Technological Optimists Flashcards
Who were the technological optimists
Esther Boserup - 1965
Julian Simon - 1981
What did Boserup Believe
An increase in population will stimulate changes in Agricultural production
What was Boserup’s famous saying
Necessity is the mother of invention
Boserups theory
The population increases - demand for food increases - technology will find a solution - more resources can be exploited
Example of Boserup’s theory
21st Century: Genetic Modification of plants and animals
What did Simon believe
Humans are the ultimate resource
Increasing wealth and technology make more resources available
What did Simon say about fracking
The gas had always been there, but only recently it became economically viable
What does Simon say about technology
He believes it hasn’t harmed the environment
Average price of oil
In 2017 the price of oil was the average price since 1943 ($43/barrel)
