Pros and Cons

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Our world is now under the threat of over-population
For	Against
human population has passed the numerical point where all can live in comfort the growth of population will soon exceed food production in the future over-population threatens the ecology of the planet through over-use of resources	the world still has a huge area with few or no people only some countries are threatened by over-population, not all of the world

the world still has a huge area with few or no people
For	Against
	the wilderness is unsuitable for humans to live in

the wilderness is unsuitable for humans to live in
For	Against
	global warming will make the taiga and tundra more suitable for habitation

global warming will make the taiga and tundra more suitable for habitation
For	Against
	global warming will make the deserts grow, so there will be less inhabitable land

global warming will make the deserts grow, so there will be less inhabitable land
For	Against
	there is more taiga and tundra than desert, so overall global warming will make more land available for living

human population has passed the numerical point where all can live in comfort
For	Against
the earth may support 6 billion people, but only on the condition that many live in misery increasing terrorist attacks signify instability, suggesting that the world is too over-populated for peaceful living children and infants in developing countries were dying at the rate of about 11 million per annum from strictly preventable causes about 850 million people are malnourished or starving 1.1 billion people do not have access to safe drinking water	worldwide poverty is declining

the earth may support 6 billion people, but only on the condition that many live in misery
For	Against
	technology increases the carrying capacity of the land

technology increases the carrying capacity of the land
For	Against
	technology does not increase the carrying capacity of the land enough

increasing terrorist attacks signify instability, suggesting that the world is too over-populated for peaceful living
For	Against
world's food production has peaked in some of the very regions where food is needed the most	the percentage of the world population killed in war is going down

world's food production has peaked in some of the very regions where food is needed the most
For	Against
about half of the land in South Asia is too degraded for food production anymore there has been a 27% irrecoverable loss of arable land in China, and such loss will continue at the rate of 2,500 sq. km per yea

worldwide poverty is declining
For	Against
The percentage of the world's population living on less than $1 per day has halved in twenty years

the growth of population will soon exceed food production in the future
For	Against
human population is a naturally explosive independent variable food production is declining future shortages in fossil fuels, which is currently used for fertilizer and transportation for modern agriculture, is likely to population grows in an exponential rate, while resources tend to grow linearly	problem of starvation can be solved through a change of human diet Hardin was writing over a decade ago, but the situation is no worse now food production can be efficiently increased through the advancement of technology and management Population growth is slowing down or even experiencing a setback food production has grown faster than population on a global scale

human population is a naturally explosive independent variable
For	Against
every time food production is intensified to feed a growing population, the population responds by increasing even more human population varies as other animals do in accordance with the resources available, i.e. it grows in time of abundance, and

every time food production is intensified to feed a growing population, the population responds by increasing even more
For	Against
populations of hunters fluctuate according to the amount of available food and are much smaller than those who practice agriculture example: population growth began with the Neolithic Revolution, followed by subsequent agricultural revolutions

human population varies as other animals do in accordance with the resources available, i.e. it grows in time of abundance, and
For	Against
	birth rates are lowest in a developed country, which also has the highest access to food

problem of starvation can be solved through a change of human diet
For	Against
food availability would increase if protein sources like soybeans are more widely consumed than meat is being a vegetarian is good for your health meat production reduces crop production as farm animals now take up 70% of all agricultural land, and eat one third of the world’s grain	this idea is totally unrealistic

food availability would increase if protein sources like soybeans are more widely consumed than meat is
For	Against
meat production is less efficient than plant production humans would then be eating lower on the food chain meat production is very energy inefficient

meat production is very energy inefficient
For	Against
	meat producers cut energy consumption as much as possible to cut production costs

this idea is totally unrealistic
For	Against
this would require enough people giving up meat for soy and other plant based protein

this would require enough people giving up meat for soy and other plant based protein
For	Against
	it would only require people to reduce their intake of meat, not give it up altogether

food production can be efficiently increased through the advancement of technology and management
For	Against
with new technologies, it is now possible to grow crops on some non-arable land under certain conditions Hydroponics in autonomous building gardens and greenhouses grow more food in less space

with new technologies, it is now possible to grow crops on some non-arable land under certain conditions
For	Against
aquaculture could theoretically dramatically increase available area

