EST 201 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Energy Density, Failure Rate, Hubris
14 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Exam%2%Review%
9"challenges"of"alternative"energy
1:%scalability%and%timing
For%the%promise%of%an%alternative%energy%source%to%be%achieved,%it%must%be%
supplied%in%the%time%frame%needed,%in%the%volume%needed,%and%at%a%reasonable%
cost
•
2:%Commercialization
Technologies%that%are%proved%feasible%on%the%benchtop%today%will%likely%have%
little% impact%until%the%2030s
•
3:%Sustainability%
While%alternative%energy%forms%may%provide%the%same%energy%services%as%
another%form,%they%rarely%substitute%directly,%and%these%additional%material%costs%
need%to%be%considered%
•
4:%material%input%requirements
Can%greatly%increased%demand%for%resources%be%accommodated
•
5:%intermittency
It%remains%doubtful that%intermittent%energy%forms%such%as%solar%and%wind%
power%can%provide%a%majority%of%our%future%energy%needs
•
6:%energy%density%
The%more%dense%an%energy%form%is,%the%less%land%is%needed%for%it%deployment.%
Because%many%alternative%energies%are%far%less%energy%dense than%fossil%fuels,%
large-scale%deployment%will%incur%considerable%land%costs%
•
7:%water
A%number%of%alternative%energy%sources,%primarily%biomass-based%energy,%are%
large%water%consumers%critically% dependent%on%a%dependable%water%supply
•
8:%Law%of%Receding%Horizons
Because%of%price%linkages%in%the%energy%markets,%rising%oil%prices%tend%to%push%
the%price%of%natural%gas%as%well%as%coal%
•
9:Energy%return%on%investment
Can%energy%surpluses%be%sustained,%and%can%advances%in%social%and%economic%
specialization%be%maintained?%
•
Prospects"of"cloning
Genetic%replicates% would%not%be%perfect%replicates% because%of%different%
upbringings%and%personal%histories
•
The%popularity%of%cloning%could%be%limited%by%errors%in%the%process%and%the%
technology's%limitations
•
Many%are%afraid%of%the%idea%of%mass%production%of%humans
Possibility%that%clones%of%lost%children%may%be%made%as%simple%
replacements
○
Narcissistic%self-cloning
○
Assumptions%of%hubris%
○
•
Ethically"comprised"cloning
Failure%rate of%clones%and%the%many%disabilities of%successful%clones%make%it%
unethical to%pursue
•
Parents%raising%their%own%clones%may%complicate%the%parent-child%relationship,%
changing%family%structure and%producing%possible%psychological%problems
Few%think%about%the%implications%of%life%for%the%cloned%children%
themselves,%which%is%prone%to%unwelcome%comparisons%to%his%or%her%
genetic%predecessors
○
Other%concerns%in%dehumanization%come%from%the%possibility%of%
commodification%%
○
•
The"case"against"perfection
Some%see%genetic%engineering%as%an%extension%of%cosmetic%surgery%with%more%
influential%implications%on%society
•
Modern%philosophers%shy%away%form%questions%with%theological%implications%4%
examples%show%how%these%questions%are%unavoidable:
Muscle%enhancement
○
Memory%enhancement
○
Growth-hormone%treatment
○
Reproductive%technologies%
○
•
Particular%enhancements%
Muscles:%therapies%developed%for%dystrophy%eventually%become%methods%of%
athletic%enhancement,%producing%an%unfair%advantage
•
Memory%-therapies%for%degenerative%conditions%such%as%Alzheimer's%could%
create%classes%of%smarter%humans with%advantages%over%others
•
Height%-enhancements%are%available%to%one%segment%of%the%population%that%can%
increase%its%competitive%advantage%versus%less%fortunate%people
•
Sex%selection%-some%parents%may%choose%to%abort%until%they%conceive%a%baby%
with%the%right%
Selective%gender%could%also%change%the%ratio%of%males%to%females in%
societies%
○
•
Is"google"making"us"stupid?
