Umm, actually, I'm in total agreement with your first paragraph...that's why I find it difficult to believe in the 'insecure' God I discussed in my previous post. I certainly didn't mean to imply that I didn't believe in God, either, in fact, I believe I explictly affirmed my belief in the very same post.
What I find extremely disturbing is that you seem to equate 'God' with 'religion', Religion is all about controlling people. Period. If you dispute this, I invite you to look into any history book.
I reserve the right to pursue my relationship with God in the manner of my choosing, without being told that I will fall out of His good graces because I fail to conform to one type of doctrine or another.
I respect the rights of others to have views different than my own...why is is so difficult for them to do the same? Your rights end where mine begin.
I'm not basing it off any particulaar technology, but rather in the fundamental ways in which our species has evolved/is evolving. I was calling them Stages, but then decided that 'Ages' sounded much more impressive.;)
The First Age: Nonintelligent, nontoolmaking proto-Man lives like the animal he is: at the mercy of his environment. Survival of the fittest insures that unfavorable mutations do not survive to pass on their altered genes, while favorable mutations are more successful in procreating the species. In this way, the species is sculpted by natural selection to suit its environment.
The Second Age: Man starts to make and use tools. At this point, all the rules of natural selection that previously held sway are called into question. Man is no longer being shaped by natural selection to suit his environment, but now shapes his environment to suit himself. Adaptations that were once necessary for survival (large, powerful dentition, furry skin, etc.) are now unnecessary (who needs to grind nuts between their teeth when they can just use a rock?), or downright unfavorable (when you can wear the pelts of other animals for warmth, natural fur loses its value, and instead becomes a problem, as disease-bearing parasites are at home in fur). Thus, evolution takes a new direction.
The Third Age: Man learns to directly edit the essence of his genetic heritage. At this point, Man takes custody of his own evolution.
Is this good or bad? I believe it was Carl Sagan who theorized that live is inherently self-destructive, and that life will usually evolve to a certain point, and then destroy itself (which explains why we haven't seen any aliens yet). When he said this, everyone though he was referring to another cusp in our development: nuclear power. We seem to have survived that one (still too early to call), but the one we are at right now could prove equally capable of wiping us out. "We're playing with forces we can't even begin to comprehend", some doom-sayers will say, but they've said it before, and they will undoubtedly say it again. But we'll never get anywhere if we're too scared to take the big steps.
I personally think these hairless monkeys have what it takes. My money's on them.
I find if very difficult, not to mention depressing, to believe in a God that gives us the potential to accomplish something, and yet expects us to hold back, rather than infringe upon his personal turf. Sounds like a very insecure 'God' to me.
Just one of the reasons I believe in God, yet despise and detest organized religion in any form.
Sure, I believe in God...I just don't trust anybody who works for him.
I loved that episode.....that remote control had like two switches and a dial on it, but McCoy could Spock's body do whatever he wanted with it.:P
I also liked it when he was putting Spock's brain back, and freaked out when he lost the knowledge of how to perform the operation halfway through...:)
There is one legal way to photocopy money, and that is to increase the scale to 200% actual size (presumably so the reproduction can't possibly be mistaken for legal tender).
I don't want a goddamn 'interactive experience' when I'm trying to buy a Coke! I don't go to the Coke machine to be entertained....I go because I'm thirsty! Gimme my damned Coke already!
Prior inhabitants have never been much of an obstacle to 'manifest destiny'. Just ask the Indians.
Re:Terminal ballistic qualities if it falls ;-)
on
Sir Arthur Speaks
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· Score: 1
It goes the only place it can: down
OK so far...
And since it is rotating along with the Earth but at a greater radius, it has a greater eastward velocity than the Earth's surface so it falls to the east, wrapping itself around the equator like string around a ball.
Actually, no. Although the top of the cable does possess a greater angular velocity than the bottom, it is also moving through a proportionally greater arc of space. After the cable snaps, the only thing that has changed in the equation is that the cable/payload unit, which was suspended due its center of mass lying beyond geosynchronous orbit, is now a separate payload unit outside geosynchronous orbit (more on that later), and a cable, whose new center of gravity is well within geosynchronous orbit. Thus, the cable cannot remain in its suspended state, and falls. As it falls, atmospheric effects (read: wind) may influence its fall, but by and large, it will come straight down. This may be a problem, particularly if the thing breaks high up on the chain. Don't be below this thing when it falls (visions of the fall of shadow square wire in Ringworld come to mind).
In respects to the payload, all that will happen to it when it disconnects is it will attain a higher, non-geosynchronous orbit, where it will remain (hopefully until astronauts can effect a rescue of the crew).
One thing's for certain...your frothing-at-the-mouth, holier-than-thou attitude is amusing in the extreme.
I thought we were discussing A.C.C.'s ideas, and the logical extension of same, such as buckytubes and skyhooks (an interesting discussion thus far). Perhaps the subject of his sexual proclivities ought to be discussed elsewhere.
You're mistaken. This is about Arthur C. Clarke. If you haven't heard of the guy, I honestly don't know what to say, except 'read a book'.
In respects to buckytubes, I thought we were just starting to produce them in industrially significant quantities a year ago. I was hearing about all sorts of applications for them, from structural materials to ultra-thin computer monitors. What happened? Where's all the cool new toys?:(
"Read a book!!!" - Handy (longtime companion of the Human Ton).
If the silly Englishman could actually follow through on that threat, he could probably make a lot more money more easily from his discovery of antigravity.
