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Fusion Power: A Gambler's Chance | 32 comments (32 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Fusion Power: A Gambler's Chance (4.00 / 2)

That's an interesting perspective. Technology = Pandora's Box. I won't dispute it.

"Have you no sense of decency, sir. At long last, have you left no sense of decency?" -- Boston Attorney Joseph Welch, taking down Sen. Joseph McCarthy.

by BostonJoe on Tue Nov 28th, 2006 at 09:20:09 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Fusion Power: A Gambler's Chance (4.00 / 4)

Well, it's always a good idea to at least consider the contrarian view.

But honestly, why do nations fight? Resources. And if there were really such a thing as energy that was so abundant that it would be "too cheap to meter," as the saying about electric power used to go, what is left to fight over? Oil? It wouldn't be the limiting factor it once was. It would be relegated to a role as a lubricant rather than as a generant, since currently unfeasible concepts like maglev transportation would suddenly become possible. Water? If desalinization is easy and cheap fighting over water becomes pointless. Land? Well, they're not making any of that any more, but one of the uses for this energy you mentioned was space travel. Generation ships might become a technical possibility. At least we humans might be able to escape the cradle.

In fact, there are only two things I can think of right off the top of my head that might be seen to be worth fighting over. (I will admit to the possibility of more, but hey, it's early here and I haven't even had my shower yet, much less breakfast.) One, of course, is tribal conflicts. Admittedly this will not stop Shi'as and Sunnis from fighting, nor Arabs and Israelis, nor Hutu and Tutsi, nor any other set of groups you care to name.

The second would be if people decided to fight over the sources of energy themselves. In theory there would be enough to go around, but if you got a couple of madmen bent on denying this resource to their perceived enemies, things could get interesting. It sounds like the perfect premise for a science fiction novel. Got time in your writing schedule?

Thanks for bringing this up. I'll give the lecture the attention it deserves as soon as I can break some time free.

When you're up to your ass in alligators, it's hard to remember that your primary objective was to drain the swamp.

by Omir the Storyteller (omir.the.storyteller -CAT- gmail -DOG- com) on Tue Nov 28th, 2006 at 10:14:13 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Fusion Power: A Gambler's Chance (4.00 / 2)

Good points Omir. I'd have to agree with you. I don't really know if this holds to the seeds to salvation, so to speak, but generally, far more interest in enlightened science, and far less attention paid to "gay marriage" and "creationism" is a path I would like to vote for in a big way.

Here is to the first ship off the planet Earth. Number 6 on my "things to do before I die" list. Right after three minutes of stand-up comedy on amatuer night.

"Have you no sense of decency, sir. At long last, have you left no sense of decency?" -- Boston Attorney Joseph Welch, taking down Sen. Joseph McCarthy.

by BostonJoe on Tue Nov 28th, 2006 at 11:18:40 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Fusion Power: A Gambler's Chance (4.00 / 2)

Yeah, my big issues tend to be science and technology rather than social. Of source I want to see the social stuff -- better health care, better education, fairer taxes to pay for them, equal opportunity -- but there are people who are far better equipped to fight for them than I am. On the other hand, with subjects like net neutrality or transportation technology, I at least have some idea what I'm talking about three times out of ten.

Nice to see you back and, um, not blogging.

When you're up to your ass in alligators, it's hard to remember that your primary objective was to drain the swamp.

by Omir the Storyteller (omir.the.storyteller -CAT- gmail -DOG- com) on Tue Nov 28th, 2006 at 01:56:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Fusion Power: A Gambler's Chance (4.00 / 2)

But honestly, why do nations fight? Resources.

I try to recall a war that was waged definitely for resources. Was it World War I? Definitely not. Was it World war II? Nope, the Germans did not actually need more Lebensraum. Is this Iraq war for oil or other resources? Hmmm, the Iraq input only collapsed. What resources were sought in Vietnam, or by Napoleon? The "great" leaders really sought resources only when they ran out of them and were barely able to continue their fights. A far more efficient way to achieve wealth and abundant resources is trade.

What is war then anyway? You can look this way: there are two basic means to make a living for a tribe on this Earth. One way is hard work. The other way is robbing. War is frequently nothing but living on robbery. Look at Tchengis Hahn: what he was doing was "harvesting" the tribes of Central Asia, Russ, etc. At some point, making war is just as hard work as not making war. And at certain modern extremes (of carpet and nuclear bombings), that is just a criminal madness. You do not win any resources by burning villages and levelling cities.

by das monde on Wed Nov 29th, 2006 at 02:30:46 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Fusion Power: A Gambler's Chance | 32 comments (32 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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