pcmcgeer (09/12/82)
Dr. Minsky's article on the L-5 society closed with the comment that "[a] priority is to make it feasible for some humans to survive the possible future disasters." With all respect to Dr. Minsky, I'd like to point out that it's not likely that an L-5 colony wuld survive a Terran disaster. It is unlikely that an L-5 colony would be self-sufficient, and thus any cutoff of space travel means the end of it. Having said that, though, we all should note that an L-5 colony would make these disasters - from nuclear war to eco-death - a damned sight less likely. In fact, an L-5 colony could - as Pournelle has suggested - make the earth into a park. (You need orbiting industries for that trick). Well, we all know that. But we should be shouting it from the rooftops. The L-5 colony might be the dream of those of us who want to space, but it means life for the groundhogs, too. Rick McGeer.