Internet%chipping%away%at%peoples%ability%to%concentrate and%contemplate
Many%report trouble%reading%traditional%literature,%books%or%long%articles
○
Recent%studies%indicate%there%is%a%shift%in%the%way%people%read%and%think
(University%College%London)
○
•
Reading"
Reading%might%be%more%prolific%for%some%with%wider%internet%use%today%relative%
to%television%of%past%years,%but%the%manner%of%reading%is%different
Not%inherent%but%learned skill%of%humans
○
Shift%in%reading%style%comparable%to%differences%in%mental%circuitry%
between%alphabetic%(indo%European,%Semitic)%and%ideogrammic%languages%
(for%eastern)
○
•
Intellectual"technologies"
Innovations%that%change%the%way%we%think•
New%ways%of%thinking%can%produce%new%ideas
Writings%effect%on%memory%according%to%Socrates
○
Algorithmic%working%practices%-Taylorism-practice%of%scientific%
management%
○
Solving%unprecedented%problems -googles%approach%
○
•
Corporate"censorship"
Corporations find%themselves%needing%to%agree%to%government%regulation%in%
order%to%pursue%profits,%leaving%them%open%to%ethical%gaffes%(apple's%voluntary%
censorship%entering%the%Chinese%market)%
•
Net%neutrality demands%that%governments,%internet%providers,%and%companies%
do%not%restrict%products%or%use%of%their%program%based%on%political%or%social%
views%
•
Apple,%t%mobile,%at&t%have%been%accused%of%political%censorship.%Others%like%
comcast%to%extort%certain%consumers%based%on%those%consumers%internet%usage%
•
Some%advocate%government%regulation%to%enforce%net%neutrality
New%technologies%like%the%internet%start%off%revolutionary,%but%are%
eventually%coopted%by%monopolists
Tim%Wu,%Law%Professor%at%NYU
§
○
•
Internet%Freedom%
Some%see%net%neutrality%as%a%prerequisite%of%internet%freedom•
Opponents%of%internet%freedom%say%it%violates%the%private%rights%of%companies%to%
make%their%own%judgments%about%what%to%allow%on%its%programs,%networks%and%
technologies
•
Issues%of%monopolistic%practices%by%consumers%not%addressed%by%US%legislation•
European"parliament"and"European"commission have%declared%companies%may%
interfere%with%traffic%they%should%provide%self%regulation%
Some%companies%have%come%to%mutual"agreements on%standards%of%free%
traffic%and%limiting%blocking%of%certain%sites%or%applications%
○
•
Areas%of%non-neutrality
Mobile%phone%carriers%and%their%networks
Alternative%approach%has%been%the%monetization%of%unlimited%internet%
access%
○
•
Developing%world,%particularly%non-democratic%countries•
Companies'%own%ethical%and%content%standards%even%in%democratic%countries
Censorship%of%erotica,%racism,%other%offensive%content
○
•
The%social%construction%of%the%internet%
Technical%code%-the%values%and%assumptions%that%become%manifest%in%
technologies%design
Technical%code%perspective%correlates%technical%properties%with%values%
that%facilitate%them%
○
This%perspective%highlights%shifts%in%social%values%during%periods%of%rapid%
technological%change
○
The%perspectives%can%also%reveal%values%that%were%not%influential and%thus%
tech%developments%that%could%have,%but%were%not,%implemented%
○
•
Limits
Openness%has%been%curtailed%in%cases%of%prolific%criminal%activity%-child%
pornography,%and%copyright%infringement%(file%sharing)%resulting%in%child%
protective%legislation%and%the%digital%millennium%copyright%act -dmca%
•
Global%reach%makes%values%conflicts%inevitable%-openness%vs.%control%of%info%in%
certain%countries%
•
Potential%
Potential%pitfalls%include%the%re-appropriation%of%tools%supporting%internet's%
democratic%nature%for%purposes%of%its%centralization
•
Potential%positives%include%enhanced%organization%and%mobilization%for%