Hydroponics in autonomous building gardens and greenhouses grow more food in less space
For	Against
Hydroponics and food from bacteria and fungi allow the growing of food without having to consider land quality and weather

Population growth is slowing down or even experiencing a setback
For	Against
Birth-control is more popular and efficient nowadays

Birth-control is more popular and efficient nowadays
For	Against
about half the world today lives in nations with sub-replacement fertility the "baby boom" of the 1950s was an aberration unlikely to be repeated

the "baby boom" of the 1950s was an aberration unlikely to be repeated
For	Against
population decline in an urbanized society is by nature hard to prevent

population decline in an urbanized society is by nature hard to prevent
For	Against
sizes of family and the standard of living, life expectancy go in different direction

sizes of family and the standard of living, life expectancy go in different direction
For	Against
societies experience demographic transition once urbanization has been accomplished to a certain point

societies experience demographic transition once urbanization has been accomplished to a certain point
For	Against
in wealthy societies, people prefer later ages for marriage

in wealthy societies, people prefer later ages for marriage
For	Against
many women have a growing desire in advanced societies to seek careers outside of child rearing and domestic work individuals want to enjoy more freedom in more advanced societies decreased need of children in industrialized settings

decreased need of children in industrialized settings
For	Against
children are an economic liability in wealthy countries

children are an economic liability in wealthy countries
For	Against
children perform a great deal of work in small-scale agricultural societies, and work less in industrial ones

children perform a great deal of work in small-scale agricultural societies, and work less in industrial ones
For	Against
	the work of children in industrialised countries after they finish education is more valuable

food production is declining
For	Against
less arable land becomes available	food production per person increased from 1961 to 2004 improved agricultural techniques make the remaining land more productive

less arable land becomes available
For	Against
desertification makes less land arable for farming global warming makes less land suitable for agriculture

global warming makes less land suitable for agriculture
For	Against
	land previously too cold for agriculture may now become productive

future shortages in fossil fuels, which is currently used for fertilizer and transportation for modern agriculture, is likely to
For	Against
	there will be enough fossil fuels until suitable replacement technologies have been developed

there will be enough fossil fuels until suitable replacement technologies have been developed
For	Against
for example, hydrogen, hydro-electricity

population grows in an exponential rate, while resources tend to grow linearly
For	Against
the growth of population constitutes a geometric progression	population also falls at an exponential rate when population change is below the replacement rate The historical US population growth was more linear than exponential

the growth of population constitutes a geometric progression
For	Against
"the power of population is indefinitely greater than the power in the earth to produce subsistence for man"

"the power of population is indefinitely greater than the power in the earth to produce subsistence for man"
For	Against
Malthus's second postulatum: + the passion between two sexes is necessary Malthus's first postulatum: food is necessary to mankind

food production has grown faster than population on a global scale
For	Against
	the sustainability of population growth is temporary, it will finally lead to a decrease in the carrying capacity of the earth

the sustainability of population growth is temporary, it will finally lead to a decrease in the carrying capacity of the earth
For	Against
there are enormous changes impacting earth's ability to function as a suitable habitat for human beings

only some countries are threatened by over-population, not all of the world
For	Against
	over-population is a global issue

over-population is a global issue
For	Against
over-population causes global warming, and is therefore a global issue

over-population causes global warming, and is therefore a global issue
For	Against
	global warming is caused by a minority of polluters, who do not live in the over-populated countries

over-population threatens the ecology of the planet through over-use of resources
For	Against
	Claiming that population growth is largely responsible for the ecological crisis means blaming the poor for the excesses of the rich