[PenultimateManStanding]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('KiddieKorral', ':')mrgreen:

So random, yet so sweet. Or should it be the other way around?

[KiddieKorral]

What I meant by
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'O')r should it be the other way around?

[Guest]

i believe cell-phones will dance before we feed the starving.

[uNkNowN ElEmEnt]

I believe the null space Einstein talked about (which makes up 99% of all matter) is where spirit lies. I also think that since light can pass through objects, it is this space that makes it possible. I also think this space is continuous with no end, running through everything and everyone in the universe. this is what connects us. I also believe you can access knowledge and intent there.

[Apathy]

Well, now that I think about, I believe just about everything. But you know what? I really don't care enough to prove any of it. So I guess I can write just about everything I know in here.

But ok, I'll make a special effort. I believe that Sloth will someday get off our darn couch, but I can't prove it!

Hmmm,... seemed funny when I thought of it. But now, it just feels dumb. Oh well, back to watching the weather channel for me.

[bobcousins]

I agree that Earth probably has the oldest or only surviving life in the galaxy, or at least one of a very few examples, but your galactic astronomy is a little off. Life could only form in a younger solar system because it needs the heavier elements which are only formed by stars at the end of their life. Also there are good reasons why life is unlikely to arise at the centre or edges of the galaxy; the sweet spot is about 1/3 to 1/5 the way from the centre, which about where we are.

Although its sometimes claimed that many planets could support life, when you look at it there are lots of reasons why Earth is "just right". For example a lot of stars are in binary systems, which probably aren't conducive to life; having a large moon keeps our orbit stable; large outer planets sweep up comets; Earth has a molten iron core which creates a protective magnetic field, the list goes on. And intelligent life is not inevitable.

I draw my conclusion from Fermis paradox; if there is intelligent life out there, it would only take a few million years to travel around the galaxy- so why haven't we seen them yet? I think either life is far more rare than suggested by the Drake formula; or that space travel is just too difficult. I now realise there is a third possibility : advanced civilisations run out of energy before they are able to colonise other planets.

I see two areas where our technology has peaked : supersonic passenger planes, and manned space flight. The ISS is like camping in the garden when you are a child, except that it costs about $200 million a year to send up enough supplies for one astronaut. I would love to see a manned mission to Mars, but I can't see it happening.

Will our civilization survive for another thousand years, let alone millions?

[PenultimateManStanding]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('KiddieKorral', 'W')hat I meant by
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'O')r should it be the other way around?

[rowante]

Most topical replies for PO.com... my noms are:

Jean Paul Schmetz

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'W')hen considering this question one has to remember the basis of the scientific method: formulating hypotheses that can be disproved. Those hypotheses that are not disproved are thought to be true until disproved. Since it is more glamorous for a scientist to formulate hypotheses that it is to spend years disproving existing ones from other scientists and that it is unlikely that someone will spend enough time and energy trying to disprove his/her own statements, our body of scientific knowledge is surely full of statements we believe to be true but will eventually be proved to be false.

So I turn the question around: What scientific ideas that have not been disproved, do you believe are false.

In my field (theoretical economics), I believe that most ideas taught in economics 101 will be proved false eventually. Most of them would already have been officially defined as false in any other more hard-science, but, because of lack of better hypotheses they are still widely accepted and used in economics and general commentary. Eventually, someone will come up with another type of hypotheses explaining (and predicting) the economic reality in a way that will render most existing economics beliefs false.

[PenultimateManStanding]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('rowante', '
')
Nassim Nicholas Taleb
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'W')e are good at fitting explanations to the past, all the while living in the illusion of understanding the dynamics of history.

My claim is about the severe overestimation of knowledge. . . I am convinced that these disciplines do not provide much understanding of the world . . . they mostly fit a nice sounding narrative. . . all you get is misplaced confidence about what you know.

Now I am convinced, yet cannot prove it quantitatively, that such overestimation can be generalized to anything where people give you a narrative-style story from past information, without experimentation.

[PenultimateManStanding]

Why are these your noms rowante and what do have to say, if anything, about them?

[smallpoxgirl]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('bobcousins', 'I') think either life is far more rare than suggested by the Drake formula; or that space travel is just too difficult.

[rowante]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('PenultimateManStanding', 'W')hy are these your noms rowante and what do have to say, if anything, about them?

[everything-is-fine]

Funny, -I'm so sick of debating on this particular issue that I feel my head is about to explode, -but as long as we are all just chiming in with our beliefs, -here goes.

I believe that there is absolutely nothing in the universe that is in any way remotely describable as God. Or a god.

No defense of this statement will be offered, because I'm actually not interested in convincing anyone, -but you can be sure I am going to continue believing it.

[skiwi]

I have nearly finished watching Ian Lungold - secrets of the mayan calendar unveiled from sept 2003 .... and it's mind blowing

I believe every word he's said especially in view of current events

seeding stromgly at http://conspiracy.hopto.org:6969/

[PenultimateManStanding]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('rowante', '
')
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'N')ow I am convinced, yet cannot prove it quantitatively, that such overestimation can be generalized to anything where people give you a narrative-style story from past information, without experimentation.