REleamses

[Dr. James Adams]

Dear Paul Weaver and Listers,

As you all know, Anne Kilmer wrote:
 
> > absolutely. We are a catastrophic and lethal infection which is 
> > about to bring the planet's ecology crashing into ruin.
> > It'll do just fine without us though. Probably didn't miss the 
> > dinosaurs one bit. or, on the other hand, we are the glory of the 
> > universe, about to make this planet into a paradise. Our choice. 
> > I like the second option. That's what I'm working on. Paradise is 
> > an achievable goal, but it does involve loving each other, and (hi 
> > there, Harry) lower forms of life. We become so confused in 
> > arguing over the path that we forget our common goal, I think.

Then Paul Weaver wrote:

> I find this statement troubling .   Who are we to think that we can save
> the planet or destroy the planet.  The planet has been here for billions
> of years before man arrived and will be here billions of years after man
> has left. "Save the environment " you say .  But what you really mean is
> "Save yourself". The environment will adapt and thrive in the long run
> even if man made it unlivable for himself.  Organisms would still live and
> find away to evolve.

All right, so Anne may be a little off the wall with some of what she 
says (sorry, Anne), but at least her motivation is in the right 
place.  Talk about troubling -- I'm much more disturbed by what you 
say, Paul.  It seems to me that we shouldn't be concerned about 
anything we do to the planet.  Do you think that we should not try to 
do something about pollution, about endangered species, etc., all 
things which we (humans are responsible for?  "Save yourself??"  Where 
the hell did you get that from this discussion?  Is it not possible 
for at least some humans to be truly concerned about the earth that 
we live on?  I grant you that if we do something to save/improve the 
environment, in the long run we will save ourselves, but it is 
(hopefully) not the selfish act you make it sound like.  Mark Walker 
does present an interesting biological possibility, that we are just 
another one of evolution's creatures, and that the earth will deal 
with us accordingly.  But I don't think he meant it in the selfish, 
do nothing way that you suggest, Paul.

    Enough philosophizing for today, especially from someone who 
doesn't do it much (makes my head hurt!).

    James