[PEN-L:2461] Re: The V-word -Reply

[mmeeropo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Mike Meeropol)]

Lisa Rogers wrote:
>
> >>> Mike Meeropol <mmeeropo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>  1/19/96, 06:36am
> Just ONE THOUGHT on Terry's post responding to Blair:
> [snip]
> I know this uses the neoclassical approach but one way I have tried
> to bring home to me students the importance of what Terry has stated
> in this paragraph is to ask them to consider the VALUE of the
> enironment in which we humans must live to be INFINITE. [end quote]
>
> Lisa asks: And do they buy it?  I expect that some might 'value' the
> private profits [or even the social housing-use] from one more
> sub-division as greater than the 'value' of one of the few remaining
> burrowing owl colonies in the area.  [For a real example from my neck
> of the woods.]
On a micro level, there is this great desire for a trade off --- what I try
to get them to focus on is the impossibility of infinite expansion to the
point of making the planet uninhabitable.  With a FINITE planet, the
consumption of the natural resources of the planet and the life-sustaining
capabilities of the bio-sphere cannot continue.  We can argue about WHEN we
will make the planet uninhabitable but we cannot argue that it can't happen
... That is where the "infinite value" comes in.  This discussion is of
particular value when we cover global issues like global warming,
destruction of rain-forests, keeping the oceans alive, etc.

Most students don't "buy" anything that will make their lives less
uncomfortable but intellectually they are drawn to the idea of
SELF-SUSTAINING systems because in addition to getting rich, they want to
have the world around for their entire lifetimes -- in a form they are
somewhat used to.

Mike

--
Mike Meeropol
Economics Department
Cultures Past and Present Program
Western New England College
Springfield, Massachusetts
"Don't blame us, we voted for George McGovern!"
Unrepentent Leftist!!
mmeeropo@xxxxxxxx
[if at bitnet node:  in%"mmeeropo@xxxxxxxx" but that's fading fast!]