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There's an infinite amount of things that will stop an exponential growth rate before we ever have to worry about exceeding the mass of the universe. But on the other hand, there is pretty much only one foreseeable thing that will curb the use of oil, and that is it's availability.
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Rethink Refuse Reduce Reuse
Do It Ourselves -
As there is with the use of oil.There's an infinite amount of things that will stop an exponential growth rate before we ever have to worry about exceeding the mass of the universe.I came upon a barroom full of bad Salon pictures in which men with hats on the backs of their heads were wolfing food from a counter. It was the institution of the "free lunch" I had struck. You paid for a drink and got as much as you wanted to eat. For something less than a rupee a day a man can feed himself sumptuously in San Francisco, even though he be a bankrupt. Remember this if ever you are stranded in these parts. ~ Rudyard Kipling, 1891Comment
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We know that cosmic conditions prpoduce organic molecules without the need for life. Therefore, there is no reason to believe that petrochemical supplies aren't as infinite as the universe.
As far as the VAST untapped reserves go, we know that these are AT LEAST an order of magnitude larger than the current published reserve numbers.“It is no use trying to 'see through' first principles. If you see through everything, then everything is transparent. But a wholly transparent world is an invisible world. To 'see through' all things is the same as not to see.”
― C.S. Lewis, The Abolition of ManComment
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My undergrad degree was in Chem E. My senior thesis was a research paper on how injecting soap changes the surface tension of oil in porous rock making it easier to extract (all done on computer simulations). At the time, the added cost made it economically unfeasible. If oil prices continue to rise, someone may dust off my old thesis and actually read it.“It is no use trying to 'see through' first principles. If you see through everything, then everything is transparent. But a wholly transparent world is an invisible world. To 'see through' all things is the same as not to see.”
― C.S. Lewis, The Abolition of ManComment
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What's going to stop the use of oil except it's availablity?Originally posted by DanS
As there is with the use of oil.Rethink Refuse Reduce Reuse
Do It OurselvesComment
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The discovery of something better.“It is no use trying to 'see through' first principles. If you see through everything, then everything is transparent. But a wholly transparent world is an invisible world. To 'see through' all things is the same as not to see.”
― C.S. Lewis, The Abolition of ManComment
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Well, that's not a very foreseeable scenario, is it?Originally posted by pchang
The discovery of something better.
Rethink Refuse Reduce Reuse
Do It OurselvesComment
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Based upon our current knowledge, the arrival of something better is at least as likely as the total depletion of oil.“It is no use trying to 'see through' first principles. If you see through everything, then everything is transparent. But a wholly transparent world is an invisible world. To 'see through' all things is the same as not to see.”
― C.S. Lewis, The Abolition of ManComment
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Even if we didn't discover something better, current technology would support a world without much oil just fine.I came upon a barroom full of bad Salon pictures in which men with hats on the backs of their heads were wolfing food from a counter. It was the institution of the "free lunch" I had struck. You paid for a drink and got as much as you wanted to eat. For something less than a rupee a day a man can feed himself sumptuously in San Francisco, even though he be a bankrupt. Remember this if ever you are stranded in these parts. ~ Rudyard Kipling, 1891Comment
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An unkown is as likely as a known?Originally posted by pchang
Based upon our current knowledge, the arrival of something better is at least as likely as the total depletion of oil.
A magical resource being found that can be used to replace oil and "do it better" is more likely than us running out of the finite amount of oil available to us?Rethink Refuse Reduce Reuse
Do It OurselvesComment
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We already have plant crops that can be processed to produce oil. They are just more expensive than drilling for it. When that changes, we can start growing it.“It is no use trying to 'see through' first principles. If you see through everything, then everything is transparent. But a wholly transparent world is an invisible world. To 'see through' all things is the same as not to see.”
― C.S. Lewis, The Abolition of ManComment
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I remember how they used to talk about us running out of oil by 2000 bay in 92.
As some have said the simple fact that the overwhelming majority of the world has yet to even be surveyed for oil, let alone utilized, should lead you to less pesemistic conclusions.
Though I know you do love pesemism."The DPRK is still in a state of war with the U.S. It's called a black out." - Che explaining why orbital nightime pictures of NK show few lights. Seriously.Comment
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Lots of things could do it. Political pressure to subsidize alternatives or to impose an import tarriff would be one.What's going to stop the use of oil except it's availablity?
The Saudis' real nightmare is that people will stop using oil. It's an easily replaceable commodity.I came upon a barroom full of bad Salon pictures in which men with hats on the backs of their heads were wolfing food from a counter. It was the institution of the "free lunch" I had struck. You paid for a drink and got as much as you wanted to eat. For something less than a rupee a day a man can feed himself sumptuously in San Francisco, even though he be a bankrupt. Remember this if ever you are stranded in these parts. ~ Rudyard Kipling, 1891Comment
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And this has what to do with the availability of oil...?Originally posted by DanS
Even if we didn't discover something better, current technology would support a world without much oil just fine.
And the overwhelming majority of the world has yet to utilize oil to the extent we are today... That's the thing about exponential growth, it's.... exponential.As some have said the simple fact that the overwhelming majority of the world has yet to even be surveyed for oil, let alone utilized, should lead you to less pesemistic conclusions.Rethink Refuse Reduce Reuse
Do It OurselvesComment
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It doesn't. Read my post above.And this has what to do with the availability of oil...?I came upon a barroom full of bad Salon pictures in which men with hats on the backs of their heads were wolfing food from a counter. It was the institution of the "free lunch" I had struck. You paid for a drink and got as much as you wanted to eat. For something less than a rupee a day a man can feed himself sumptuously in San Francisco, even though he be a bankrupt. Remember this if ever you are stranded in these parts. ~ Rudyard Kipling, 1891Comment
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