Environmental Science 1 (BI131) - Finding Information on Positive or Neutral Aspects of Population Growth

Introduction

It is easy to find literature predicting evil consequences to rapid population growth, but much more difficult to find literature supporting the opposite conclusion. Here are some ways to find "pro" arguments on the topic. There is also a list of sources, based on the BI131 handout.

Julian Simon

The person most associated with the positive position on population growth is Julian L. Simon. In addition to books in the library catalog, there are articles by and about Simon in EBSCOhost (see below), a page of full-text articles and books by Julian Simon on the Internet at http://www.juliansimon.org/writings/.

Searching for periodical Articles:

The EBSCOhost database Academic Search Premier has many pertinent articles on population. There's more than one way to approach finding them. All methods will require you to do some sifting through the resulting list of citations to find the ones relevant to an optimistic assessment of population growth. Note: When you see "HTML full text" or "PDF full text" in the link beneath the article citation in EBSCOhost, you can view, print, download, or e-mail the article.

A keyword search for Julian Simon or Julian L. Simon will yield many articles discussing his theories and related ones.

Combining terms is another option for finding articles. You can combine terms such as those below on different lines of the search.

Key word	With key word:
Population	economic aspects, econometric models, environmental aspects
Demographic transition	none
Population forecasting	none
Population policy	demographic change

Picture of EBSCOhost advanced search screen

Whatever search strategy you choose, you will have to pick through the resulting list to find articles that support the "pro" position. Look for phrases like "defusing the populati on bomb," or "the more, the merrier," which suggest a less negative position; or look for words or phrases that suggest going against the general opinion, such as "misconceptions" or "reconsidered."

Here is an explanation of some words you may see in article titles:

Cairo: The United Nations' International Conference on Population and Development, 1994, held in Cairo, Egypt. There was also a followup conference to this original one held in July, 1999 in New York.
Cornucopian: A word used to describe the optimistic views of Julian Simon and others, chiefly by their detractors.
Demographic transition: A change from from high rates of birth and death to low ones, as societies become modern. Some demographers (population experts) believe this change will take place worldwide.
Malthusian: Pertaining to the theories of 18th-century economist Thomas Malthus, who believed that population will inevitably increase faster than food supplies, and that when this happens, starvation, war, and disease will kill off the suplus population.
Revisionist: See "Cornucopian."

Searching for books

Books may be found in the CCRLS library catalog. You may do a Subject search on Population, or you can use combinations of key words such as those shown above.

Resources For Population Debate: Positive Population Growth

This section is intended to supplement the instructional handout listing articles with a "pro" position on population growth. Many of the materials in this list appear on the BI131 class handout.

The list is in arranged sections by type of material. Magazine and journal articles are first, followed by books.

Periodical Articles

The following articles are available electronically on EBSCOhost, or in the Chemeketa library, or both. If you are on a computer connected to Chemeketa's network, clicking on a highlighted title will take you directly to the article.

If you are viewing this page on a computer not connected to Chemeketa's network, you will need the 14-digit barcode number from your ID card to access the article.

Abernethy, V. (1994, December). Optimism and overpopulation. 
      Atlantic Monthly, 274, 84 (5 p.). Retrieved October 28, 2005 
      from EBSCOhost Academic Search Premier database (Article Number 9412053744).

Abernethy, V. (2004, September/October). Not tonight, sweetie; no energy. 
      World Watch, 17, 26-30. Retrieved November 28, 2005, from EBSCOhost 
      Academic Search Premier databases (Article Number 14275968). N.B. 
      This article is listed under the title, "Population and its discontents" 
      in the BI131 handout.

Apocalypse not. (2005, March). Geographical, 77, 52-53. Retrieved 
      October 28, 2005, from EBSCOhost Academic Search Premier database 
      (Article Number 16244222)

Ayres, R. (2004, September/October). The economic conundrum of an aging 
      population. World Watch, 17, 45-49. Retrieved November 28, 2005, from 
      EBSCOhost Academic Search Premier databases (Article Number 
      14275978). N.B. This article is listed under the title, "Population 
      and its discontents" in the BI131 handout.

