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Our greatest invention hasn't yet been built

George_Washington

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Some say that man's greatest invention is the computer, some say the light bulb. Others say it will be the cure for cancer.

But I say man's greatest invention hasn't been invented yet.

I say it will be the time machine or perhaps a time manipulator or even a time, generator machine.

So many physicists and chemists are wrapped up in trying to figure out how the vast majority of matter in our universe acts and behaves but I think that a more significant achievement would be to understand time and space better. I think that the variations of string theory are noteworthy and so are theories to unite all of the forces of nature but I think what really should be understood more is time.

If we can understand time, think of all the great things we can do. If we could manipulate time, we might be able to make matter move in ways that we can't even possibly yet imagine. If we can find a way to produce time, possibly different varieties, I think we could in theory cause random matter and particles to arise in a given set of space, assuming that we could also create the space. Although, creating time might also create space. I am not sure if this would be possible but I have a hunch that learning more about time would also help explain why light sometimes behaves like a wave and also has other properties.

I think that if we can create time, we could also create space and theoretically, live in that space forever. I am talking about creating a galaxy, universe, etc. I am talking about creating entire areas of space, which could hold any of the above mentioned things. If we could create an entire field of space and time, we could also run an endless amount of experiments of how matter interacts with each other.

Perhaps time is an entire entity with its own, "physical" properties just like a cell or something. I don't mean physical in the way we think of chemicals but in an entirely different way. What if time is actually alive? As in, what if it is somehow self aware in a sense?

But you know, if we could go back in time, we could truly answer many of life's greatest answers. But then again...would we really know if it was our own timeline that we went back into or a different one? I'm not sure but the concept fascinates me.
 
George_Washington said:
Some say that man's greatest invention is the computer, some say the light bulb. Others say it will be the cure for cancer.

But I say man's greatest invention hasn't been invented yet.

I say it will be the time machine or perhaps a time manipulator or even a time, generator machine.

So many physicists and chemists are wrapped up in trying to figure out how the vast majority of matter in our universe acts and behaves but I think that a more significant achievement would be to understand time and space better. I think that the variations of string theory are noteworthy and so are theories to unite all of the forces of nature but I think what really should be understood more is time.

If we can understand time, think of all the great things we can do. If we could manipulate time, we might be able to make matter move in ways that we can't even possibly yet imagine. If we can find a way to produce time, possibly different varieties, I think we could in theory cause random matter and particles to arise in a given set of space, assuming that we could also create the space. Although, creating time might also create space. I am not sure if this would be possible but I have a hunch that learning more about time would also help explain why light sometimes behaves like a wave and also has other properties.

I think that if we can create time, we could also create space and theoretically, live in that space forever. I am talking about creating a galaxy, universe, etc. I am talking about creating entire areas of space, which could hold any of the above mentioned things. If we could create an entire field of space and time, we could also run an endless amount of experiments of how matter interacts with each other.

Perhaps time is an entire entity with its own, "physical" properties just like a cell or something. I don't mean physical in the way we think of chemicals but in an entirely different way. What if time is actually alive? As in, what if it is somehow self aware in a sense?

But you know, if we could go back in time, we could truly answer many of life's greatest answers. But then again...would we really know if it was our own timeline that we went back into or a different one? I'm not sure but the concept fascinates me.

most theoretical physicists are preoccupied with not only how matter behaves but how all these phenomena, including time/space etc. behave. Rather, the greatest challenge for all these physicists is defining exactly what matter, energy and time is. What does it mean to have mass, etc.
 
George_Washington said:
Some say that man's greatest invention is the computer, some say the light bulb. Others say it will be the cure for cancer.

But I say man's greatest invention hasn't been invented yet.

I say it will be the time machine or perhaps a time manipulator or even a time, generator machine.

So many physicists and chemists are wrapped up in trying to figure out how the vast majority of matter in our universe acts and behaves but I think that a more significant achievement would be to understand time and space better. I think that the variations of string theory are noteworthy and so are theories to unite all of the forces of nature but I think what really should be understood more is time.

If we can understand time, think of all the great things we can do. If we could manipulate time, we might be able to make matter move in ways that we can't even possibly yet imagine. If we can find a way to produce time, possibly different varieties, I think we could in theory cause random matter and particles to arise in a given set of space, assuming that we could also create the space. Although, creating time might also create space. I am not sure if this would be possible but I have a hunch that learning more about time would also help explain why light sometimes behaves like a wave and also has other properties.

I think that if we can create time, we could also create space and theoretically, live in that space forever. I am talking about creating a galaxy, universe, etc. I am talking about creating entire areas of space, which could hold any of the above mentioned things. If we could create an entire field of space and time, we could also run an endless amount of experiments of how matter interacts with each other.

