why not send out people to others 
as has been sugested?  Ok you say how? Not FTL anyway, say self sufficient 
and a journey many generations long?  
       Still I say  that making the most of this planet would be a
good idea.  A concerted effort to lower the birth rate including
getting certain religous organisations to admit that contraception is
not a sin and that our purpose in life is not to "go forth and
multiply". Of course we could try to genetically engeneer people to live
methane atmospheres if we want to waste money and resources.  Just stop
them breeding like flies I say.



              Roderick
   


               Dept Biology
               university of Kent
               Canterbury
               England
               rjg2@ukc.ac.uk