Bailey, R. (1997, March/April). The end is not nigh. Futurist, 31, 18 
      (2 p.). Retrieved November 21, 2000, from EBSCOhost Academic Search 
      Premier database (Article Number  9704046121). N.B. This
      was one of two separate articles listed under the single title: "The 
      global environment: megaproblem or not?" in the reading list.

Barrett, G.W. & Odum, E.P. (2000). The twenty-first century: The world at 
      carrying capacity. Bioscience, 50, 363 (6 p.). Retrieved November 
      28, 2005, from EBSCOhost Academic Search Premier database
      (Article number 2940931).

Bauer, P. T. (1998, Summer). Population growth: Disaster or blessing? 
      Independent Review, 3, 67 (10 p.). Retrieved November 22, 
      2000, from EBSCOhost Academic Search Premier database (Article 
      Number 890270).

Becker, G.S., Glasier, E.L., & Murphy, K.M. (1999, May). Population and Economic 
      Growth. American Economic Review, 89, 145 (5 p.). Retrieved September 29, 
      2004, from EBSCOhost Business Source Premier database (Article Number 1900598)

Becker, G.S., Murphy, K.M., & Tamura, R. (1990, October). Human capital, fertility, and 
      economic growth. Journal of Political Economy 98, 12 (26 p.).  Retrieved September 
      29, 2004, from EBSCOhost Business Source Premier database (Article Number 10375289)

Berreby, D. (1990, April). The numbers game. Discover 11, 42 (6 p.).

Bongaarts, J. (1998). Demographic consequences of declining fertility. Science 282, 419, 
      (2 p.) Retrieved November 22, 2000, from EBSCOhost Academic Search
      Premier database (Article Number 1214596).

Carnell, B.  2000.  An Evaluation of Joel Cohen's, "How  many people 
      can the Earth support?". Retreived November 28, 2005, from 
      http://www.overpopulation.com/faq/Natural_Resources/carrying_capacity.html

Cohen, J.E. (1996, April). Ten myths of population. Discover 17, 42. (5 p.).

Cohen, J.E. (2003). Human population: The next half century. Science 
      302, 1172-1175. Retrieved November 28, 2005, from EBSCOhost Academic Search 
      Premier database (Article number 11546995).

Cohen, J.E. (2005, September). Human population grows up. Scientific American
      293, 48-55. Retrieved November 28, 2005, from EBSCOhost Academic Search 
      Premier database (Article number 17836275).

Cohen, J.E. (2006, June). Why have children?. Commentary 121, 44-49. Retrieved 
      October 31, 2006, from EBSCOhost Academic Search Premier database (Article 
      Number 20961187)

Does population matter? (2002, December 7). Does population matter? Economist 365, 74.  
      Retrieved September 24, 2003, from EBSCOhost Academic Search Premier database 
      (Article Number 8648306).

Easterbrook, G. (1999, October 11). Reproductivity. New Republic 221, 22 (4 p.).
      Retrieved November 22, 2000, from EBSCOhost Academic Search
      Premier database (Article Number 2306750).

Eberstadt, N. (2006, Winter). Doom and demography. Wilson Quarterly, 30, 
      27-31. Retrieved February 21, 2006, from EBSCOhost Academic Search 
      Premier database (Article Number 19462459).

Eberstadt, N. (2005, Spring). Rethinking the population problem.  Public 
      Interest, Issue 159, 139-151. Retrieved October 28, 2005, from EBSCOhost 
      Academic Search Premier database (Article Number 13926292) on the 
      World Wide Web:

Eberstadt, N. (2001, March/April).  The Population IMPLOSION.  Foreign Policy, 42 (12 P.). 
      Retrieved November 9, 2001, from EBSCOhost Academic Search 
      Premier database (Article Number 4118574).

Eberstadt, N. (2000, December). We've Lots of Room for People. American Enterprise 
      11, 48 (2 p.). Retrieved September 29, 2004, from EBSCOhost Business 
      Source Premier database (Article Number 3745739).

Eberstadt, N. (2000, First Quarter). World depopulation: Last one out, turn out 
      the lights. Milliken Institute Review, 36-48. Retrieved November 28, 2000, from
      the World Wide Web: 
      http://www.milkeninstitute.org/publications/review/2000_3/mir5_30_depop.pdf

Feeney, G. (1994, December 2). Fertility decline in East Asia. Science 266, 1518 (6 p.).

