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Humans Are Doomed to Go Extinct

scientificamerican.com

1–10 of 27 posts

Re: Humans Are Doomed to Go Extinct

#2
This is a silly article. Humans will be around until the next comet strike, the question is in what kind of conditions we'll be living until then. The degradation of the biosphere and our declining quality of life is real so it's better to focus on those issues instead of worrying about extinction. Global warming and increasing automation are much more clear and pertinent threats than our eventual extinction.

Re: Humans Are Doomed to Go Extinct

#3

This is a silly article. Humans will be around until the next comet strike, the question is in what kind of conditions we'll be living until then. The degradation of the biosphere and our declining quality of life is real so it's better to focus on those issues instead of worrying about extinction. Global warming and increasing automation are much more clear and pertinent threats than our eventual extinction.

>Humans will be around until the next comet strike

Not necessarily. For all we know, we might evolve into a different species over the next million years. Either way, though, extinction is just part of the natural process for any species, and not something we should worry about for ourselves. As you said, we are much better off considering how to improve biological conditions and quality of life than worrying about the eventual end of H. sapiens.

Re: Humans Are Doomed to Go Extinct

#4
post #3

This is a silly article. Humans will be around until the next comet strike, the question is in what kind of conditions we'll be living until then. The degradation of the biosphere and our declining quality of life is real so it's better to focus on those issues instead of worrying about extinction. Global warming and increasing automation are much more clear and pertinent threats than our eventual extinction.

>Humans will be around until the next comet strike Not necessarily. For all we know, we might evolve into a different species over the next million years. Either way, though, extinction is just part of the natural process for any species, and not something we should worry about for ourselves. As you said, we are much better off considering how to improve biological conditions and quality of life than worrying about t…

My default assumption is that there are plenty of people and there will be plenty of people for a long time. The only real threat to our survival is our own stupidity, greed, and avarice.

Re: Humans Are Doomed to Go Extinct

#6
Scientific American is pretty trash, so I guess this is what you might expect.

Multiple statements and implications have zero evidence to back them up. Fits with HN I guess.

> People nowadays have to work harder and longer to maintain the standards of living enjoyed by their parents

This is just rubbish. Not even in the USA which is only 5% of the worlds population is this true. Treatments of cancer alone are miles ahead, your parents cancer treatments are probably free if you wanted them. Do you think your parents could be in the 'great resignation' during a pandemic.

And for most of the world their parents lived in quite worse poverty.

The idea you can plot population 80 years ahead is just a joke. We couldn't do it a 80 years ago. We can't do it now.

What are you going to do on UBI? Travel the world for 60 years? The worlds already starting to become uniform. Family will become important again. Fertility treatments are/becoming pretty amazing, like all science.

Re: Humans Are Doomed to Go Extinct

#7

This is a silly article. Humans will be around until the next comet strike, the question is in what kind of conditions we'll be living until then. The degradation of the biosphere and our declining quality of life is real so it's better to focus on those issues instead of worrying about extinction. Global warming and increasing automation are much more clear and pertinent threats than our eventual extinction.

And it was only a matter of time before the arrogant comments came out. I would not be so sure of humanaty's ability to avoid extinction if we continue on the path we've charted.

Re: Humans Are Doomed to Go Extinct

#9
post #7

This is a silly article. Humans will be around until the next comet strike, the question is in what kind of conditions we'll be living until then. The degradation of the biosphere and our declining quality of life is real so it's better to focus on those issues instead of worrying about extinction. Global warming and increasing automation are much more clear and pertinent threats than our eventual extinction.

And it was only a matter of time before the arrogant comments came out. I would not be so sure of humanaty's ability to avoid extinction if we continue on the path we've charted.

What's arrogant about what I wrote?

Re: Humans Are Doomed to Go Extinct

#10
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And it was only a matter of time before the arrogant comments came out. I would not be so sure of humanaty's ability to avoid extinction if we continue on the path we've charted.

What's arrogant about what I wrote?

Your assumption that humans will be reasonable enough to not kill themselves, in the name of profit.
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