Why Does the Temporal Lag in the Effects of Carbon

question 827

Multiple Choice

Why does the temporal lag in the effects of carbon dioxide emissions make it hard for us to respond to climate change, according to Krakoff?

• A) Because humans are inherently selfish, we are not motivated to take actions that will mostly benefit people who live in the distant future.
• B) Since climate change results from everyone's carbon dioxide emissions anywhere in the world, no individual person has a strong reason to reduce his or her own emissions.
• C) The temporal lag means that we cannot observe the effects of our emissions and so we have no way of knowing whether our emissions really will harm people in the future.
• D) The temporal lag makes it hard for us to perceive the problem and forces us to respond to the problem based on predictions of future effects rather than direct observation of those effects.

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Definitions:

Fast Pathway

This refers to a rapid neural response mechanism, often discussed in the context of pain perception, where sensory information bypasses slower processing routes to elicit quick reactions.

Slow Pathway

A term often used in cardiac electrophysiology to refer to a conduction pathway in the heart that has a slower impulse transmission.

Vestibular Sense

The sensory system that contributes to balance and spatial orientation by detecting motion and gravity.

Kinesthetic Sense

The sense of body position and movement, allowing individuals to coordinate their movements accurately.