Galor, O. & Weil, D.N. (1999). From Malthusian stagnation to modern growth . 
      American Economic Review, 89, 150-4.  Retrieved November 15, 2002, 
      from EBSCOhost Business Source Premier database (Article number 1900601).

Galor, O. & Weil, D.N. (September 2000). Population, technology, and 
      growth: From Malthusian stagnation to the demographic transition and 
      beyond. American Economic Review, 90,  806 (23 p.).
      Retrieved September 29, 2004, from EBSCOhost Business Source 
      Premier database (Article Number 3590861).

Horiuchi, S. (1992). Stagnation in the decline of the world population growth rate 
      during the 1980s. Science 257, 761 (5 p.).

Hyde, H. A.  (1997, June).  Slow death in the Great Plains. Atlantic Monthly,  279, 
      42 (3 p.). October 28, 2005, from EBSCOhost  MasterFile
      Premier database (Article Number 9709083610).

Lambert, T. (1995, January). What they missed in Cairo: Defusing the population bomb. 
       USA Today Magazine 123, 33.(3 p.) Retrieved November 21, 2000, from EBSCOhost 
       Academic Search Premier database (Article Number  9501254186) on the World Wide 
       Web:

Landsburg, S. E. (1995, May 25). The more, the merrier. Forbes 155, 166.
      Retrieved November 21, 2000, from EBSCOhost Academic Search Premier database 
      (Article Number  9505157588).

Lomborg, B. (2002, December 21). How healthy is the world? [Electronic version] 
      BMJ: British Medical Journal 32, 1461-1466.

Longman, P. (2004, May 31). Everywhere, even in Africa, the world is running out of 
      children. New Statesman, 133, 27-29. Retrieved February 21, 2006, 
      from EBSCOhost Academic Search Premier database (Article Number 13259514).

Longman, P. (2004, May). The Global Baby Bust. Foreign Affairs, 83, 64 (16 p.).  
      Retrieved September 29, 2004, from EBSCOhost Academic Search Premier database 
      (Article Number 12845840).

Longman, P. (2004, April 19). Which nations will go forth and multiply? Fortune 149, 
      60 (2 p.). Retrieved September 29, 2004, from EBSCOhost  Academic Search 
      Premier database (Article Number 12752447).

Mandel, M. (2004, September 13). Productivity trumps demographics. Business 
      Week Online. Retrieved October 28, 2005, from EBSCOhost  Academic 
      Search Premier database (Article Number 14417536).

Mandel, M.J. (2005, January 31). Productivity can make up the gap. Business Week, 48. 
      Retrieved October 31, 2006, from EBSCOhost Academic Search 
      Premier (Article number 15780748).

McKibben, B. (1998, May). A special moment in history. Atlantic Monthly, 281, 55. 
      Retrieved November 28, 2005, from EBSCOhost Academic Search 
      Premier database (Article number 757636).

McKibben, B. (1999, November/December). Taking the pulse of the planet.
      Audubon 101, 104-110.

McNeil Jr., Donald G. (2004, August 29). Demographic 'Bomb' May Only Go 'Pop!'. 
      New York Times 153, Section 4, p. 1.

Moffett, G.  (1994, Summer). The population question revisited. Wilson Quarterly  18, 54 
      (24 p.) Retrieved November 21, 2000, from EBSCOhost Academic Search Premier database 
      (Article Number  9502164416).

Moore, S. (1998, March 9). Julian Simon, RIP. National Review 50, 22. (2 p.).
      Retrieved November 27, 2000, from EBSCOhost Academic Search Premier database 
      (Article Number  274953).

Moore, S. (1999, October 25). Body Count. National Review 51, 45 (5 p.).
	Retrieved November 22, 2000, from EBSCOhost  Academic Search
      Premier database (Article Number 2363415).

Moore, S. (2003, August). Julian the Great.  American Spectator 36, 53 (3 p.). 
      Retrieved September  24, 2003, from EBSCOhost  Academic Search 
      Premier database (Article Number 10566480)

Nierenberg, D. (2004, September/October). The population story ... so far. 
      World Watch 17, 14-17. Retrieved November 28, 2005, from EBSCOhost 
      Academic Search Premier databases (Article Number 
      14275961). N.B. This is listed under the title, "Population
      and its discontents" in the BI131 handout.

