Introduction
Acts of horror are reported almost on a daily basis in the media. As we go through such reports, we console ourselves that these acts of violence are outcomes of abnormal perturbed minds. However, the same intelligent minds have been busy working on a survival, especially on Boeing 747s and 707s for the specific civil and military leadership. These devices are fixed in specified command centers to rescue a given number of people in case of a World War III. Such practices denote the fallen pessimism on human prospects. According to Prospect Team (2015), human refers to the animal that asks questions. This definition suggests that human beings display biological and behavioral features similar to the initial species, Homo sapiens. Behaviorally, human beings have a complicated culture, abstract thought, and capability to assist in daily lifestyle. Prospect refers to the possibility of success. Therefore, human prospect is a term that refers to the possibility of success of human beings. In defining the human prospect, the study will draw from the philosophical and scientific perspectives and find out whether there is hope for a man. Previously, such a question would have resulted to man’s salvation. In the present period however, the question arouses doubt on the issues of life and death due to the limited ability to understand the future. The objective of the study is to find out whether the future of human beings is better or whether it will be a continuation of darkness, cruelty, and deterioration of things.
Movie: Soylent Green
Soylent Green is an American science fiction thriller, which was produced in 1973 and directed by Richard Fleischer (Staffors, 1973). The movie revolves around the investigation conducted on the murder of an opulent businessperson who suffered from pollution, overpopulation, depleted resources, drying oceans and poverty. Due to the greenhouse effects among other causes, no natural food is produced and people rely on processed rations and Soylent Green.
Due to increased industrialization, people are made to live in homeless places, while the fortunate ones have jobs that can sustain them. Homeless people thrive on the streets, with majority of them being unemployed. Food and working technology is a rare commodity as the majority of the population survives on soylent food. The wealthy populations such as Simonson are the only people who can access natural foods. Due to revealed truth of the main material used in the production of soylent, all witnesses are killed. Initially, the food is made of ocean debris. However, when the oceans run dry, the companies resort to making these products from human remains. Therefore, due to limited resources, ethical standards of the people are compromised to the extent of humans eating their fellow human beings. On discovering the truth, the detective, Thorn, resorts to commit suicide. It is of great concern that government clinic at the time would willingly assist people in suicide, which is unethical.
As a police analyst, Sol may be a character whose name is derived from ‘Solomon’ to imply the wise one. Therefore, Sol represents wisdom, ethical values, power, and hope. Being a police analyst, he could uncover mysteries and reveal truths. When Thorn decides to commit suicide, he entrusts Sol with the truth and implores him to reveal the truth (Shirley, 2007). By this move, Sol is shown to be trustworthy.
The idea of eating humans by humans in our culture is highly unacceptable. This is because it violates human dignity, since human life is highly esteemed. Therefore, killing and eating human beings is the highest form of deviant behavior in the society. According to most of the human cultures, even the dead have to be respected and their happiness and peace valued. Eating a dead human being is a breach of the societal values. Devaluing of human life potentially generates negative long-term consequences. Cannibalism is a violation against implicit trust among human beings and therefore it is wrong.
Soylent Green was a necessity in the movie. Due to industrialization, natural resources were depleted whereas human beings demanded food for sustenance. Only the opulent managed to enjoy natural foods such as fruits in that society. This greatly contrasts the majority poor who had no room to call a home. As a product from the ocean, soylent green had the best of the nutrients that would sustain human beings for the longest time. The presence of the food, soylent green was a source of hope to the human species in the movie. In this regard, when the ocean ran dry, the company had to examine a substitute material for the sustenance of the living human beings.
Religious and Philosophical Values
It is speculative how human beings reached the point of hopelessness. Once humans were full of hopeful struggle, now the same beings struggle to ruin the universe. Saxton (2011) notes that what makes humans the rulers of the Earth, makes them the destructors of the same. Another cause of these developments in the recent past is the failure of the present middle-aged generation to pass the morals and values to their children. This has resulted to the high increase of drug abuse, extreme cases of sexual violence and defiant mode of dress.
In defining the purposefulness of human life, Aristotle defines human being as a rational animal (Pine, 2004). Similar to animals, humans have developed elements of defense with cognitive ability. These developments have compelled human beings to unlock exciting mechanisms of defending oneself, individual territory, and clan. It is, however, puzzling why man would go to the extent of producing explosive devices that would terminate the very existence of human species. If such philosophers as Aristotle could perceive these developments, they would have declared immediately the end of human species. Therefore, in light of the nuclear products from the world superpowers and, increased policy of defensive aggression, coupled with developments in technology, it can be said conclusively that human prospect is skeptical.
