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Ancient Sumerians created the first writing system

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Re: Ancient Sumerians created the first writing system

#41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, you can't. Our understanding of physical constants is based on empirical confirmation via multiple samples. They're still just probably correct, and we haven't confirmed the laws of physics are uniform across either time or space.

This whole concept is what the skeptical shorthand of "you can't prove a negative" actually means. You can show some instance or set of instances of something, but you cannot show that something is universally always true. The tentative nature of our ability to understand the world is the basis for why we use science to approximate objective reality.

so i tend to think that science, as approximated here^, is how i tend yo assertively believe as well.

namely, that science reveals our perceptible reality, through a specific arrangement of direct and indirect observations following along philosophical notions through critically formulated discursive language.

who is to say, like historical evidence, what type of philosophical investigations might provide us some way of becoming aware the breviously unknown?

i suggest having an honest imagination to everyone!

Re: Ancient Sumerians created the first writing system

#42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would like something like that, but I wouldn’t want it to be run by the government.

Sure, really just fired off my comment without much thought and obviously would suck in real life since it would be hijacked by politicians. Not wedded to the government part, kinda just pretending US gov capable of public services like this

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Re: Ancient Sumerians created the first writing system

#43

I would love if the government had a class people could take at 30, 40, whatever to catch me up on dinosaur lore updates and all the other shit i learned about in school

YouTube is wonderful for that! Try PBS Eons for dinosaur and general fossil history.

Re: Ancient Sumerians created the first writing system

#45
post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are walls really a requirement for something being considered a city? Off the top of my head, I've been to New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Boston and don't recall anything I'd describe as a "wall" around any of them. Is not having walls just an American thing? I could imagine the historical definition of "city" not being consistent with modern cities, but if that's the case, it's no wonder that this…

Walls are generally not a formal requirement, but are implied so due to their commonality. All ancient cities, especially pre-civilization, had walls though, often several layers of walls built on top of each other as the given cities were pillaged and rebuilt. Its not confusing to anybody vaguely aware of ancient history.

IIRC, the Sumerians (through the Akkadians perhaps) left records stating they had to build walls around their cities. Which to me certainly implies the Sumerians had cities without walls for some time. Pretty big deal that, to have recorded it.

Re: Ancient Sumerians created the first writing system

#46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure, really just fired off my comment without much thought and obviously would suck in real life since it would be hijacked by politicians. Not wedded to the government part, kinda just pretending US gov capable of public services like this

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Re: Ancient Sumerians created the first writing system

#48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure, really just fired off my comment without much thought and obviously would suck in real life since it would be hijacked by politicians. Not wedded to the government part, kinda just pretending US gov capable of public services like this

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Which party is that? The one that constantly tries to cut the funding or the one that constantly tries to reward and excuse failure? The republicans in congress threatening to cut programs they don’t like is probably not helping things. But there are numerous state and local governments that are the exclusive domain of the democrats that do a lousy job without any Republican boogeyman in sight.

Re: Ancient Sumerians created the first writing system

#49
> the symbol for “woman,” a downward-pointing triangle with a notch at the bottom tip

It is curious. Today a pictogram of a woman is an upward-pointing triangle with some small details added, while a downward-pointing triangle with the same details is a man. Sumerians would use a wrong bathroom all the time. Or we would use a wrong sumerian bathroom if we time traveled there.

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