1434 replies to this topic

[XMark]

Just separating this thread from the RELIGION thread for our continued talking about the nature of the universe, etc.

EDIT: aww, it put the title of the thread into mixed case

[Skiptastic]

I find that my greater knowledge of science gives me a greater understanding of God.

Both threads pwned at once! BOOYAH!

[Ranger-X]

Poetry in moootion
And when she turned her eyyyyes to me
As deep as any oooocean
As sweet as any harrrrmony
She blinded me with science
And failed me in geoooometry

[XMark]

I find that my greater knowledge of science gives me a greater understanding of God.

Both threads pwned at once! BOOYAH!

I think science gives me a greater understanding of GIRLS

[genoboost]

I find that my greater knowledge of science gives me a greater understanding of God.

Both threads pwned at once! BOOYAH!

I think science gives me a greater understanding of GIRLS

Science gives me a better understanding of...11:60?

also just to put it out there, paleontology is AWESOME

[genoboost]

double post. looks like a species of lizards introduced to a different area evolved very rapidly over the span of about 30 years!

http://news.national...-evolution.html

[Nick The Newbie]

Shutting down..........

Attempting shut down.........

It's not...IT'S NOT SHUTTING DOWN IT'S NOT

[Zio Oxview]

Perhaps, one day, science will allow me to understand why these things are so delicious and addicting.

[Ranger-X]

Let's talk about robotics. I, for one, find humanoid robots scary. Not because they're humanoid robots, but just because of how they look...not quite robot, not quite human. Like that one robot that was supposed to look and act like a baby, but was larger than any baby, and had a shell of white plastic, and black eyes. I'll see if I can dig up a picture of it. I think maybe robotics engineers don't want to create a robot that actually looks like a human, because it's a bit of a faux pas, but I'd much rather see that than something that looks alien.

Also, thank you nick for posting that.

[raubhimself]

There have been studies done that show evidence that the more like a human that a robot looks, the more discomfort people have around it.

[genoboost]

There have been studies done that show evidence that the more like a human that a robot looks, the more discomfort people have around it.

Yeah, it's called the uncanny valley. where something is really close to being real, but some key element is missing that just makes it scary as hell!
same is true for dogs as well apparently.
You know the one i mean

[Nick The Newbie]

There have been studies done that show evidence that the more like a human that a robot looks, the more discomfort people have around it.

http://en.wikipedia..../Uncanny_Valley

[XMark]

I think it's pretty much inevitable that robots are going to replace humans in the future.

I don't think it's going to be like Terminator or The Matrix or anything, with some giant war between man and machine. It's going to be a largely voluntary process.

First step: brain-computer interfaces. We get rid of our keyboards and joysticks, and plug directly into our computers and gaming systems via mind link. FPS games finally have a better control option than the old mouse+keyboard combo. Another benefit of this is, when combined with the internet, all of a sudden it's like you have a larger capacity of knowledge in your brain. If you have a wireless internet connection interfaced directly into your brain then you have instant access to any information available online almost as easily as if you knew it yourself. IM's no longer exist, and you basically have telepathic conversations with people over the internet.

As the technology gets more advanced, the lines between individual consciousnesses are blurred, and eventually (probably at least 500 years in the future) eliminated altogether, and the entire human race is one synchronized global super-intelligence.

At the same time, the technology to enhance our bodies increases. Evolution dealt us a superior brain to all creatures on earth, but that brain made it so that it was not necessary for the rest of our bodies to be as strong. We can't win a wrestling match with a bear, sprint faster than a cheetah, track down a person's scent like a bloodhound, see as far as an eagle, or balance like a cat. We use technology to achieve these feats, and it's only a matter of time before we directly enhance ourselves this way, genetically or cybernetically (or both) enhancing our body parts one at a time, until we've completely upgraded every one of our parts and no longer resemble our former human selves.

Though that makes me wonder, what is that gigantic global intelligence going to feel like? If everyone converges into one thing, is that one thing going to get lonely? Maybe once we reach that point we all simultaneously shut down in despair. Maybe that's why no intelligent alien life has visited us yet.

EDIT: yeah, sometimes I start thinking about something and then don't stop until it's too late

[cetera]

You know the one i mean

thanks in advance for the nightmares. awesome dude.

[carbuncle]

Oh god, that is terrifying. Kinda looks like 2 people with loooong legs with their heads in the thing.

I'm wearing my science shirt today.