Hoffman (2012) mentions that the laws in religion, more so the monotheistic traditions, are highly significant in the present ethical thoughts. These rules assist us in understanding the evolution of ethical thoughts from the simplified assent to the complicated societies. Our ancestors believed in the gods to answer some of the mysteries. However, the present man is more of a maker and an inventor whereas the gods remain symbols of human strength and power. Religion in the past was, therefore, useful in defining human beings and the creation of human values. Presently, scientific study of religion is useful in tracing the progress of social and moral intelligence. It is additionally useful in enabling humanity to chart the way forward by prompting where humanity has been.
As a major index, religion defines moral intelligence since humanity is finite and ever in danger of losing our bearings by the temptation of presentism. However, history cautions on the risks of presentism and requires humanity to seek better answers to moral challenges. For this reason, human prospect develops the future with the souvenirs of religious past as components of moral intelligence. Religion therefore cautions humanity to impede the selfish prayers to the gods for humanity to live. This defines our present position, the moral outcomes of this awakening in humanity.
Scientific and Philosophical Perspectives
Philosophically, human beings are a paradox to evolution (Ehrlich, 2002). They are the glory and shame, the greatest and the worst mistake of the universe. Expansion of technology has led to the understanding of the atom and thus the production of the most destructive nuclear devices for the World War III, while some humans are busy planning for preservation of the human species in the event of World War IV. These drastic steps are contradicting the present changes where the danger of nuclear has lessened and the world is becoming a better place. Through human efforts, I am certain that our lives can improve for the better. This is because the same advancements can be applied positively to derive more scientists in varied fields such as in astronomy. This can be made possible by the adoption of the larger outlook of the scientific culture to create a purpose. Through scientific research, humans can be compelled to remain intimate to the world, discuss out myths, and develop better ways of embracing the existing world. Science is, therefore, one of the best given domains as it humbles us, preserves our childlike wonder and respect for the universe.
Population
Population refers to all of the individuals of a single species in a given habitat at a time, whereas population density refers to the number of people that reside in a defined area at the same time (Bostron, 2009). According to UN (2017), at least 80 million of people were added to the world population in 1980. There has been an increasing trend of growing population, which raises concern over the amount of natural resources needed to sustain the population. The main contributors have been enhanced policies on education, health, nutrition, and income. The gap between the population increase and the resources is more concentrated in the low-income countries, poor households and in the ecologically disadvantaged areas. This has led to the concern of the human prospect because high populations’ demands increase, while natural resources are becoming depleted at a high rate.
It is likely that increased population in future will result to environmental threats, which will cripple human progress. It is likely that in the future the brightness of the sun will increase and result to reduced hydrogen and evaporation of the oceans. This will lead to limited forms of life on earth. Furthermore, carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is likely to reduce to the extent of destroying the basis of food chains. Presently, there are environmental policies that seek to guide human beings on the desirable activities to participate in reduction of environmental degradation. These policies are not adhered to, however. Case in point, the stated carbon emission guide for every country has not yet been implemented in most of the European nations. This implies that in future, substances such as greenhouse gases will be on the increase and thus more environmental challenges. These will further affect the ability of the environment to produce natural resources that can sustain the environment. The result will be national policies that will seek to control the number of births, thus population in every country. Besides this, human activities are more likely to result to more health complications such as respiratory acidosis and physically and mentally incapacitate human survival and reproduction. Therefore, if the present human lifestyle continues in the near future, human prospect is likely to be affected negatively in the long term.
Energy
Energy is essential for the sustainability of the environment and living things. A lot has been done to reverse the inclination of environmental degradation all over the world (Orr, 2003). This has been in a bid to reduce wastage of resources and protect the available resources for production of energy. Laws have been passed, habitats and species have been protected, and energy conservation has been developed. The major source of energy, fossil fuels have been depleted at a high rate. These developments have been geared towards sustainable energy transition. However, a lot needs to be done to sustain the remaining sources of energy. Projects are now focused on producing renewable energies that can sustain humanity and the environment. This is however, a challenge that the present generation needs to face since production of such energy is costly, as it requires additional knowledge and expertise that is missing in some of the regions in the world. The move is great, since it is expected to reduce global warming, which has profoundly affected the sources of energy on planet Earth. The major solution towards energy conservation for sustenance of humanity is continuous education and the awareness that all people should act towards reducing carbon emission among the greenhouse gases. Through this approach, success of humanity is likely to be experienced.
Human Prospects and Biodiversity
Previous scholars have raised several arguments with regard to the different approaches that can be adopted for a positive relationship between enhanced human prosperity and biodiversity. For instance, when there is no radical change in human behavior, individuals can expect to have positive changes in biodiversity as well as ecosystem services in the three decades moving onwards. By 2050, in search of human prospects, scientists predict on the occurrence of species extinctions. The current vast blocks of forests will drop and fragmented, thought the temperate and tropical forests will stabilize an increase in some areas as well. There will be a change in marine ecosystems, with a severe reduction in some marine predators. Below is a detailed relationship between the two:
Nutritional Prospects and Social Structure
According to Perry & Primrose (2015), late industrial societies, among them, including the 19th and 21st century societies, are characterized with technological advancements, increased computer usage among other information technologies (IT). In order to realize food security, advanced technologies have been adopted in the agricultural sector with the goal of increasing production efficiency, and entails the use of specialized farm equipment and highly productive fertilizers. Other means adopted in the same include the use of appropriate methods for controlling weeds and scientific crop breeding. Individuals have gone as far as using technology to construct dams among other complex irrigation systems to support agricultural production.
