The Universe, who is fascinated by that?

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# 1619718 30-Aug-2016 15:44

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Rikkitic:

MikeAqua:

....

We don't want to be colonised by a technologically superior culture. Ask any indigenous people on earth.

Being human we anthropomorphise everything. We assume a technologically superior civilisation would treat us the way we treat our own indigenous people. Why should it? Just because we are jerks doesn't mean everyone else is.

One argument is a species that evolved its way to the top of the heap on their planet, is probably just as competitive and aggressive as we are.

But alternately guess superior ethics could result from superior knowledge and technology as well. We are slowly developing some as a species.

How would humans treat a new planet I wonder?

If we were settling on a new planet with an existing ecosystem, where the most intelligent life was about as intelligent as chimpanzees ....

What would we do differently?

Mike

Seakiwi

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# 1619746 30-Aug-2016 15:50

That is all.

From the beings you know as "mice"

Batman

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# 1619748 30-Aug-2016 15:51

BurningBeard:

joker97: And Neil dgT knows everything. When someone claims they know everything they ain't got much left in the tank.

When did he claim that?

I avoid falling into the trap of "scientism" and posting endless Tyson memes on BookFace, but plenty of times he's said suggested the opposite of what you just said...

"The day our knowledge of the cosmos ceases to expand, we risk regressing to the childish view that the universe figuratively and literally revolves around us."

"I never want you to quote me citing my authority as a scientist for your knowing something. If that's what you have to resort to I have failed as an educator."

“Science works on the frontier between knowledge and ignorance. We’re not afraid to admit what we don’t know. There’s no shame in that. The only shame is to pretend that we have all the answers.”

That's what he says here and there, but it ain't what he preaches! Maybe it's his persona. I've watched a lot of his videos, almost becomes a religion of the science he preaches, very evident in "debates" with other scientists where he'd just smash them out of the park.

Involuntary autocorrect in operation on mobile device. Apologies in advance.

BurningBeard

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# 1619750 30-Aug-2016 16:00

joker97: That's what he says here and there, but it ain't what he preaches! Maybe it's his persona. I've watched a lot of his videos, almost becomes a religion of the science he preaches, very evident in "debates" with other scientists where he'd just smash them out of the park.

It IS what he preaches; I think you meant to say it's what he preaches, but not what he practices.

But yeah that's scientism, which I mentioned earlier.

I think he sometimes weighs in on topics that are out of his field, much like Dawkins does.

I'm not a fan of this "rock star" scientist thing that has people throwing Neil DT memes in people's face as if it's a big mic-drop moment. And it's usually in a "hurr hurr, take that you stupid creationist!" sort of context.

But I'm all for having people out there trying to make science "cool" and inviting.

All that being said, I doubt he actually said "I know everything" as you mentioned earlier.

My very metal Doctor Who theme

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# 1619756 30-Aug-2016 16:15

I have always wanted to go to the Milliways

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WyleECoyoteNZ

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# 1619757 30-Aug-2016 16:19

I know this link isn't about the topic, but seems kind of fitting..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNLhxKpfCnA

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# 1619758 30-Aug-2016 16:22

BurningBeard:

joker97: That's what he says here and there, but it ain't what he preaches! Maybe it's his persona. I've watched a lot of his videos, almost becomes a religion of the science he preaches, very evident in "debates" with other scientists where he'd just smash them out of the park.

It IS what he preaches; I think you meant to say it's what he preaches, but not what he practices.

But yeah that's scientism, which I mentioned earlier.

I think he sometimes weighs in on topics that are out of his field, much like Dawkins does.

I'm not a fan of this "rock star" scientist thing that has people throwing Neil DT memes in people's face as if it's a big mic-drop moment. And it's usually in a "hurr hurr, take that you stupid creationist!" sort of context.

But I'm all for having people out there trying to make science "cool" and inviting.

All that being said, I doubt he actually said "I know everything" as you mentioned earlier.

He doesn't explicitly say it, but when interacting with other scientists, the other scientists are WRONG. PLain wrong. Because he's right. Ever get that feeling?

Involuntary autocorrect in operation on mobile device. Apologies in advance.

BurningBeard

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# 1619760 30-Aug-2016 16:28

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joker97: He doesn't explicitly say it, but when interacting with other scientists, the other scientists are WRONG. PLain wrong. Because he's right. Ever get that feeling?

Sometimes.

It's just you said "When someone claims they know everything"... there's a big difference between claiming to know everything, and acting like one does. Jus' sayin'.

My very metal Doctor Who theme

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# 1619765 30-Aug-2016 16:37

joker97:

He doesn't explicitly say it, but when interacting with other scientists, the other scientists are WRONG. PLain wrong. Because he's right. Ever get that feeling?

But he has a brain the size of a planet and he isn't expected to take anyone to the bridge.

Mike
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The views stated in my posts are my personal views and not that of any other organisation.

There is no planet B

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# 1619767 30-Aug-2016 16:41

MikeAqua:

One argument is a species that evolved its way to the top of the heap on their planet, is probably just as competitive and aggressive as we are.