Olshansky, S. J. & Carnes, B. A. (1993, April). The aging of the human species. Scientific 
      American  268,  46 (7 p.).

Pearce, F. (1999, December). Counting Down. World Press Review 46, 13 2 p.).

Piel, G. (1994, March 21). Defusing the 'Population Bomb.' Nation 258, 376-380.
      Retrieved November 28, 2005, from EBSCOhost Academic Search 
      Premier database (Article number 9403107653).

Piel, G. (1995 July/August). Worldwide development or population explosion: Our choice. 
      Challenge 38, 13 (10 p.). Retrieved November 15, 2002, from EBSCOhost 
      Business Source Premier database (Article Number  9507231936)

Population Problem Exaggerated, Critics Say. (2003, June 20). Issues &
      Controversies On File. Retrieved October 28, 2005, from 
      Issues & Controversies@FACTS.com database.

Riche, M. (2004, September/October). Low fertility and sustainability. 
      World Watch 17, 45-49. Retrieved November 28, 2005, from EBSCOhost 
      Academic Search Premier databases (Article Number 
      14275980). N.B. This is listed under the title, "Population
      and its discontents" in the BI131 handout.

Robey, B. & Rutstein, S. O. (1993, December). The fertility decline in developing
      countries. Scientific American 269, 60, (8 p.).

Roney, S. (2001, December 17). Why (apart from self-interest) does the UN cry 
      alarm about 'overpopulation'?. Report/Newsmagazine 28 (Natl. Edition), 46.
      Retrieved September 29, 2004, from EBSCOhost  Academic Search 
      Premier database (Article Number 5758537).

Rubenstein, E. (1990, December 17). The more the merrier.  National Review, 14.  Retrieved 
      November 21, 2000, from EBSCOhost Academic Search Premier database (Article Number  
      12485892).

Simon, J. (1994, April). More people, greater wealth, more resources, healthier 
      environment. Economic Affairs, (Article 3.
      While not available in its journal form, Simon's manuscript is available at: 
      http://www.juliansimon.org/writings/Articles/POPENVI2.txt.

Simon, J. (1990, Fall). The unreported revolution in population economics. Public 
      Interest 101, 89 (12 p.). Retrieved November 22, 2000, from EBSCOhost 
      Academic Search Premier database (Article Number 9705163580) on the World Wide 
      Web:

Simon, J. (1995, May 5). Why do environmentalists persist in imagining global degradation?
      Human Events  51),  11. Retrieved November 22, 2000, from EBSCOhost  
      Academic Search Premier database (Article Number 9505163356)

Simon, J. (1995, December 24). Population growth is our greatest triumph. Popular 
      University  (4 p.)  
      This is available in the form of Simon's manuscript at 
      http://www.juliansimon.org/writings/Articles/POPUNENV.txt

Simon, J. L. (1996, Febrauary). The state of humanity: Steadily improving. Current 380, p. 8-11.

Simon, J. L (1997, March/April). Bet on a better future. Futurist, 31, 17 
      (2 p.)  Retrieved November 21, 2000, from EBSCOhost Academic Search Premier database 
      (Article Number  9704046120)
      N.B. This was one of two separate (Articles listed under the single title: "The 
      global environment: megaproblem or not?" in the reading list.

Singer, M. (1999, August). The population surprise. Atlantic Monthly, 284 
      22 (3 p.). Retrieved November 1, 2005, from EBSCOhost  
      Academic Search Premier database (Article Number 2077022)

The following three articles are listed under the single title: "Are people the problem?" in the reading list:

Stafford, T. (1994, October 3).  The bet.  Christianity Today 38, 46-52.
      Retrieved November 21, 2000, from EBSCOhost Academic Search Premier database 
      (Article Number  9410200012).

Stafford, T. (1994, October 3). India: A success story.  Christianity Today 38, 53-55.
     Retrieved November 21, 2000, from EBSCOhost Academic Search Premier database 
      (Article Number  9410200013).

Stafford, T. (1994, October 3). Thus saith the Lord.  Christianity Today 38, 56-60.
     Retrieved November 21, 2000, from EBSCOhost Academic Search Premier database 
      (Article Number  9410200014).

