by Carlhole » Tue 01 Dec 2009, 16:55:27
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Arthur75', 'A')gain with the new "singularity is coming" religion ...
(previous ones, religions that is, had the great merit of creating art, this one just creates boring technical promises PR statements, slogans, and buzz words, a bit sad ..

)
It's not a religion. It's just noticing certain strong directions in science that are valuable and possible. Then making a good guess about the future.
The predominant idea on PeakOil.com is that declining energy supplies will choke off civilization and it will crumble. However, most people on this forum seem knee-jerk eager to throw out all Science and Technology along with Chevy Tahoe.
Listen, babies, obtaining knowledge and know-how is a basic human drive. You can't stop it even under the most dire circumstances. In fact, it is under dire circumstances that great periods of invention and insight finally arrive.
To be a doomer, you have to believe that this basic human drive will somehow stop working in the service of invention, adaptation, new insight, etc. This never has made any sense to me. Also, I have no reason to believe that well-designed experimental facilities like NIF and CERN and the thousands of other research institutions will suddenly come up empty-handed at the End Of All Possible Knowledge.
I see the population shrinking to accommodate some new way of living and advancing in a world whose ecosystems and resources have to be maintained. This impetus creates an evolutionary pressure on mankind - which responds using science/technology.
It's as natural as the dawn.