Is The Human Species On a Path To Self Destruction? (1 Viewer)

[TimmyBoy]

With the way things are going in the world today, is the human species on a path to self destruct and destroy itself completely? Or is the human species heading down the right path?

 

[hiker]

No. We are on top of the food chain because of our ability to adapt for survival. We will continue, come what may: be it natural destruction or of man's own making. By the way, some specifics on how it is you believe we will all meet our doom would be helpful in order to refute.

 

[TimmyBoy]

No. We are on top of the food chain because of our ability to adapt for survival. We will continue, come what may: be it natural destruction or of man's own making. By the way, some specifics on how it is you believe we will all meet our doom would be helpful in order to refute.

So, during the Cuban Missle Crisis, you don't think their was any potential for man to destroy itself or that it came close to that? What about terrorists getting their hands on a nuke and using it? What sort of consequences do you think will happen with that?

 

[TimmyBoy]

No. We are on top of the food chain because of our ability to adapt for survival. We will continue, come what may: be it natural destruction or of man's own making. By the way, some specifics on how it is you believe we will all meet our doom would be helpful in order to refute.

Or of states like Iran launching a nuke at Israel or of other nations acquiring nuclear weapons out of fear of stronger nations and end up using them on other weaker states and dragging in stronger states? Or an ecological disaster caused by global warming? The potential for disaster is limitless. Any scenario seems possible.

 

[Hornburger]

Not only because of the nuclear factor, but inevitably, there will be a bigger population than the Earth has resources for. Eventually there has to be a stopping point if humans reproduce at their current rate. Maybe they will not some sort of dark age. I am not saying that this will happen soon...but it will inevitably happen, it happens when any species gets too large, some of them eventually have to die off one way or the other.

 

[TimmyBoy]

Not only because of the nuclear factor, but inevitably, there will be a bigger population than the Earth has resources for. Eventually there has to be a stopping point if humans reproduce at their current rate. Maybe they will not some sort of dark age. I am not saying that this will happen soon...but it will inevitably happen, it happens when any species gets too large, some of them eventually have to die off one way or the other.

In that scenario, different factions of the human species, whom we would call nations, would kill each other for control of resources in order to survive.

 

[taxsquad]

I think we are doing fine. We are not in danger of self destruction

 

[hipsterdufus]

KURT VONNEGUT [before the last US Presidential election]: We are killing this planet as a life-support system with the poisons from all the thermodynamic whoopee we're making with atomic energy and fossil fuels, and everybody knows it, and practically nobody cares. This is how crazy we are. I think the planet's immune system is trying to get rid of us with AIDS and new strains of flu and tuberculosis, and so on, but I think it's too late. I don't think even it can keep George W. Bush from getting elected to a second term.

http://www.ctheory.net/articles.aspx?id=488

 

[hiker]

So, during the Cuban Missle Crisis, you don't think their was any potential for man to destroy itself or that it came close to that?

No. Oh sure, maybe America and the USSR may have blown each other up, but what about the rest of the world? And anyway, why does anything that did not come to pass in the past have any bearing on the discussion?

What about terrorists getting their hands on a nuke and using it? What sort of consequences do you think will happen with that?

That is a real threat that needs to be dealt with, but it is not the end of humanity.

Or of states like Iran launching a nuke at Israel or of other nations acquiring nuclear weapons out of fear of stronger nations and end up using them on other weaker states and dragging in stronger states?

Well, this is another discussion, but if you really want to deal with it here, I have a fear of Iran. We can not invade that country, we do not have a military large enough in manpower to pull that off. If we absolutely had to go it alone and quell that country, we can only do it with the overwhelming force of our nuclear arsenal. Which may indeed drag Russia or even China in as a potential responder. But I doubt it. All that being said, I can not see that worst case scenario coming to pass. It may cost lives, but Iran will one day renounce nuclear weapons and become a free state. So your idea is plausible, but highly unlikely.

Or an ecological disaster caused by global warming?

See my argument here:

http://www.debatepolitics.com/showpost.php?p=138234&postcount=4

The potential for disaster is limitless. Any scenario seems possible.

An asteroid striking the Earth, that's one you failed to mention. A real Earth-killer. Or an eruption of a Yellowstone-sized supervolcano cutting off sunlight and causing an ice age. But I get the feeling the "potential for disaster" that you believe is in our future is one of man's own making. That may be playing politics with the issue. A way of telling people that you disagree with politically that they are going to get us all killed if they don't stop what they are doing and start doing things the way you wish they would. It won't happen. The best thing you can do is hope for the future. And worry less about things you can't control. And above all, remember that life will go on, it always does.

 

[SKILMATIC]

I think the argument can go both ways. However, to get into a ******* contest about what will happen in the future is pointless. Most of us probably wont be here to see it.

 

[kal-el]

With the way things are going in the world today, is the human species on a path to self destruct and destroy itself completely? Or is the human species heading down the right path?

