Moral implications of perfect health

[CultOfByron]

Hello everyone, this is my first post here... please don't all applaud at once! ;)

Just thought I'd kick things off with something a friend at work and I were talking about a couple of days ago.

We got talking about doctors and sports personalities, and how contemporary society 'values' the latter over the former, which led to us talking about disease. I then piped in with this little gem: If all diseases are cured (hypothetically) then the world would be in great danger of becoming overpopulated, if indeed that is not already the case. This, to me, seems like an interesting moral dilemma. However, when my friend spoke to someone about this later, they reacted in a very surprising way; basically comparing my friend to Hitler... :s

Now this leads me to another question: Is it possible to carry out rational philosophical debates in mainstream society, ie; the media, schools, social groups? If not, then I wonder why not...

Also, has anyone else experienced hostile responses to this kind of issue being raised...?

[Diebert van Rhijn]

If humanity could cure all its diseases they'd surely have the capacity to cure their own breeding spree? So many diseases are behavioral or cultural, philosophical in essence anyway, and only manifest in our bodies as ultimate consequence. Overpopulation is one example.

By the way, most breeding finds place under the worst circumstances, this is Nature's way of preservation. Higher standards of living, individualization and modern medi-care will decrease, slowly, the cultural (genetic?) demands of having such large families, or having families at all. But this change is a slow process and the forces of blind conservatism and its system of ethics, often steeped in religion, especially in developing countries will cause the rise to continue for a while.

[CultOfByron]

I was thinking along the lines of a blind pharmacuetical (sp?) determinism whereby a thing is done for a percieved good (ie on an individual level the alleviation of illness) results in a social ill (ie overpopulation), however hopefully if the ability to cure *everything* ever falls into our grasp, it'll coincide with a period of deeper understanding of the responsibilities to future generations.

I like your invocation of the "forces of blind conservatism and its system of ethics, often steeped in religion" as, arguably, one of the causes of overpopulation. I am sure I read somewhere (:roll:) that birth rates in developed countries were actually DEcreasing, I'd be very keen to find any statistics that'd back this up or disprove it...?

[Diebert van Rhijn]

I was thinking along the lines of a blind pharmacuetical (sp?) determinism whereby a thing is done for a percieved good

All technological 'improvements' bring consequences that have the potential of death and destruction. Combustion engines seemed like a splendid way of transportation but pollution and traffic accidents were not talked about. If we had those statistics at the beginning, the engines would have been banned! Or at least in Sweden. Now of course, we're stuck with them and have to come up with a solution for the down sides of combustion.

I like your invocation of the "forces of blind conservatism and its system of ethics, often steeped in religion" as, arguably, one of the causes of overpopulation. I am sure I read somewhere (:roll:) that birth rates in developed countries were actually DEcreasing, I'd be very keen to find any statistics that'd back this up or disprove it...?

Some information and a graph can be found at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Population_growth

Birth/death rate is slightly negative in many developed countries but combined with immigration often results to close to zero population growth. Out of the top of my head Japan has currently gone into a negative.

[HUNTEDvsINVIS]

I heard you can make fuel from corn ( biofuel ). Ok so maybe that was old news but I only heard about it the other day. I was very excited. Although this means more fuel and less actual food to actually eat? Anyway, governments should pay people to have less kids and encourage propaganda that says you should not have more than 3 kids. Ok so people say I am a fascist freak because I say this, but come on! It's logic. And yes, Europe birth rate declining the lifestyles are too fast and demanding and expensive ( capitalism: who wants a sceaming baby when you can wear screaming diamond ear rings etc. ). People live more for themselves now, the heritage of "freedom".

[ChochemV2]

Overpopulation is invoked too frequently. We have the capability of supporting human growth for a while now and as technology improves so does our ability to support an ever growing population. Supposing we do hit a ceiling humanity will a.) Fine equilibrium naturally b.) Resort to violent means of population control c.) Institute legislative methods of population control d.) Develop areas which haven't been developed such as the ocean or space.

Whenever you make a comparison like: "If we do A won't it cause overpopulation?" most people will react as if you were suggesting we let people die because of one possible future. I find it helpful to never utter the word "overpopulation" because so many people are programmed to react negatively to it and the second you say it real debate disappears and you are suddenly "Hitleresque".