SOC251 Lecture Notes - Lecture 33: Malthusianism, Exponential Growth, Biological Determinism
Document Summary
Was he a biological determinist: relies heavily on the notion of sex drive. Was he more of a moralist than a scientist: religious views affected his theories clearly. Is it possible to know what is an optimum population level: balance of people ad resources available in a geographic space. Inordinate responsibility on the individual for the population problem: why should we be held responsible for global overpopulation, he believed we had an individual responsibility to do something about these problems. What about the ended for societal change: society or the individual. Condorcet and godwin: famous critics of malthus: condorcet. Traces the development of humanity and moves from stage 1- Humanity will evolve and perspectives and by the 10th stage we will be all good in encompassing and accepting and making a just world: godwin. Humanity will inevitable progress to human perfectibility and enlightenment. Science increases at least as fast as population.
