IS THERE INTELLIGENT LIFE ON EARTH? 279 



foremost, population control. Whatever else we may do can only be ameliorative 

 and temporary unless populations are stabilized as quickly as possible and 

 eventually reduced to levels preferably not much greater than those now 

 existing. If population levels are only gradually stabilized to about 10 billion 

 near the year 2050, as now seems likely, tough times lie ahead. 



The next most important thing after population control is resource and 

 ecosystem management — and, being a geologist, I think of resources as part of 

 the ecosystem. The crux of that problem, as I see it, is how to assure a 

 continuing supply of the basic raw materials to meet the demands of an 

 industrial society that must inevitably continue to grow for some time if the 

 now deprived are to be bettered and how to do so without irreparable damage to 

 the rest of the ecosystem" 



A third step that I find essential is to establish some system for the 

 continuing surveillance of all components of a thoroughly researched global 

 ecosystem. 



Among many specific recommendations I might make, I will stress here only 

 my conviction that the time has come for mankind to recognize two new 

 fundamental human rights. 



1. First is the right of the fetus not to be conceived or, if conceived, not to 

 be born into a world where its life is likely to be one of misery and privation or 

 where the welfare of its siblings is threatened, It is time we stopped viewing 

 children as objects to be propagated at the whim of parents who can at least 

 foresee the consequences of their actions and who should therefore have the 

 foresight to limit their reproduction to desired and supportable numbers. To 

 assure that parents are able to do so, society should take appropriate action to 

 assure that no woman will be forced to carry an unwanted child to term. Hardin 

 (1959) has labeled the abortion laws that still prevail over a large part of this 

 country as "compulsory pregnancy," and that seems to be an apt expression of 

 their intent. Those who worry about the right of a fetus to life should not lose 

 sight either of the quality of life that the fetus might enjoy or of the dubious 

 right of anything to live inside the body of another without that other's 

 permission. 



2. Second is the right of society as a whole, through democratic procedures, 

 to determine the size of population that best assures its healthy and stable 

 continuance. This is a very sticky and difficult problem to be sure, but it needs 

 to be discussed. There has, in fact, been much discussion of a variety of possibly 

 effective coercive measures from the view that such measures will eventually be 

 necessary. There is much, however, that can be done in noncoercive ways that 

 may eliminate or reduce the need to consider coercion. We can repeal the 

 antiabortion laws. We can legalize homosexuality. We can encourage forms of 

 fulfillment for women that do not involve marriage or childbearing. We can 

 rewrite first readers and children's stories to show more happy maiden aunts and 

 bachelors and fewer large families. These and many other subtle things can and 

 should be done to influence reproductive activity toward lower population sizes 