charitable,%social,%and%political%causes%
•
Collaborative%group%intelligence% has%been%enhanced%by%the%internet%•
Lecture'10'
Monday,%April%23,%2018
6:55%PM
Exam%2%Review%
9"challenges"of"alternative"energy
1:%scalability%and%timing
For%the%promise%of%an%alternative%energy%source%to%be%achieved,%it%must%be%
supplied%in%the%time%frame%needed,%in%the%volume%needed,%and%at%a%reasonable%
cost
•
2:%Commercialization
Technologies%that%are%proved%feasible%on%the%benchtop%today%will%likely%have%
little% impact%until%the%2030s
•
3:%Sustainability%
While%alternative%energy%forms%may%provide%the%same%energy%services%as%
another%form,%they%rarely%substitute%directly,%and%these%additional%material%costs%
need%to%be%considered%
•
4:%material%input%requirements
Can%greatly%increased%demand%for%resources%be%accommodated•
5:%intermittency
It%remains%doubtful that%intermittent%energy%forms%such%as%solar%and%wind%
power%can%provide%a%majority%of%our%future%energy%needs
•
6:%energy%density%
The%more%dense%an%energy%form%is,%the%less%land%is%needed%for%it%deployment.%
Because%many%alternative%energies%are%far%less%energy%dense than%fossil%fuels,%
large-scale%deployment%will%incur%considerable%land%costs%
•
7:%water
A%number%of%alternative%energy%sources,%primarily%biomass-based%energy,%are%
large%water%consumers%critically% dependent%on%a%dependable%water%supply
•
8:%Law%of%Receding%Horizons
Because%of%price%linkages%in%the%energy%markets,%rising%oil%prices%tend%to%push%
the%price%of%natural%gas%as%well%as%coal%
•
9:Energy%return%on%investment
Can%energy%surpluses%be%sustained,%and%can%advances%in%social%and%economic%
specialization%be%maintained?%
•
Prospects"of"cloning
Genetic%replicates% would%not%be%perfect%replicates% because%of%different%
upbringings%and%personal%histories
•
The%popularity%of%cloning%could%be%limited%by%errors%in%the%process%and%the%
technology's%limitations
•
Many%are%afraid%of%the%idea%of%mass%production%of%humans
Possibility%that%clones%of%lost%children%may%be%made%as%simple%
replacements
○
Narcissistic%self-cloning
○
Assumptions%of%hubris%
○
•
Ethically"comprised"cloning
Failure%rate of%clones%and%the%many%disabilities of%successful%clones%make%it%
unethical to%pursue
•
Parents%raising%their%own%clones%may%complicate%the%parent-child%relationship,%
changing%family%structure and%producing%possible%psychological%problems
Few%think%about%the%implications%of%life%for%the%cloned%children%
themselves,%which%is%prone%to%unwelcome%comparisons%to%his%or%her%
genetic%predecessors
○
Other%concerns%in%dehumanization%come%from%the%possibility%of%
commodification%%
○
•
The"case"against"perfection
Some%see%genetic%engineering%as%an%extension%of%cosmetic%surgery%with%more%
influential%implications%on%society
•
Modern%philosophers%shy%away%form%questions%with%theological%implications%4%
examples%show%how%these%questions%are%unavoidable:
Muscle%enhancement
○
Memory%enhancement
○
Growth-hormone%treatment
○
Reproductive%technologies%
○
•
Particular%enhancements%
Muscles:%therapies%developed%for%dystrophy%eventually%become%methods%of%
athletic%enhancement,%producing%an%unfair%advantage
•
Memory%-therapies%for%degenerative%conditions%such%as%Alzheimer's%could%
create%classes%of%smarter%humans with%advantages%over%others
•
Height%-enhancements%are%available%to%one%segment%of%the%population%that%can%
increase%its%competitive%advantage%versus%less%fortunate%people
•
Sex%selection%-some%parents%may%choose%to%abort%until%they%conceive%a%baby%
with%the%right%
Selective%gender%could%also%change%the%ratio%of%males%to%females in%
societies%
○
•
Is"google"making"us"stupid?
