[diemos]

Not only is our accumulated knowledge not going to disappear over night but our installed base of hydro and nuclear already provides 15% of our primary energy and represents a minimum that we're unlikely to lose. I think a complete return to the 17th century is unlikely.

[vtsnowedin]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('diemos', 'N')ot only is our accumulated knowledge not going to disappear over night but our installed base of hydro and nuclear already provides 15% of our primary energy and represents a minimum that we're unlikely to lose. I think a complete return to the 17th century is unlikely.

[EnergyUnlimited]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('diemos', 'N')ot only is our accumulated knowledge not going to disappear over night but our installed base of hydro and nuclear already provides 15% of our primary energy and represents a minimum that we're unlikely to lose. I think a complete return to the 17th century is unlikely.

[Carlhole]

Hey, I just saw this article at New Scientist! It jibes with the subject at hand in this thread - that human beings' use of technology is fundamental to their nature and that it is unrealistic in the extreme to expect them to NOT seek sci/tech solutions to any problem, minor or major. This is what many doomers demand that people do - drop Science & Technology - and it is the main fallacy of doomer thought.

Artificial ape man: How technology created humans

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', '[')b]NS: You begin your book The Artificial Ape by claiming that Darwin was wrong. In what way?

Darwin is one of my heroes, but I believe he was wrong in seeing human evolution as a result of the same processes that account for other evolution in the biological world - especially when it comes to the size of our cranium.

Darwin had to put large cranial size down to sexual selection, arguing that women found brainy men sexy. But biomechanical factors make this untenable. I call this the smart biped paradox: once you are an upright ape, all natural selection pressures should be in favour of retaining a small cranium. That's because walking upright means having a narrower pelvis, capping babies' head size, and a shorter digestive tract, making it harder to support big, energy-hungry brains. Clearly our big brains did evolve, but I think Darwin had the wrong mechanism. I believe it was technology. We were never fully biological entities. We are and always have been artificial apes...

[Vogelzang]

My plans have always been to prepare for doom and let billions of fools die while I survive and have more of the earth's resources for myself at much lower prices.

[americandream]

Not going to happen. You will either be applied to future wars for resources or some effort to minimise the worst effects of capitalist collapse.

As capitalists come under mounting pressure at the profit margins, they will increasingly socialise their losses, inculding using your labour at minimal or no cost being one measure.

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Vogelzang', 'M')y plans have always been to prepare for doom and let billions of fools die while I survive and have more of the earth's resources for myself at much lower prices.

[EnergyUnlimited]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Carlhole', 'H')ey, I just saw this article at New Scientist! It jibes with the subject at hand in this thread - that human beings' use of technology is fundamental to their nature and that it is unrealistic in the extreme to expect them to NOT seek sci/tech solutions to any problem, minor or major. This is what many doomers demand that people do - drop Science & Technology - and it is the main fallacy of doomer thought.

[Ibon]

Dropping science and technology? Can anyone name any selective pressures that will favor reduced brain size and complexity?

[Ludi]

If we drop technology, we cease to be humans.

I haven't seen anyone here advocate for that, except maybe the "humans should go extinct" crowd.

[davep]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ibon', 'D')ropping science and technology? Can anyone name any selective pressures that will favor reduced brain size and complexity?

[EnergyUnlimited]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ibon', 'D')ropping science and technology? Can anyone name any selective pressures that will favor reduced brain size and complexity?

[davep]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('EnergyUnlimited', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ibon', 'D')ropping science and technology? Can anyone name any selective pressures that will favor reduced brain size and complexity?

[EnergyUnlimited]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('davep', '
')Couldn't we just breathe a little heavier?

[davep]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('EnergyUnlimited', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('davep', '
')Couldn't we just breathe a little heavier?

[Nano]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('davep', 'I') don't know. It would take a fairly radical decrease in oxygen for that. In the meantime we will probably reduce in numbers and ability to modify the natural world using fossil fuels, thereby allowing more natural flora which would redress the oxygen balance. Maybe...

[Nano]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('pstarr', 'N')o one demands we "drop Science & Technology." Such a statement misrepresents the mindset and the solutions proffered by reasonable, well-intentioned doomers here.

[kublikhan]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Nano', 'I')f oxygen level goes from 21% to 19% humans start to notice the effect. It would start to pay to have access to supplementary oxygen.

[BigTex]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ibon', 'D')ropping science and technology? Can anyone name any selective pressures that will favor reduced brain size and complexity?