Slashdot Mirror
That's not gonna work.....haven't you ever heard that song by Loverboy?
What I find extremely disturbing is that you seem to equate 'God' with 'religion', Religion is all about controlling people. Period. If you dispute this, I invite you to look into any history book.
I reserve the right to pursue my relationship with God in the manner of my choosing, without being told that I will fall out of His good graces because I fail to conform to one type of doctrine or another.
I respect the rights of others to have views different than my own...why is is so difficult for them to do the same? Your rights end where mine begin.
Curb your dogma.
The First Age: Nonintelligent, nontoolmaking proto-Man lives like the animal he is: at the mercy of his environment. Survival of the fittest insures that unfavorable mutations do not survive to pass on their altered genes, while favorable mutations are more successful in procreating the species. In this way, the species is sculpted by natural selection to suit its environment.
The Second Age: Man starts to make and use tools. At this point, all the rules of natural selection that previously held sway are called into question. Man is no longer being shaped by natural selection to suit his environment, but now shapes his environment to suit himself. Adaptations that were once necessary for survival (large, powerful dentition, furry skin, etc.) are now unnecessary (who needs to grind nuts between their teeth when they can just use a rock?), or downright unfavorable (when you can wear the pelts of other animals for warmth, natural fur loses its value, and instead becomes a problem, as disease-bearing parasites are at home in fur). Thus, evolution takes a new direction.
The Third Age: Man learns to directly edit the essence of his genetic heritage. At this point, Man takes custody of his own evolution.
Is this good or bad? I believe it was Carl Sagan who theorized that live is inherently self-destructive, and that life will usually evolve to a certain point, and then destroy itself (which explains why we haven't seen any aliens yet). When he said this, everyone though he was referring to another cusp in our development: nuclear power. We seem to have survived that one (still too early to call), but the one we are at right now could prove equally capable of wiping us out. "We're playing with forces we can't even begin to comprehend", some doom-sayers will say, but they've said it before, and they will undoubtedly say it again. But we'll never get anywhere if we're too scared to take the big steps.
I personally think these hairless monkeys have what it takes. My money's on them.
As a species, we haven't been around very long at all. Do we have genuine survivability as a species? As this time, it's too early to say.
The Third Age is upon us.
Actually, that was great...you gotta appreciate it when he inclides links back to his earlier postings. :P
I find if very difficult, not to mention depressing, to believe in a God that gives us the potential to accomplish something, and yet expects us to hold back, rather than infringe upon his personal turf. Sounds like a very insecure 'God' to me.
Just one of the reasons I believe in God, yet despise and detest organized religion in any form.
Sure, I believe in God...I just don't trust anybody who works for him.
Cosmos ruled my world.
All in all, a very interesting time to be alive.
I also liked it when he was putting Spock's brain back, and freaked out when he lost the knowledge of how to perform the operation halfway through... :)
This looks like a lame .sig file...but it's not.
Anything else is a felony offense.
"My hovercraft is full of eels."
I don't want a goddamn 'interactive experience' when I'm trying to buy a Coke! I don't go to the Coke machine to be entertained....I go because I'm thirsty! Gimme my damned Coke already!
Where do you live, where it costs $1000.50 to see a movie? Redmond?
You have got to be joking.
Or perhaps you have your own, novel definition of the word 'style'. Please share with the group.
Prior inhabitants have never been much of an obstacle to 'manifest destiny'. Just ask the Indians.
OK so far...
And since it is rotating along with the Earth but at a greater radius, it has a greater eastward velocity than the Earth's surface so it falls to the east, wrapping itself around the equator like string around a ball.
Actually, no. Although the top of the cable does possess a greater angular velocity than the bottom, it is also moving through a proportionally greater arc of space. After the cable snaps, the only thing that has changed in the equation is that the cable/payload unit, which was suspended due its center of mass lying beyond geosynchronous orbit, is now a separate payload unit outside geosynchronous orbit (more on that later), and a cable, whose new center of gravity is well within geosynchronous orbit. Thus, the cable cannot remain in its suspended state, and falls. As it falls, atmospheric effects (read: wind) may influence its fall, but by and large, it will come straight down. This may be a problem, particularly if the thing breaks high up on the chain. Don't be below this thing when it falls (visions of the fall of shadow square wire in Ringworld come to mind).
In respects to the payload, all that will happen to it when it disconnects is it will attain a higher, non-geosynchronous orbit, where it will remain (hopefully until astronauts can effect a rescue of the crew).
I am that weenie.
Fairly lame...if I went to all the trouble to hack Microsoft, I sure would leave a better looking page than that....
I thought we were discussing A.C.C.'s ideas, and the logical extension of same, such as buckytubes and skyhooks (an interesting discussion thus far). Perhaps the subject of his sexual proclivities ought to be discussed elsewhere.
In respects to buckytubes, I thought we were just starting to produce them in industrially significant quantities a year ago. I was hearing about all sorts of applications for them, from structural materials to ultra-thin computer monitors. What happened? Where's all the cool new toys? :(
"Read a book!!!" - Handy (longtime companion of the Human Ton).
This aspect is especially amusing, given that most supermodels owe their appearance to significantly more than merely good genes.
"French people piss me off..."
Eric Cartman
If the silly Englishman could actually follow through on that threat, he could probably make a lot more money more easily from his discovery of antigravity.
Bruce McCollough, Kids in the Hall