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Who Aligns the Aligners?

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Re: Who Aligns the Aligners?

#31

Post by Avicebron »

jazzypants wrote: post #18
recroad wrote: post #4

What's up with this split or democratic vs non-democratic countries? It doesn't even add-up because you can easily make a case that China is a democratic country with a far better system of governance and ability to control this problem than "Western" governments. Highly suggest this quick read on the different types of democracy in our glorious world[1]. [1] https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/2193933.The_Real_Wo…

China is not a democratic country. Words have meaning. The US has a checkered past and is quickly moving away from democracy, so we don't have much of a leg to stand on, but it's integral that we do not lose track of what that word means in the years ahead.

Yeah it's concerning hearing elites on the left looking at the current admin's model and salivating at the power. For the people, by the people, etc, etc.

Re: Who Aligns the Aligners?

#32

Post by tstenner »

XorNot wrote: post #24
watwut wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Plus, plenty of negative predictions turned out to be entirely true. And then it took a lot of time and effort to counteract them. It is not like history was composed of happiness and roses only. Some of the really really bad stuff happened within last 100 years and a lot of that bad stuff was enabled and made possible by technology.

Such as? Like it's fine to say this but the worst exterminations of human beings weren't enabled by anything much kre sophisticated then the pointy stick, or at most, the railroad.

We're in the middle of finding it out with climate change.

Re: Who Aligns the Aligners?

#34

Post by myrmidon »

timr wrote: post #23
fwlr wrote: post #5

> Nobody knows the answer and history is no guide, save that apocalyptic predictions about new technologies have, to date, all been wrong. If any past apocalyptic prediction had been true, you would not have been around to write this sentence and we would not have been around to read it. It’s not a very convincing argument when we cannot in principle observe the counterfactual.

By that logic, literally any ridiculous supposition must be taken seriously, because you can’t prove a negative.

No, that does not follow.

Any other argument against is perfectly fine, just not the "it hasn't happened before" one.

Re: Who Aligns the Aligners?

#35

Post by chrchang523 »

fwlr wrote: post #5

> Nobody knows the answer and history is no guide, save that apocalyptic predictions about new technologies have, to date, all been wrong. If any past apocalyptic prediction had been true, you would not have been around to write this sentence and we would not have been around to read it. It’s not a very convincing argument when we cannot in principle observe the counterfactual.

This is, of course, known as the Anthropic Principle…

Re: Who Aligns the Aligners?

#36

Post by blfr »

RandomLensman wrote: post #29
XorNot wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Such as? Like it's fine to say this but the worst exterminations of human beings weren't enabled by anything much kre sophisticated then the pointy stick, or at most, the railroad.

Early data processing machines were used in the Holocaust, for example. Or cipher devices played important roles in WWII.

Mongols did it on horseback. It's mostly a matter of will/capability and no scruples.

Re: Who Aligns the Aligners?

#37

Post by [deleted] »

RandomLensman wrote: post #29
XorNot wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Such as? Like it's fine to say this but the worst exterminations of human beings weren't enabled by anything much kre sophisticated then the pointy stick, or at most, the railroad.

Early data processing machines were used in the Holocaust, for example. Or cipher devices played important roles in WWII.

[deleted]

Re: Who Aligns the Aligners?

#38

Post by bayindirh »

tstenner wrote: post #32
XorNot wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Such as? Like it's fine to say this but the worst exterminations of human beings weren't enabled by anything much kre sophisticated then the pointy stick, or at most, the railroad.

We're in the middle of finding it out with climate change.

Middle?

We're just starting. The air conditioning technology didn't hit its wall of fire yet. What we're going to do when that tech will cease to cool us?

Every AC system (from refrigerators to air conditioners) has an upper limit, which is around 41 degrees Celsius for T1 class.

Re: Who Aligns the Aligners?

#40

Post by RandomLensman »

blfr wrote: post #36
RandomLensman wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Early data processing machines were used in the Holocaust, for example. Or cipher devices played important roles in WWII.

Mongols did it on horseback. It's mostly a matter of will/capability and no scruples.

Why do we need modern weapons for defense at all then? Horses, bows & arrows plus will not enough?
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