The shadow of the world's future, or The earth's population possibilities & the consequences of the present rate of increase of the earth's inhabitants

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Monograph

Identifikator:: 1775636852

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-164018

Document type:: Monograph

Author:: Knibbs, George Handley http://d-nb.info/gnd/1045010944

Title:: The shadow of the world's future, or The earth's population possibilities & the consequences of the present rate of increase of the earth's inhabitants

Place of publication:: London

Publisher:: Ernest Benn Limited

Year of publication:: (1928)

Scope:: 131 Seiten

Digitisation:: 2021

Collection:: Economics Books

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Document type:: Monograph

Structure type:: Chapter

Title:: Chapter I. The Outlook

Collection:: Economics Books

14 ‘THE SHADOW OF THE WORLD'S FUTURE or not, except as they directly affect his food-supply. That we are partly dependent thereon is of course self-evident. But we are only beginning to study the physical conditions of our earth. It is already felt that the future of climatology is subject to a better knowledge of the energies which reach us from space. As regards the psychical factors which play their part in Man’s increase, it is perhaps fairly correct to assume that his ¢mtrimsic character to-day is not sensibly different from what it was, say, 10,000 years ago. Particular manifestations of human nature vary, but so far as history throws any light upon the subject, it does not appear that man’s real character has changed materially. = Whether the procreative urge is un- changing or not, we cannot say. The complex interests of modern life may perhaps affect it. A study of Man’s relatively rapid numerical growth recently shows that it is doubtless due to his acces- sions of knowledge, particularly those occurring during the nineteenth century. The earth is richer than he knew; his power to do what he desires is greater. He has learnt that quite recondite ideas are of practical value. Applied to the field of what he has discovered in regard to Nature, it has taught him that she is niggardly, often simply because he is ignorant. As a fact his increased knowledge has enabled him to exploit more successfully his complex environment. Much of what he formerly regarded as waste turns out to be of considerable value. Already this has borne fruit in enabling him to live a richer life; and a greater number can enjoy this life than ever before. The accumulations of knowledge are potentially stores of material wealth. We do not of course know the limit of this development. Naturally Man’s faith in the possibilities of his earth have become vastly greater, and the more sanguine spirits among those versed in

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