According to Vihervaara, Rönkä & Walls (2010), with an aim of improving human prosperity and improved living conditions, the 21st century industrial society has been characterized by the abundant use of electricity among other forms of energy, all indicating high levels of resource consumption. The increased spread of wealth and other resources for success have led to improved education rates with the establishment of governments that respect democracy and people’s rights. However, the increased spread of wealth and resources among other consumerism requires vast amounts of natural resources, which in turn has adverse effects on both natural systems and wildlife.
In other societies like Israel and other Middle East nations, agricultural activities have proven to be more efficient, alongside an increase in human population. However, the pattern has been changing in the current century, with regions like Western Europe and Japan recording very low birth rates. This implies that these nations will have to increase immigration or less start to shrink in size. Other nations like the United States (US) have embarked on such measures that will see them having a stabilized population, and as a result improving their per capita income and quality of life among their citizens.
However, nations reporting low birth rates are exposed to increased environmental impacts, resulting from high levels of immigration and subsequent consumption of resources at an advanced rate. It is therefore important for the human population to stabilize across the world, alongside reduced per capita consumption of the available natural resources. This is the only effective way of ensuring that the wildlife survives, natural places are preserved, and eventually a continued prosperity of human beings around the globe.
The voluntary reduction in the previously evident birthrates is basically attributed to human prospects. Among the factors behind human prospects, leading to the reduced birthrates is the increased demand for education by women in the society. Increased women education has provided the members of this gender with a lot of opportunities for coming up with reproductive choices by adopting reliable methods in controlling birth. Furthermore, the degree of socialization in the current century demands many years of schooling, hence devaluing labor of children. During the agrarian society, labor of children was highly valued, with the same diminishing in the late industrial society.
One of the strategies considered to be facilitating human prosperity is reduced child rearing, since it reduces one’s economic costs. Together with the urge for education and inclusion of women in the work force, reduced child rearing has significantly contributed to the reduced birth rates. Women’s education is further a more effective way of ensuring economic security, with a subsequent human prosperity. Further implications have been realized through reduced infant mortality, since parents are able to provide their best for the smaller family size.
Belief towards Biodiversity
According to Rao et al (2013), in order to ensure human prosperity, individuals have utilized technology and the prevailing capitalist market economy in establishing an environment that will maintain human populations. Individuals feed themselves and manage to gather further resources by engaging in economic activities. During the agrarian society, drought is one of the natural calamities that may pose individuals to fear and frustrations when thinking of their survival. This is contrary to the modern society where people are scared of recession, and other geographical factors like weather addressed in a polite conversation. This is basically due to the fact that agricultural failures in a given region can be compensated with high levels of production in the other part of the hemisphere.
With this kind of disjuncture coming in between human beings and natural worlds, individuals have developed different worldviews towards nature. The first view is the notion that both nature and wildlife are resources meant for exploitation in the market-based system (Khan, 2014). The second view is that there are those considering nature to be irrelevant to them, hence the reason for being less concerned with it. Individuals have therefore embarked on establishing human-altered environments as well as material abundance so as to make the dream of human prosperity a reality through a comfortable urban life. This has further led to loss of contact between human beings and wildlife, natural ecosystem and biodiversity as a whole.
However, the overreliance on the social and economic system, which has proved to be complex, is based on how integral the natural ecosystems are. This fact has paved way for a third view with regard to nature, which is valuing both ecosystem and wildlife, so as to create economic significance from the same. Some of the modern environmental movements have been motivated by the need to have a prosperous human life, through a better health. The pioneers and founder of these movements had been taken note of the fact that better health can be realized through preservation of wild region both for their aesthetic and recreational reasons.
Some of the policies motivated for a better human health have pioneered the rise of different agencies, with some taking part in pollutant regulation. Considerable progress has been realized with respect to protecting wilderness and biodiversity in general, although there are a lot yet to be done to see the future generations accessing similar natural heritage enjoyed in the 21s century. The increased urge for human towards ensuring a prosperous life has resulted in alteration of the natural world with the subsequent view that biodiversity can be destroyed and not destroying human beings.
Conclusion
Human beings have been known to have the most complicated culture and abstract thoughts. Using philosophical, religious, social, and scientific perspectives, the study confirms that there is hope for man on the issues of life on this planet. The study offered applicable strategies that if applied human beings will no longer live on a planet marked by continuation of darkness, cruelty, and deterioration of things. There is a possibility of humanity to remain successful. This proof negates the fact that human extinction may take place through human causes and not through natural causes.
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