I think it is inevitable that someday, we will self-destruct. Indeed recent years have shown that intelligence dosen't rule the planet.Of course, there's been some progress, but on the whole, some people still die of hunger, and a war-like spirit exists. We have nukes, we are gonna use them someday. It may be next year, 5 years, or 100 years from now, but we have them, and they're definetly not for show, we're gonna use them. I assume we'll self-destruct before we're able to make inter-steller and inter-planetary journeys, as IMO those who have the technology to travel vast distances in space, also have the technology to destroy themselves if they don't curb their hostile intentions.

 

[hiker]

I think it is inevitable that someday, we will self-destruct. Indeed recent years have shown that intelligence dosen't rule the planet.Of course, there's been some progress, but on the whole, some people still die of hunger, and a war-like spirit exists. We have nukes, we are gonna use them someday. It may be next year, 5 years, or 100 years from now, but we have them, and they're definetly not for show, we're gonna use them. I assume we'll self-destruct before we're able to make inter-steller and inter-planetary journeys, as IMO those who have the technology to travel vast distances in space, also have the technology to destroy themselves if they don't curb their hostile intentions.

I don't see nukes as planet killers. Nation destroyers, yes. But nobody is aiming nukes at sub-Saharan Africa. Not to mention the other pockets of either undeveloped land or politically negligible population. And that being said, I don't see a full-scale nuclear war in our future. I think there is a chance some terror group may get a nuclear weapon from some Russian or North Korean contact. They may even use it. That will not destroy the human race. Iran, even if it does get the opportunity to build nukes (which I doubt) can not destroy humanity any more than the US can. The threat from space is much more likely to kill us all, and even that is at a once every 100 million year extinction rate.

You worry too much

 

[SKILMATIC]

I don't see nukes as planet killers. Nation destroyers, yes. But nobody is aiming nukes at sub-Saharan Africa. Not to mention the other pockets of either undeveloped land or politically negligible population. And that being said, I don't see a full-scale nuclear war in our future. I think there is a chance some terror group may get a nuclear weapon from some Russian or North Korean contact. They may even use it. That will not destroy the human race. Iran, even if it does get the opportunity to build nukes (which I doubt) can not destroy humanity any more than the US can. The threat from space is much more likely to kill us all, and even that is at a once every 100 million year extinction rate.

You worry too much

What hes getting at my dear friend is that becasue there will be a massive nuclear strike on many sides the world will suffer under nuclear winter fallout. Which will literally decimate all levels of life. Thats what hes saying.

 

[kal-el]

What hes getting at my dear friend is that becasue there will be a massive nuclear strike on many sides the world will suffer under nuclear winter fallout. Which will literally decimate all levels of life. Thats what hes saying.

Exactly. I guess great minds think alike, or maybe not?:2razz:

 

[SKILMATIC]

Exactly. I guess great minds think alike, or maybe not?:2razz:

Yep no problem. Always glad to help.

 

[hiker]

What hes getting at my dear friend is that becasue there will be a massive nuclear strike on many sides the world will suffer under nuclear winter fallout. Which will literally decimate all levels of life. Thats what hes saying.

Ah, but that is if you believe that such a thing would happen. The Earth has a pretty good system for cleaning herself up, otherwise the skies would be unbreathable even now. It's like with global warming, computer models can be created to say it will be 120 degrees in January in 10 years, but does that make it so? I don't believe that we can really have any clue about a world after MAD, but I do know the Earth has been through much worse from natural causes than anything we can throw at her, and it's still a pretty darned inhabitable place.:smile:

 

[SKILMATIC]

Ah, but that is if you believe that such a thing would happen. The Earth has a pretty good system for cleaning herself up, otherwise the skies would be unbreathable even now. It's like with global warming, computer models can be created to say it will be 120 degrees in January in 10 years, but does that make it so? I don't believe that we can really have any clue about a world after MAD, but I do know the Earth has been through much worse from natural causes than anything we can throw at her, and it's still a pretty darned inhabitable place.:smile:

I too beleive that the earth is exceptional at healing herself up. However, not when man abuses her. And if you know anything about the aftermaths of nuclear weapons I would say that you would understand what we are getting at. It has been said that 100 of the most powerful nukes in the world could destroy this earth. The most powerful nuke was estimated to have 100MT. Well the world has 300,000 MT worth of power of nukes. I would say thats pretty bad for the earth. Not to mention if you detonate one of these i water you would create a tidal wave half a mile high bearing 500knots. Just detonating these in the water would destroy most human life.

 

[hiker]

I too beleive that the earth is exceptional at healing herself up. However, not when man abuses her. And if you know anything about the aftermaths of nuclear weapons I would say that you would understand what we are getting at. It has been said that 100 of the most powerful nukes in the world could destroy this earth. The most powerful nuke was estimated to have 100MT. Well the world has 300,000 MT worth of power of nukes. I would say thats pretty bad for the earth. Not to mention if you detonate one of these i water you would create a tidal wave half a mile high bearing 500knots. Just detonating these in the water would destroy most human life.

