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#2
07-30-2006, 01:28 PM
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Re: A Leading Question Someone Gave Me
There are ~50,000 traffic deaths each year in the U.S. alone, but the benefits of automotive transportation far outweigh even these very high human costs. Otherwise, people would not choose to continue driving.
The high-speed transport to Europe would be successful only if it provided benefits enough to outweigh the risk. If the 100,000 number represents half of the people who use the transport, there wouldn't be much of a market for it, but if there were 100,000,000 who used it every year... you get the idea. 
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#3
07-30-2006, 02:33 PM
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Re: A Leading Question Someone Gave Me
[ QUOTE ]
So, I thought it was at least interesting and was curious to hear some others thoughts. #1. If you could design transportation to get from America to Europe in 1 hour although it would cost 100,000 lives a year to do so, would you do it? #2. Was it right to mass produce the automobile? [/ QUOTE ] #1 depends on who gets killed. If it is innocents that have no choice in the use of your technology, then no. If it is people who know the risks and decide to take them anyway, then let people decide for themselves.
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#4
07-30-2006, 04:15 PM
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Re: A Leading Question Someone Gave Me
Imagine you're the governor of Massachusetts in 1776. If you want to take a ride to New York, it'll take you a week to get there.
The Devil pops up, and offers you a deal. "How would you like horseless carriages, with comfortable seats and shock absorbers, that can get you there in a couple of hours? These carriages can take you 70 miles in one hour, on a paved road. I'll pave all the roads for you." Since it's the Devil, you're smart enough to ask, "What's the catch?" "Well, if there's an accident at that speed, it's most likely that everyone in the carriage, or hit by the carriage, will be killed." "How likely is an accident?" "Well, if the road is wet, a good driver might lose control and hit a tree, or an on-coming carriage. But most drivers won't be good drivers. A lot of these things will be piloted by drunks and idiots." "ON-COMING??? Can't you put a barrier in the middle of the road, to prevent head-on collisions." "How 'bout a yellow line, instead?" "Is that a joke?" "No." "But there are barriers to protect pedestrians from these contraptions, right? Right?" "No, they walk along the side of the road, inches from the passing cars." "You're nuts, Satan. I'll stick with the horse and buggy."
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#5
07-30-2006, 06:00 PM
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Re: A Leading Question Someone Gave Me
[ QUOTE ]
Imagine you're the governor of Massachusetts in 1776. If you want to take a ride to New York, it'll take you a week to get there. The Devil pops up, and offers you a deal. "How would you like horseless carriages, with comfortable seats and shock absorbers, that can get you there in a couple of hours? These carriages can take you 70 miles in one hour, on a paved road. I'll pave all the roads for you." Since it's the Devil, you're smart enough to ask, "What's the catch?" "Well, if there's an accident at that speed, it's most likely that everyone in the carriage, or hit by the carriage, will be killed." "How likely is an accident?" "Well, if the road is wet, a good driver might lose control and hit a tree, or an on-coming carriage. But most drivers won't be good drivers. A lot of these things will be piloted by drunks and idiots." "ON-COMING??? Can't you put a barrier in the middle of the road, to prevent head-on collisions." "How 'bout a yellow line, instead?" "Is that a joke?" "No." "But there are barriers to protect pedestrians from these contraptions, right? Right?" "No, they walk along the side of the road, inches from the passing cars." "You're nuts, Satan. I'll stick with the horse and buggy." [/ QUOTE ] The original horseless carriages didn't go 70 mph. The technology evolved, as it always does. As did safety features, both in the cars and on the highways.
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#6
07-30-2006, 04:18 PM
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Re: A Leading Question Someone Gave Me
[ QUOTE ]
#1. If you could design transportation to get from America to Europe in 1 hour although it would cost 100,000 lives a year to do so, would you do it? #2. Was it right to mass produce the automobile? [/ QUOTE ] The two questions are not comparable. We all need to get to work, and to get our groceries home. We don't need to get to Europe.
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#7
07-30-2006, 04:19 PM
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Re: A Leading Question Someone Gave Me
[ QUOTE ]
We all need to get to work, and to get our groceries home. [/ QUOTE ] Im pretty sure we got by as a species for a few million years before the car came along
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#8
07-30-2006, 04:30 PM
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Re: A Leading Question Someone Gave Me
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ] We all need to get to work, and to get our groceries home. [/ QUOTE ] Im pretty sure we got by as a species for a few million years before the car came along [/ QUOTE ] But not at anywhere near the comfort or technical levels of today. We also got a long without penicillian.
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#9
07-30-2006, 04:33 PM
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Re: A Leading Question Someone Gave Me
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] We all need to get to work, and to get our groceries home. [/ QUOTE ] Im pretty sure we got by as a species for a few million years before the car came along [/ QUOTE ] But not at anywhere near the comfort or technical levels of today. We also got a long without penicillian. [/ QUOTE ] OK.. but you dont think being able to commute anywhere in the world in < 2 hours might have some really significant gains as well? (that was my point)
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Hybrid Mode
