Game Theory
These two superpowers were the main rivals during the Cold War.
USA and USSR (Russia)
If a population doubles every generation, it demonstrates this type of growth.
Exponential Growth
This ecologist wrote the influential essay The Tragedy of the Commons.
Garrett Hardin
Norman Borloug
This valley in Yosemite National Park became the centre of a major American environmental controversy over dam construction.
Hetch Hetchy
This theory studies how people or groups make decisions when the outcome depends on the actions of others.
Game Theory
The key argument of Malthus' work
Population will inevitably surpass the earths capacity to produce resources
This occurs when individuals overuse a shared resource, depleting it for everyone.
The tragedy of the commons
This was one major benefit of the Green Revolution.
Increased food production or higher crop yields
This philosophy supports managing and using natural resources responsibly for human benefit.
Conservation
This concept insured that neither side fired missiles during the cold war, lest they both be destroyed
Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD)
a model of population that contradicts malthus' theories
The Demographic Transition Model
A common way the general population loses free access to the commons
Fencing, privatization, Fines, Trespass orders
These two agricultural technologies helped increase crop yields during the Green Revolution.
Fertilizer and Pesticides
This environmental philosophy supports protecting nature from human alteration and preserving its intrinsic value.
Preservation
This famous game demonstrates why individuals acting in their own self-interest may produce a worse outcome for everyone.
The Prisoners Dilemma
This agricultural development challenged Malthus' predictions by significantly increasing food production during the 20th century.
The Green Revolution
In Hardin's model, individuals are assumed to pursue this when using a shared resource.
Self-Interest
Why is the Green Revolution described as having an mixed record?
Increased food yield, but led to environmental degradation and unequal benefites for different parts of society
Why did supporters of the Hetch Hetchy dam argue that the project was necessary?
It would provide a reliable water supply for San Francisco, particularly following concerns about the city's water needs.
A country threatens retaliation if another country attacks it. Why must the threat be considered credible for deterrence to work?
The opponent must believe the country is both capable of retaliating and likely to do so.
Explain one major reason why modern scholars may consider Malthus' predictions too simplistic.
Answers May vary
- Underestimate change
- Pessimistic
- Changes in fertility rate
A fishing community establishes rules, monitors catches, and punishes overfishing. How does this challenge the idea that shared resources must inevitably be depleted?
It shows that collective rules, cooperation, and effective governance can allow communities to manage shared resources sustainably.
A wealthy farmer can afford irrigation, machinery, and high-yield seeds, while a poorer farmer cannot. How does this illustrate a limitation of the Green Revolution?
Its benefits may be distributed unequally. Wealthier farmers can increase production while poorer farmers struggle to keep up
How does the Hetch Hetchy controversy illustrate the conflict between conservation and preservation?
Supporters prioritized the practical use of nature to provide water for people, while preservationists argued that the valley should remain protected from development.