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Researcher links mass extinctions to 'Planet X'

phys.org

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Re: Researcher links mass extinctions to 'Planet X'

#31

Post by ams6110 »

NathanKP wrote: post #19
cubano wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So in the end, you envision addiction destroying humanity. It's an interesting insight but I can't really see it happening the way you describe. There are already many substances (opiates, crack, meth to name a few), some that have been around for centuries, that give intense dopamine-release rushes. Yet, only a small percentage of people, around 5-10%, seem to have the addictive personality required to completely di…

People who don't get addicted to chemical drugs don't get addicted because they have things in their lives (rewarding work, good relationships/sex, religion and other forms of self actualization) which gives them dopamine triggers that are more enjoyable than the drug. On the other hand people who lack things that give them the natural dopamine trigger tend to get highly addicted to chemicals that trigger the dopamin…

I know a lot of people who hate or are ambivalant their jobs, have bad or no relationships/sex, and are not drug addicts or even recreational users.

Re: Researcher links mass extinctions to 'Planet X'

#32

Post by pitchka »

Chronic51 wrote: post #27
vkou wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We're currently the primary cause of an on-going mass extinction. [1] [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holocene_extinction

That's fine. We still have a thousand years or two. We should be off this planet by then.

It's weird how we seem to understand exponential growth of technology but have a hard time grasping the exponential build-up of excess greenhouse gases due to the exponential growth of human population and economy.

I wonder how these thousand years might look if currently there have been temperature difference of extremes by 20 degrees, with average already raised by 2.

For example, mass extinction of oceanic ecosystems is due to somewhere around 2050s. Whole oceans will get empty very quickly. http://science.sciencemag.org/content/314/5800/787

Collateral victim count of ~3 trillion yearly deaths of oceanic animals is a big contributor.

We'll see how the world will cope when main oxygen producers disappear.

Re: Researcher links mass extinctions to 'Planet X'

#36

Post by tremon »

Retra wrote: post #29
NathanKP wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People who don't get addicted to chemical drugs don't get addicted because they have things in their lives (rewarding work, good relationships/sex, religion and other forms of self actualization) which gives them dopamine triggers that are more enjoyable than the drug. On the other hand people who lack things that give them the natural dopamine trigger tend to get highly addicted to chemicals that trigger the dopamin…

>People who don't get addicted to chemical drugs don't get addicted because they have things in their lives (rewarding work, good relationships/sex, religion and other forms of self actualization) which gives them dopamine triggers that are more enjoyable than the drug. That sounds like something you should back up with unambiguous evidence.

I urge you to look up that evidence for yourself, it is easily found. There is both empirical evidence, from e.g. rats, and sociological experiments, from rehab centers.

Also, I reject your use of "unambiguous". Ambiguity is a given, we're not discussing a mathematical proof here.

Re: Researcher links mass extinctions to 'Planet X'

#37

Post by tremon »

krapp wrote: post #30
NathanKP wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In my opinion it's much more likely that sentient beings apathy themselves into extinction. Humans already show a tendency towards addiction to technology that exploits dopamine triggers, as social networks like Facebook do. Now imagine a world in which matrix style neural implants give you all the dopamine fulfillment that you want with no need for any effort. And combine this neural implant replacement for reality…

Your definition of "sentient being" seems too anthropocentric to me. Why should anyone but humans happen to have evolved something like a brain with dopamine centers and the capacity for pleasure or addiction?

His position doesn't really change if you accept the use of "dopamine center" as a metaphor. For as far as we know, reward/punishment are essential triggers for adaptive neural networks. I don't think it's anthropocentric to presuppose that any advanced lifeform can artificially stimulate its own reward mechanisms.

Re: Researcher links mass extinctions to 'Planet X'

#39

Post by api »

NathanKP wrote: post #8
Razengan wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If certain science fiction is to believed, there is a pan-dimensional super-intelligence that feeds on all sentience once they cross a certain technological level, so it's all futile anyway.

In my opinion it's much more likely that sentient beings apathy themselves into extinction. Humans already show a tendency towards addiction to technology that exploits dopamine triggers, as social networks like Facebook do. Now imagine a world in which matrix style neural implants give you all the dopamine fulfillment that you want with no need for any effort. And combine this neural implant replacement for reality…

I've wondered before if one "great filter" might not be utopia. Species achieve a very pleasant steady state, adopt some form of epicurean philosophy, and then sit there until they fade away or something kills them.

The filter would be whether an intelligence, having achieved a very satisfying "utopian" local maximum, chooses "irrationally" to continue striving.

It's really not so irrational though if you understand what a local maximum is and the implications. But it might feel that way.

This is basically the plot and core idea of goethe's Faust. The deal he makes with the devil is that the devil will give him knowledge and power but can take his soul the moment he becomes content.

Re: Researcher links mass extinctions to 'Planet X'

#40

Post by nickpsecurity »

Razengan wrote: post #5
greenwalls wrote: post #2

It would be interesting to know where we are currently on this theoretical mass extinction cycle. Hopefully we have a few million years left.

If certain science fiction is to believed, there is a pan-dimensional super-intelligence that feeds on all sentience once they cross a certain technological level, so it's all futile anyway.

I was just explaining why whoever came up with that schene shouldve got an award or something. Particularly due to fact that they use pre-mastered tech, geography, and transport they control to force evolution to develop in a way that poses littke risk to them. Might actually work.
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