06-20-2009, 12:39 PM | #41 | |
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Re: The General Degredation of Society
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The whole concept of environmental ethics and the degree to which we should consider the consequences of our actions on non-humans is a comparatively new branch of thought (Or at least, theories that say we -should- give a damn are relatively new, historically speaking) Go read some Peter Singer for some of the more Cogent arguments. |
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06-21-2009, 11:59 PM | #42 | |
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Re: The General Degredation of Society
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For example, this article proposes a theory about what happens when mammal and bird species go extinct: a possible effect is that their parasites (which tend to be more resilient) will switch to us as alternative hosts. Although many parasites are specialized for one species of host, researchers have noticed far fewer co-extinctions of host-parasite pairs than expected. In other words, when mammal and bird species go extinct, their parasites are surviving, and moving to other species (possibly including humans). The article then notes that areas where the most new human diseases are emerging coincide with areas with the highest number of endangered mammal and bird species. Correlation doesn't equal causation, but it certainly does strengthen the theory, and hints toward the need for caution and more research. This is only one way in which extinctions of "some random species of bird/lizard/whatever going extinct that nobody's even heard of" can affect humans. Even if nobody cares that the dodo bird is gone, we might be getting sick just a little more often because they are. If that effect is magnified, the consequences could be serious. This doesn't even go into the effects of random insect/bacteria extinctions that could reduce certain plant populations, which could have and even more dire effects. It's true that these thing happen slowly, but if we let things progress without taking action, it might be too late to stop some of the changes later on. (...first post in Critical Thinking. Hope I didn't make a complete fool of myself). |
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06-22-2009, 12:19 AM | #43 |
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Re: The General Degredation of Society
Also, in response to the OP:
We haven't found a cure for cancer because there are thousands of different types of cancer, caused by thousands of different things, all progressing in different ways. Almost all of them used to be fatal, but nowadays, some of the most common types (e.g. non-melanoma skin cancer) have an over 90% five year survival rate thanks to medical advances. Cancers still are one of the most common causes of death, but it doesn't mean we haven't gotten anywhere with them. I agree with everyone else who's saying that we have made significant technological advances in the last few decades. TC_Halogen brought up an interesting question about what would happen if all our technology stopped working, though. Maybe that's another way of looking at the OP's proposition about the degradation of society - that we've become so dependent on technology we can't survive without it. I've wondered about that a lot, too. Any ideas? |
06-23-2009, 03:27 PM | #44 | |
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Re: The General Degredation of Society
I don't think it's so much that we can't survive without technology. I would guess that if somehow all technology was ripped from our society, we would revert back to primitive ways and start over again, although in very different conditions. Things certainly wouldn't be the same, but I highly doubt that it would bring about the end of the human race.
I like it how the OP stopped posting.
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08-9-2009, 10:26 AM | #45 | |
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Re: The General Degredation of Society
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All Hail Britannia! -Lord Tyriel-
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08-9-2009, 10:33 AM | #46 |
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Re: The General Degredation of Society
Generally, when one comes into a thread that is now 3 pages long, one ought to glance over the general course of the discussion rather than just quote the OP and respond directly to it, ignoring all the discussion that has happened since then.
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08-9-2009, 10:50 AM | #47 | |
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Re: The General Degredation of Society
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Although your thought about getting technology ripped from society I doubt it would ever happen (if anything it would happen SLOWLY if not EVER). Primitive ways yes indeed, we would be at war trying to figure out how we got ourselves in this mess, we would be wanderers walking on sand and wastelands full of crippled buildings that have fallen thanks to no technology.(I would put it in these words "Bible Times" ah those good'ol times). Bringing the end of the human race, in a way it would kill off most of the population of the earth then maybe some people would try to live knowing what they know and try to rebuild a civilization thus remaking the world although differently. Technology is amazing my friends. These were my thoughts. -Tyriel- |
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08-10-2009, 06:38 AM | #48 |
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Re: The General Degredation of Society
Something to keep in mind though. If you saw the movie Knowing. Although it is unlikely that the solar pulse will be that powerful, it is very possible that a pulse can come and blow out our power systems. (transformers all the way up) In the 1700s the Solar Flares actually took out telegraph systems. If a magnetic storm actually hit(say in the year 2012 at solar maximum haha) we would be in for a very abrupt sudden change when every single one of those transformers has to be replaced to get the eletric grids back on line. When it comes to living without technology that is about as bad as it could ever possibly get.
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08-16-2009, 01:20 PM | #49 |
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Re: The General Degredation of Society
Then let us surly hope to whatever deity is out there that that never happens in my lifetime because our society is built on technology. Take it away we start from scratch if not nothing.
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