But alternately guess superior ethics could result from superior knowledge and technology as well. We are slowly developing some as a species.

How would humans treat a new planet I wonder?

If we were settling on a new planet with an existing ecosystem, where the most intelligent life was about as intelligent as chimpanzees ....

What would we do differently?

I think we would be very cautious and respectful until we discovered some fantastically valuable resource that we wanted, than the rationalisations and justifications would come thick and fast and the (few surviving) chimpanzees would be herded into a zoo where tears would be shed over their lost promise. We would then go on to strip-mine and overpopulate the planet and fight destructive wars over the diminishing remains. But that's just us. It doesn't mean someone else would do the same.

I don't think there is ever a bad time to talk about how absurd war is, how old men make decisions and young people die. - George Clooney

BlueShift

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# 1619777 30-Aug-2016 16:56

Rikkitic:

MikeAqua:

One argument is a species that evolved its way to the top of the heap on their planet, is probably just as competitive and aggressive as we are.

But alternately guess superior ethics could result from superior knowledge and technology as well. We are slowly developing some as a species.

How would humans treat a new planet I wonder?

If we were settling on a new planet with an existing ecosystem, where the most intelligent life was about as intelligent as chimpanzees ....

What would we do differently?

I think we would be very cautious and respectful until we discovered some fantastically valuable resource that we wanted, than the rationalisations and justifications would come thick and fast and the (few surviving) chimpanzees would be herded into a zoo where tears would be shed over their lost promise. We would then go on to strip-mine and overpopulate the planet and fight destructive wars over the diminishing remains. But that's just us. It doesn't mean someone else would do the same.

Isn't that the plot of Avatar?

Fred99

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# 1619783 30-Aug-2016 17:15

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BlueShift:

Rikkitic:

MikeAqua:

One argument is a species that evolved its way to the top of the heap on their planet, is probably just as competitive and aggressive as we are.

But alternately guess superior ethics could result from superior knowledge and technology as well. We are slowly developing some as a species.

How would humans treat a new planet I wonder?

If we were settling on a new planet with an existing ecosystem, where the most intelligent life was about as intelligent as chimpanzees ....

What would we do differently?

I think we would be very cautious and respectful until we discovered some fantastically valuable resource that we wanted, than the rationalisations and justifications would come thick and fast and the (few surviving) chimpanzees would be herded into a zoo where tears would be shed over their lost promise. We would then go on to strip-mine and overpopulate the planet and fight destructive wars over the diminishing remains. But that's just us. It doesn't mean someone else would do the same.

Isn't that the plot of Avatar?

Pocohontas.

jpoc

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# 1619795 30-Aug-2016 17:36

One person supports this post

MikeAqua:

Rikkitic:

MikeAqua:

....

We don't want to be colonised by a technologically superior culture. Ask any indigenous people on earth.

Being human we anthropomorphise everything. We assume a technologically superior civilisation would treat us the way we treat our own indigenous people. Why should it? Just because we are jerks doesn't mean everyone else is.

One argument is a species that evolved its way to the top of the heap on their planet, is probably just as competitive and aggressive as we are.

But alternately guess superior ethics could result from superior knowledge and technology as well. We are slowly developing some as a species.

How would humans treat a new planet I wonder?

If we were settling on a new planet with an existing ecosystem, where the most intelligent life was about as intelligent as chimpanzees ....

What would we do differently?

Speculation is meaningless until we can answer vital questions such as whether or not they taste good.

tdgeek

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# 1619800 30-Aug-2016 17:56

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Rikkitic:
MikeAqua:

One argument is a species that evolved its way to the top of the heap on their planet, is probably just as competitive and aggressive as we are.

But alternately guess superior ethics could result from superior knowledge and technology as well. We are slowly developing some as a species.

How would humans treat a new planet I wonder?

If we were settling on a new planet with an existing ecosystem, where the most intelligent life was about as intelligent as chimpanzees ....

What would we do differently?

I think we would be very cautious and respectful until we discovered some fantastically valuable resource that we wanted, than the rationalisations and justifications would come thick and fast and the (few surviving) chimpanzees would be herded into a zoo where tears would be shed over their lost promise. We would then go on to strip-mine and overpopulate the planet and fight destructive wars over the diminishing remains. But that's just us. It doesn't mean someone else would do the same.

We and any other civilisation is made of the same stuff. An exploding star at the end of its life. Evolution will follow the same path. With intelligence comes maximising, same for less intelligent life forms . Survival of the fittest applies to any living organism

Rikkitic

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# 1619824 30-Aug-2016 19:25

Broaden your mind. Imagine the unimaginable. Just because we have organic limits doesn't mean another life form would. We all have to obey the laws of physics, but within that constraint literally anything is possible. We think and live competition because we are parasites and have become supreme at feeding off other living things. It is a big universe, big enough for a different kind of evolution that does not depend on competition, but cooperation. Maybe there is a place where the dominant species is the one best at getting along with others. Maybe intelligent crystals evolve by focussing sunlight to extract minerals. It doesn't always have to be dog eat dog.

I don't think there is ever a bad time to talk about how absurd war is, how old men make decisions and young people die. - George Clooney

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