Will humanity overcome or be defeated

[FireSky86]

by its very own?

I listen to this song (no matter how trance like it is: ) and wonder how humanity will downplay itself in the future. This can be as much of a philosophy question as a general concern for humanity type of question.

Often, I hear that mankind has overcome many things (Ice Age, Plagues, Wars..) but does the future bring more doubt just because it is the future?

It is a question I ponder quite often. Yet it is ironic since that we are able to live longer due to technology and information at our finger tips.

 

[Denton]

Humanity will survive, or it'll die trying.

 

[disregardthat]

Often, I hear that mankind has overcome many things (Ice Age, Plagues, Wars..) but does the future bring more doubt just because it is the future?

Yes.

 

[tony134340]

I'd have more hope for humanity if it looked at the world and its own self more objectively. I get tired of seeing human-biased answers. If you want a true answer from a human regarding its future, don't ask the human.

Though I'd say, we just don't know. More information means more power. More power means more ability to kill more people at one time. Also more information means a more efficient way of doing things. Humans are designed to be mental and somewhat physical workhorses. We've evolved enough intellectually to where we don't really need to evolve intellectually. We don't want to think hard so we design computers. We don't want to work hard, so we design machines. Our creation could run us into obsolescence and then we'll ask ourselves what is the purpose of all this in the first place.

Is it to work? If so, if we keep progressing, we may eventually build something better than us. Or is it just to be naive and happy just doing the work and not being so ambitious? Well, humans are not good at that, in general. We are comparatively ambitious and sensitive in many ways compared to other animals both intellectually and I'd say physically also. So I guess I see us going and going, not being happy with good enough, and something happening. Maybe we'll die off, maybe we'll evolve into another more intelligent species if given enough time. Maybe we'll split into species and perhaps those species may go to war sometime. Maybe one will explore the vast reaches of the universe. Maybe our future selves will resemble aliens. What if we knew our future selves were comparable to lizards? We strive so much to maintain being humans, as we are. If we knew we were going to change so much in the future that we essentially weren't us or distinguishable anymore, would we want to keep progressing? Are we working to maintain ourselves or working to change ourselves? We keep tinkering away like we are unhappy so obviously humans are usually wanting change but too much change isn't good for such a sensitive organism and ecosystem. We could easily make a mistake.

But on a personal level, I'm not sure I have much hope for humans as a species. We're way too ambitious, if you ask me. We always have to push buttons to see what they do. Curiosity in the human animal is unparalleled with others. Its our wits and curiosity which propelled us here and has paid off. But when we get more powerful and perhaps able to kill each other with the push of a button, could we refrain? Can we escape this little marble in space and spread ourselves before some catastrophic event occurred due to our own stupidity or to just an unfortunate galactic occurrence?

 

[FireSky86]

I'd have more hope for humanity if it looked at the world and its own self more objectively. I get tired of seeing human-biased answers. If you want a true answer from a human regarding its future, don't ask the human.

Though I'd say, we just don't know. More information means more power. More power means more ability to kill more people at one time. Also more information means a more efficient way of doing things. Humans are designed to be mental and somewhat physical workhorses. We've evolved enough intellectually to where we don't really need to evolve intellectually. We don't want to think hard so we design computers. We don't want to work hard, so we design machines. Our creation could run us into obsolescence and then we'll ask ourselves what is the purpose of all this in the first place.

Is it to work? If so, if we keep progressing, we may eventually build something better than us. Or is it just to be naive and happy just doing the work and not being so ambitious? Well, humans are not good at that, in general. We are comparatively ambitious and sensitive in many ways compared to other animals both intellectually and I'd say physically also. So I guess I see us going and going, not being happy with good enough, and something happening. Maybe we'll die off, maybe we'll evolve into another more intelligent species if given enough time. Maybe we'll split into species and perhaps those species may go to war sometime. Maybe one will explore the vast reaches of the universe. Maybe our future selves will resemble aliens. What if we knew our future selves were comparable to lizards? We strive so much to maintain being humans, as we are. If we knew we were going to change so much in the future that we essentially weren't us or distinguishable anymore, would we want to keep progressing? Are we working to maintain ourselves or working to change ourselves? We keep tinkering away like we are unhappy so obviously humans are usually wanting change but too much change isn't good for such a sensitive organism and ecosystem. We could easily make a mistake.

But on a personal level, I'm not sure I have much hope for humans as a species. We're way too ambitious, if you ask me. We always have to push buttons to see what they do. Curiosity in the human animal is unparalleled with others. Its our wits and curiosity which propelled us here and has paid off. But when we get more powerful and perhaps able to kill each other with the push of a button, could we refrain? Can we escape this little marble in space and spread ourselves before some catastrophic event occurred due to our own stupidity or to just an unfortunate galactic occurrence?

Incredible answer. I wonder if there is a book out there that can be along the lines of your type of questions you have presented here?

Thanks

 

[tony134340]

Incredible answer. I wonder if there is a book out there that can be along the lines of your type of questions you have presented here?

Thanks

I wish I knew but people may say I have a dreary outlook and as genes and memes go, ideas which may seem dreary don't spread too well so it wouldn't be too popular. Most books would probably play to humanistic feelings of hope to try to get a sell. It's a shame how often the truth is pushed away because it may be too unpopular or too depressing. Though I'd like to think I have a balanced view, trying to leave out human emotion, but we still can't quite escape that fully. Ask me when I'm in a better mood and that view may change slightly to something more positive. Chemical reactions play a strong role in how we see things. And as I like to say, the only thing I'm unsure of is how unsure I am. When you try to see so many viewpoints at one time, it's easy to lose footing and feel you have a foundation for your own views.

 

[Emanresu56]

Humanity will inevitably become extinct. It is law. The best we can do is prolong our existence.

 

[skeptic2]

It seems that however small the probability that we (or something else) will kill off our species, it still remains a possibility. Also possible is evolution into something else.