Perhaps time is an entire entity with its own, "physical" properties just like a cell or something. I don't mean physical in the way we think of chemicals but in an entirely different way. What if time is actually alive? As in, what if it is somehow self aware in a sense?

But you know, if we could go back in time, we could truly answer many of life's greatest answers. But then again...would we really know if it was our own timeline that we went back into or a different one? I'm not sure but the concept fascinates me.

Nano marchines, genetic manipulation , unlimited free fusion power forget all that, its when you can get that extra hour of sleep every morning you really find God in technology.
 
Herophant said:
Nano marchines, genetic manipulation , unlimited free fusion power forget all that, its when you can get that extra hour of sleep every morning you really find God in technology.

What if nanomachines and/or genetic manipulation make it so that you don't need that extra hour of sleep?
 
Kandahar said:
What if nanomachines and/or genetic manipulation make it so that you don't need that extra hour of sleep?

There is a difference between need and want:) Who really need a 50 inch plasma TV with bad *** speakers? But i know i want one:)

However if i needed less sleep i could have the extra hour i want.

Hard call, i`l go with whatever comes first
 
considering that the progress of technology on this planet has since what we can record, been, for lack of a better word, exponential, it can also be argued that since all inventions eventually become outdated, that man's greatest invention has been invented again and again, we will invent the greatest invention tomorrow, and the day after that. But if thats not right im gonna say warp drive. Viva La Picard!
 
George_Washington said:
Some say that man's greatest invention is the computer, some say the light bulb. Others say it will be the cure for cancer.

But I say man's greatest invention hasn't been invented yet.

I say it will be the time machine or perhaps a time manipulator or even a time, generator machine.

So many physicists and chemists are wrapped up in trying to figure out how the vast majority of matter in our universe acts and behaves but I think that a more significant achievement would be to understand time and space better. I think that the variations of string theory are noteworthy and so are theories to unite all of the forces of nature but I think what really should be understood more is time.

If we can understand time, think of all the great things we can do. If we could manipulate time, we might be able to make matter move in ways that we can't even possibly yet imagine. If we can find a way to produce time, possibly different varieties, I think we could in theory cause random matter and particles to arise in a given set of space, assuming that we could also create the space. Although, creating time might also create space. I am not sure if this would be possible but I have a hunch that learning more about time would also help explain why light sometimes behaves like a wave and also has other properties.

I think that if we can create time, we could also create space and theoretically, live in that space forever. I am talking about creating a galaxy, universe, etc. I am talking about creating entire areas of space, which could hold any of the above mentioned things. If we could create an entire field of space and time, we could also run an endless amount of experiments of how matter interacts with each other.

Perhaps time is an entire entity with its own, "physical" properties just like a cell or something. I don't mean physical in the way we think of chemicals but in an entirely different way. What if time is actually alive? As in, what if it is somehow self aware in a sense?

But you know, if we could go back in time, we could truly answer many of life's greatest answers. But then again...would we really know if it was our own timeline that we went back into or a different one? I'm not sure but the concept fascinates me.
1) A unifying theory of all the forces in nature. Tying the Theory of relativity with Quantum theory, the applications are completely beyond imagination - worm holes (warp drive), trasporters, really we can't even begin to imagine.
2) The ability of complete tissue regeneration, including the ability to regrow organs without any surgery - Think of the market for a total cure towards baldness!
3) Holographic technology
4) Organic, electronic composite materials. Unifying the best of both worlds.
 
George_Washington said:
Some say that man's greatest invention is the computer, some say the light bulb. Others say it will be the cure for cancer.

But I say man's greatest invention hasn't been invented yet.

I say it will be the time machine or perhaps a time manipulator or even a time, generator machine.
It is theorized that a giant cylinder with a mass greater than that or our sun spinning very fast could drag space-time around. How would you build something like that?
 
scottyz said:
It is theorized that a giant cylinder with a mass greater than that or our sun spinning very fast could drag space-time around. How would you build something like that?
There are other forces other than gravity that you could use. That is once the theory of relativity is united with quantum theory.
 
rather than worry about what the greatest invention is going to be (when it is hundreds or thousands of years ahead of our technology) wouldn't it be better to just continuously improve what we currently have?
 
Greatest invention ever: The ability to harness the direct power of the sun. No more of that sissy solar panel ****. Im talkin about taking energy right out of the sun. An almost endless supply of energy for a few billion years (if that makes any sense).

2nd Greatest invention ever: Interstellar space travel using quantum physics to travel vast distances in a matter of days instead of millions of years. Think of all the **** we could do then. We could invade an alien civilization and call it manifest destiny. We could find a medieval alien civilization and give them AK47s and MG42s and watch them kill themselves uncontrollably. :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
 
written communication is the greatest invention ever.

