Naked Science Forum
General Discussion & Feedback => Just Chat! => Topic started by: krisp on 22/02/2010 13:25:07
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the nature of our race seems extremely destructive, we have had countless wars though out history. we dont seem able to maintain this earth we live on, for enjoyment we smoke, drink or take drugs. do you think the human race has any hope on this earth.
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i agree and i also think many believe that the human race is to superior to become extinct, either they have absolute faith in a higher power or are just ignorant.
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I think that the greatest problem affecting the human race is their tendency towards denial of things that they can't or don't wish to cope with. The issues that were mentioned, such as wars, smoking and the taking of drugs (drink is a drug too) are symptoms of underlying issues, rather than causes in their own right.
To a large extent, the human race is irrational, although I'm uncertain as to what degree that irrationality is due to fear. Boredom and an awareness of inequality are also major factors in irrationality in western civilisation, imo too.
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I think I will stick to problems in General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics; they are much simpler.
The issue is that humans are creatures who have developed through evolution. The process has equipped us with some ability to deal with problems we may have faced in small tribes in the late stone age, and at earlier times, but not so much in a world where we have powers that exceed our understanding of the consequences of their usage. We have to rely more on reasoned argument, rather than tenuous belief systems, and to recognise our limitations. It is disturbing that the majority of people have little understanding of the scientific method, cannot interpret statistics or can be more easily swayed by clever rhetoric than factual data.
Still, I am not so much of a pessimist as implied by the tenor of this thread. I am hopeful that we will adapt in time, even if this means opening a few more Pandora's boxes without the capability to cope with the likely moral dilemmas that will emerge.
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Do ewe all think that we may be just too clever for our own sakes ? From an 'invention' point of view we can create the most amazing technological advances...I think one of our weaknesses is our ability to control the use of these technology and powers that we create...
If we are to remain a viable species then we must always put ' dialogue ' first and ' action ' last when it comes to conflict. Saying it is easy..but getting everybody to agree to it is nigh on impossible I think.
..in any case we'll either be wiped out by an asteroid, Yellow Stone will erupt, the poles will reverse and epidemics may well kill us all off before we get a chance to self destruct anyway.
I'm a pessimist by nature but I do retain a positive outlook on humans ability to create a way out of a problem...I have strong belief in our ingenuity.
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Nah, not a chance any of us will survive. He* I know I won't?
We're doomed, doomed I say, if not today, then tomorrow..
Best do something fun while waiting :)
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personally i only believe what we observe, the history of the human race dose not give me faith for our future. although perhaps we will learn from past and current global state and move forward. or mabey the "accurate" predictions of 2012 will destroy us all