Steinmann, G. Prskawetz, A. & Feichtinger, G. (1998). A model on the escape 
      from the Malthusian trap. Journal of Population Economics 11, 535 
      (16 p.) Retrieved November 28, 2005, from EBSCOhost Academic Search 
      Premier database (Article number 9403107653).

Trends Halting Population Growth. (2004, September). Futurist, 38, 15 (2 p.). Retrieved 
      September 29, 2004, from EBSCOhost Academic Search Premier database 
      (Article Number 14050110).

The truth about the environment. (2001, August 4).  Economist, 360.  
     Retrieved November 1, 2005, from EBSCOhost Academic Search Premier database 
     (Article Number 4958467).

Wattenberg, B. (2005, January/February). Never mind the population explosion.  
      American Enterprise, 16, 28-31. Retrieved February 22, 2006, from EBSCOhost 
      Academic Search Premier database (Article Number 16845740).

Weisdorf, J.L. (2004). From stagnation to growth: Revisiting three historical 
      regimes. Journal of Population Economics 17, 455-472. Retrieved October 
      28, 2005, from EBSCOhost Academic Search Premier database 
      (Article Number 13926292)

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Books

The following books are listed in the CCRLS catalog as being at Chemeketa or available for request from another CCRLS location. (See Requesting Materials for instructions on how to do this.) Some are available on the World Wide Web, as indicated:

Bloom, D.E., Canning, D. & Sevilla, J. (2003). The Demographic Dividend: A New 
      Perspective on the Economic Consequences of Population Change. Santa Monica:
      Rand. Retrieved September 24, 2003, from the World Wide Web at 
      http://www.rand.org/pubs/monograph_reports/MR1274/index.html

Cohen, J.E. (1995). How many people can the earth support? New York: Norton.

Easterlin, R.A. (1996). Growth triumphant: The twenty-first century 
      in historical perspective. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan.

Egendorf, L. (Ed.). (2005). The environment: Opposing viewpoints. 
      Detroit: Greenhaven.

Grant, L.  (1996). Juggernaut: Growth on a finite planet.  Santa Ana, CA: 
      Seven Locks Press.

Harrison, P. & Pearce, F. (2000). AAAS atlas of population & environment.  
      Berkeley, CA : University of California Press.

Hohm, C.F. & Jones, L.J. (Eds.). (2000). Population: Opposing viewpoints.
      San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press.

Kahn, H., Brown, W., & Martel, L. (1976). The next 200 years : a scenario 
      for America and the world.  New York: Morrow.

Lomborg, B. (2001). The skeptical environmentalist: measuring the real state
      of the world. New York: Cambridge.

Longman, P. (2004). The empty cradle: How falling birthrates threaten 
      world prosperity and what to do about it. New York: Basic Books, 2004.

London, H. I. (1984). Why are they lying to our children?. New York:
      Stein and Day.

Markley, O.W. & McCuan, W.R. (Eds.). (1996). 21st century Earth: Opposing
      viewpoints.  San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press.

Meyers, N. & Simon, J. (1994). Scarcity or abundance?. New York: Norton
      This book is available in manuscript form at 
      http://www.juliansimon.org/writings/Norton/.

Simon, J.L. (1981). The ultimate resource. Princeton: Princeton University
      Press.

Simon, J.L. (1996). The ultimate resource 2. Princeton: Princeton University
      Press.
      This book is online in manuscript form at:
      http://www.juliansimon.org/writings/Ultimate_Resource/

Simon, J.L. (Ed.). (1995). The state of humanity.. Cambridge, MA: Blackwell 
      in association with the Cato Institute.

Simon, J.L. & Kahn, H. (Eds.). (1984). The Resourceful earth: a response 
      to Global 2000. New York: B. Blackwell, 1984.

Wattenberg, B.J. (1987). The birth dearth.  New York: Pharos.

Weber, J.A. (1977). Grow or die!. New Rochelle, NY: Arlington House.

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The following books are not available in the CCRLS system, but may be requested on interlibrary loan:

Bailey, R. (1993).  Ecoscam: The false prophets of ecological Apocalpyse.  New York:
      St. Martin's Press.

Cassen, R., et al. (1994).  Population and development: Old debates, new conclusions.
      New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Press.

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Address of this page: http://library.chemeketa.edu/instruction/handouts/BI131.htm

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