Nothing will prove more beneficial to society then that invention.
 
zymurgy said:
written communication is the greatest invention ever.

Nothing will prove more beneficial to society then that invention.
In that case, thank my ancestors for paper.
 
Our greatest invention hasn't yet been built

The "greatest invention" will never be built, but you can debate what the greatest invention is thus far. Of course, maybe far in the future someone creates "the greatest thing ever invented", and shortly after, the universe destructs.

I want my own Holodeck, like on StarTrek. THAT would be the greatest thing ever.
 
jfuh said:
4) Organic, electronic composite materials. Unifying the best of both worlds.
If we could alter our brains to work with the speed and reliability of a computer, the concept of time will be very, very different. The brain has the advantages of parallel processing and enormous amounts of memory. But if a person could use the speed of a computer conciously, each moment would be a millions times slower (relatively). I think that once we have that technology, each human life could produce much much much more information. From there, increases in organic computing technology would make life slow down more, while biological technology would increase the length of a life, causing each life to be exponentially more valuable, cognitavly.
From my point of view, that is the purpose of humanity: to gain all knowledge and become nearly immortal.
 
unknownsoldierX said:
The "greatest invention" will never be built, but you can debate what the greatest invention is thus far. Of course, maybe far in the future someone creates "the greatest thing ever invented", and shortly after, the universe destructs.

I want my own Holodeck, like on StarTrek. THAT would be the greatest thing ever.

seems to me that you are contradicting yourself in this statement....but yes the holodeck would kick some serious rear-end...
 
unknownsoldierX said:
The "greatest invention" will never be built, but you can debate what the greatest invention is thus far. Of course, maybe far in the future someone creates "the greatest thing ever invented", and shortly after, the universe destructs.
It depends on what you consider "greatest" to be. Whether it can destroy the universe or bring "heaven on earth" to mankind, the greastest invention would, axiomatically, profoundly change humanity.
 
shuku said:
It depends on what you consider "greatest" to be. Whether it can destroy the universe or bring "heaven on earth" to mankind, the greastest invention would, axiomatically, profoundly change humanity.

the point is that even if the 'greatest' invention gets built, there will always be an improvement to it or another device....which means that we will always be striving to create something better than what we have...once we acheive what we think is the greatest, we realize that it could be better....
 
goligoth said:
the point is that even if the 'greatest' invention gets built, there will always be an improvement to it or another device....which means that we will always be striving to create something better than what we have...once we acheive what we think is the greatest, we realize that it could be better....
Sure, there could always be something better, but the question I'm trying to answer is what caases the greatest shift in the change in civilization (differentially to the exponential improvement). I think bionic computing is that point where things will things will start changing very very fast.
 
shuku said:
Sure, there could always be something better, but the question I'm trying to answer is what caases the greatest shift in the change in civilization (differentially to the exponential improvement). I think bionic computing is that point where things will things will start changing very very fast.

maybe...but we have computers now that think as fast as computers...

I think that things will change very very fast when we are able to harness the singular atom, and change it...I'm not talking about nuclear energy I'm talking about building raw materials out of other things...such as turning dirt into oxygen, or aluminum into gold....we could call it alchemy, for lack of a better term...
 
It sounds like most of these inventions are just like playing God, so I wouldnt really want them too much. Besides, who wants to live for thousands of years anyway. I'm already sick of myself. lol. I personally think that the worlds greatest invention, which hasnt been invented yet, will never be invented. Looking at how far nuclear technology has come and how this is all we are doing to eachother :poke So I dont think we'll have the time to do all this stuff. I guess the greatest invention would be a limitless supply of harnessable energy which would be available to the public. And after that we can use the energy to power an Anti-Nuclear device which eliminated the blasts and radiation. Oh, and another ED drug for the old people. Those seem to be popular.
 
The greatest invention ever is the Burrito

"God is man's greatest invention." - Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar

God is man's greatest delusion.
 
BodiSatva,

The greatest invention ever is the Burrito

I concur... Nice sig by the way. ;)
 
Yes, during a debate with He, I came across that and thought it interesting...I am glad to have been able to illuminate it and I am equally glad that you took it to the next level as I obviously copied your idea to "sig" it.

We make Super Burritos often.
We alter our Burritos with variances as black beans or refried beans, perhaps some pinto beans...once in a while we get crazy and combine beans. Flour tortillas with Tabasco...cilantro. Yum.

Egg Burritos
Steak Burritos
Chicken Burritos
Plain Burritos
Shrimp Burritos
Spicy Burritos
Green Burritos
Tofu Burritos
Big Burritos
Little Burritos
Pork Burritos
YUM!
 
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