I still believe we would survive, as a species anyway. It may only be those in the shelters or living in the remotest mountain regions, but life will find a way. And anyway, why would anybody drop a nuke in the ocean? It seems to me you would aim the things at populated areas instead. But how would I know?

Well, guys, it's been fun, but I'm going to leave it be at this. So just remember, don't worry about things you can't control, and the worst that could happen...probably won't

 

[TimmyBoy]

I too beleive that the earth is exceptional at healing herself up. However, not when man abuses her. And if you know anything about the aftermaths of nuclear weapons I would say that you would understand what we are getting at. It has been said that 100 of the most powerful nukes in the world could destroy this earth. The most powerful nuke was estimated to have 100MT. Well the world has 300,000 MT worth of power of nukes. I would say thats pretty bad for the earth. Not to mention if you detonate one of these i water you would create a tidal wave half a mile high bearing 500knots. Just detonating these in the water would destroy most human life.

Think of the problem of proliferation of nukes across the globe and the possibility that such weapons could land in the hands of fanatical terrorists and the consequences they could bring if used by stateless terrorists, or by nations who feel threatened by stronger nations. One of the big problems with World War I and even afterwards was where bigger nations would threaten to use force against the weaker ones in order to get their way. The weaker ones would sometimes try to go to the League of Nations but the strong nations would disregard it and just continue to threaten and use force as they please. But this sort of thing has serious consequences as well, where weaker nations will turn to terrorism or in today's age, bands of terrorists acquire nukes and use them on the stronger nations that have been doing the bullying. If mankind continues to live by the law of the jungle rather than the rule of law in the international arena, we could have a possibility of man destroying itself. That is what we saw at Columbine and it is what we could see in the international arena. I use the Columbine as an analogy because the kids who did the shooting were constantly picked on in school by stronger kids, which eventually led them down the path to a sucide mission where they used deadly weapons to kill others and themselves. We could have a hypothetical situation in the international arena. We see strong nations bullying weaker ones all the time and it helps to foster an environment of terrorism and the spread of nuclear weapons to other weaker nations.

 

[kal-el]

Since we're talking about nukes here, I'll throw in my 2 cents.:2razz: IMO, if we don't become intelligent and peaceful, because of the mere existance of such weapons, unfortunately, a nuclear holocaust will indeed happen. I think if we took away nukes from the militaries, this power could be used in countries which lack energy to make great strides forward.

 

[Kandahar]

It's simply impossible to tell yet whether or not we're on a path to self-destruction. We'll have a much better idea if you ask that question 30 years from now.

I don't believe that any of the "traditional" sources of armageddon - nuclear war, global warming, etc - will be our end. The risk of a nuclear war seems less and less likely with every passing year, and global warming will almost certainly be reversed by advanced technology long before it poses a serious threat to mankind. If we're on a path to self-destruction, it will probably come from a manmade superplague, self-replicating nanobots, or a malevolent AI. Needless to say, we're decades away from knowing whether or not we're likely to go down that road.

 

[TimmyBoy]

It's simply impossible to tell whether or not we're on a path to self-destruction. We'll have a much better idea if you ask that question 30 years from now.

I don't believe that any of the "traditional" sources of armageddon - nuclear war, global warming, etc - will be our end. The risk of a nuclear war seems less and less likely with every passing year, and global warming will almost certainly be reversed by advanced technology long before it poses a serious threat to mankind. If we're on a path to self-destruction, it will probably come from a manmade superplague, self-replicating nanobots, or a malevolent AI. Needless to say, we're decades away from knowing whether or not we're likely to go down that road.

Here is a question I have, do you think the terrorists haven't got a hold of nuclear bomb or nuclear materials through the russian mob or other corrupt governments who will sell to the highest bidder on the black market?

 

[Kandahar]

Here is a question I have, do you think the terrorists haven't got a hold of nuclear bomb or nuclear materials through the russian mob or other corrupt governments who will sell to the highest bidder on the black market?

No, I don't think any terrorists currently have a nuclear bomb. If they did, a city somewhere in the world would no longer exist. If they ever do get a nuclear bomb, it would kill thousands of people but it certainly wouldn't result in the self-destruction of humanity.

 

[TimmyBoy]

No, I don't think any terrorists currently have a nuclear bomb. If they did, a city somewhere in the world would no longer exist. If they ever do get a nuclear bomb, it would kill thousands of people but it certainly wouldn't result in the self-destruction of humanity.

What makes you so sure terrorists don't have a nuke right now? Maybe they do have one, but have intentionally chosen not to use it just yet. Terrorists are not stupid. They are calculating smart people. Terrorism is a smart person's game, not a game for the stupid.

 

[TimmyBoy]

I personally think, it is a good chance that terrorists have at least some nuclear materials. The russian mafia and other third world states with nuclear know-how will gladly sell their souls to the devil in order to get more cash.