Internet%chipping%away%at%peoples%ability%to%concentrate and%contemplate
Many%report trouble%reading%traditional%literature,%books%or%long%articles
○
Recent%studies%indicate%there%is%a%shift%in%the%way%people%read%and%think
(University%College%London)
○
•
Reading"
Reading%might%be%more%prolific%for%some%with%wider%internet%use%today%relative%
to%television%of%past%years,%but%the%manner%of%reading%is%different
Not%inherent%but%learned skill%of%humans
○
Shift%in%reading%style%comparable%to%differences%in%mental%circuitry%
between%alphabetic%(indo%European,%Semitic)%and%ideogrammic%languages%
(for%eastern)
○
•
Intellectual"technologies"
Innovations%that%change%the%way%we%think•
New%ways%of%thinking%can%produce%new%ideas
Writings%effect%on%memory%according%to%Socrates
○
Algorithmic%working%practices%-Taylorism-practice%of%scientific%
management%
○
Solving%unprecedented%problems -googles%approach%
○
•
Corporate"censorship"
Corporations find%themselves%needing%to%agree%to%government%regulation%in%
order%to%pursue%profits,%leaving%them%open%to%ethical%gaffes%(apple's%voluntary%
censorship%entering%the%Chinese%market)%
•
Net%neutrality demands%that%governments,%internet%providers,%and%companies%
do%not%restrict%products%or%use%of%their%program%based%on%political%or%social%
views%
•
Apple,%t%mobile,%at&t%have%been%accused%of%political%censorship.%Others%like%
comcast%to%extort%certain%consumers%based%on%those%consumers%internet%usage%
•
Some%advocate%government%regulation%to%enforce%net%neutrality
New%technologies%like%the%internet%start%off%revolutionary,%but%are%
eventually%coopted%by%monopolists
Tim%Wu,%Law%Professor%at%NYU
§
○
•
Internet%Freedom%
Some%see%net%neutrality%as%a%prerequisite%of%internet%freedom•
Opponents%of%internet%freedom%say%it%violates%the%private%rights%of%companies%to%
make%their%own%judgments%about%what%to%allow%on%its%programs,%networks%and%
technologies
•
Issues%of%monopolistic%practices%by%consumers%not%addressed%by%US%legislation•
European"parliament"and"European"commission have%declared%companies%may%
interfere%with%traffic%they%should%provide%self%regulation%
Some%companies%have%come%to%mutual"agreements on%standards%of%free%
traffic%and%limiting%blocking%of%certain%sites%or%applications%
○
•
Areas%of%non-neutrality
Mobile%phone%carriers%and%their%networks
Alternative%approach%has%been%the%monetization%of%unlimited%internet%
access%
○
•
Developing%world,%particularly%non-democratic%countries•
Companies'%own%ethical%and%content%standards%even%in%democratic%countries
Censorship%of%erotica,%racism,%other%offensive%content
○
•
The%social%construction%of%the%internet%
Technical%code%-the%values%and%assumptions%that%become%manifest%in%
technologies%design
Technical%code%perspective%correlates%technical%properties%with%values%
that%facilitate%them%
○
This%perspective%highlights%shifts%in%social%values%during%periods%of%rapid%
technological%change
○
The%perspectives%can%also%reveal%values%that%were%not%influential and%thus%
tech%developments%that%could%have,%but%were%not,%implemented%
○
•
Limits
Openness%has%been%curtailed%in%cases%of%prolific%criminal%activity%-child%
pornography,%and%copyright%infringement%(file%sharing)%resulting%in%child%
protective%legislation%and%the%digital%millennium%copyright%act -dmca%
•
Global%reach%makes%values%conflicts%inevitable%-openness%vs.%control%of%info%in%
certain%countries%
•
Potential%
Potential%pitfalls%include%the%re-appropriation%of%tools%supporting%internet's%
democratic%nature%for%purposes%of%its%centralization
•
Potential%positives%include%enhanced%organization%and%mobilization%for%
charitable,%social,%and%political%causes%
•
Collaborative%group%intelligence% has%been%enhanced%by%the%internet%•
Lecture'10'
Monday,%April%23,%2018 6:55%PM
Document Summary
For the promise of an alternative energy source to be achieved, it must be supplied in the time frame needed, in the volume needed, and at a reasonable cost. Technologies that are proved feasible on the benchtop today will likely have little impact until the 2030s. While alternative energy forms may provide the same energy services as another form, they rarely substitute directly, and these additional material costs need to be considered. Can greatly increased demand for resources be accommodated. It remains doubtful that intermittent energy forms such as solar and wind power can provide a majority of our future energy needs. The more dense an energy form is, the less land is needed for it deployment. Because many alternative energies are far less energy dense than fossil fuels, large-scale deployment will incur considerable land costs. A number of alternative energy sources, primarily biomass-based energy, are large water consumers critically dependent on a dependable water supply.
