Only you can decide whether it's worth it to you. As for me, I've heard so many arguments that begin with some version of 'the miracle of being me', I...
Why? Or why not go back to a flat Earth with a moon and sun circling around it and stars painted on the night sky? And none of it could exist without ...
On this planet, they're not exactly a rarity. And humans are only a fraction of the life forms on this planet. If you consider the size of the galaxy,...
Eliza Doolittle. Would it be obnoxious to refer back to the logic of a much earlier pet peeve? "Try to " means an attempt is made wherein the subject ...
A prison sentence is also temporary. A fifteen-year sentence may be very difficult endure. But at the end, the prisoner is set free (for better or wor...
Perhaps. And he may be correct in that assessment. But I didn't say the two different perspectives were rational - only that the observer is. By which...
No, they are the opposite. The rational observer can readily perceive this. Most people. Most of the time, are nothing like purely rational. And that'...
Glad to read that! Loneliness, unless one prefers solitude, is usually a temporary condition. Even if you don't actively seek out companionship, chanc...
You probably shouldn't be alone. It sounds as if you're in a state of mind that, if you can't think of a way to change it, you should get help with. A...
The cosmos and time are entirely unaware of humanity. As for evolution, it's given us the bum's rush - fast climb to dominance, even faster gallop tow...
What's the point of a robot made in human form? It's inefficient, not designed for any specific purpose, just takes up a lot of space with unnecessary...
...are too little, too late. Just? Good luck with that! In what perspective? Yup, that's it. I think evolution on Earth was doing just fine, right up ...
Why? Because you don't want to die. But you will anyway. What's the point of contaminating another planet, that might otherwise generate its own life?...
No. They are literary devices making poetic comparisons, applicable only to things in the human imagination. There is no logic to Earth=Mother; childr...
Yes, changing the political landscape is hard! My vote means nothing. My little bit of feeble activism is ineffective. Can't introduce electoral refor...
What, like cutting down on their energy use, meat consumption or plastic packaging? Walk instead of drive? Refrain from throwing out last year's fashi...
Only humans say whatever is said, so no other opinion exists. Because the first part is biological fact, wherein one lifespan begins a generation late...
Most notably alcohol, the Ur treatment for stress and anxiety. To a lesser degree, some intense group activities also help mitigate the malaise of dis...
Emotional 'imbalance' is not an isolated, personal failing. Ennui may come into it with the upper wage earners, but the general malaise of modern soci...
I assumed your ASI already existed, was conscious and looking for a DNA component to replicate itself in interesting, evolutionary ways. AI or some de...
I mean biodiversity was much better off when we were not here to extirpate species by thousands. And the machines can manage just fine without human D...
That's off the table, once you've lost your illusions. You need to push on through the fug and find a new source of satisfaction. Go take a hike. Or s...
Neither machines nor other species need this most destructive strain of giant ape. And biodiversity most certainly doesn't need this many human specim...
Excellent start to figuring things out. Looks as if you have a lot of re-evaluation and planning to do. You'll need your clearest head. I wish you all...
Inevitably! Oh, goodie! The six people who still understand some aspect of 'manual' programming can teach it to their children, set up dynasties and r...
S0. A nation of innumerate illiterates who can't find North on a compass just need to be trained in which buttons to push. Maybe a chimp can instruct ...
We might still need a few doctors and architects.... Good. So that's where all the 34 million 14-year-olds dropouts should be heading. (Except those t...
I'm okay with that. I'm actually a huge fan of a rounded education, rather than one aimed at a 'career path' (which in my experience is a futile enter...
Trains the mind in the significance, functions and manipulation of numbers, of quantitative relationships and proportions. It's not the memorizing tha...
Can I change my order? I'll stick to my Stilton and beer, but with the cheese course, I'd like apricots and walnuts instead of olives and as a main co...
Happiness is a distillation: freedom from pain and stress, with regular infusions of satisfaction, comfort, companionship, love, plus the odd unexpect...
Do you truly believe we all have a 'function'? In what context? To what end? An axe is designed by a human tool-maker for the purpose of cutting wood,...
There is something to that. Even as very young children, the homely ones can feel the aversion of adults, sense the pity, feel unwanted, even if every...
How the beauty is achieved is beside the point. Sometimes through genetics, sometimes with plastic surgery, sometimes it's painted on or simply assume...
What is 'inner beauty', if not goodness? But it's not visible. You would have to know someone quite well to be aware of their inner beauty, whereas, o...
So, the basic premise is that AI's purpose - mission, if you will - is to save humanity. That's a valid assumption, and I must say, a more plausible o...
To what end? Why would AI want a different social structure from the ones we naturally form, in which we're comfortable? It's an interesting idea - on...
I can well see why it would be controversial! I kind of agree about social structure control... with some speculative reservations. I can certainly se...
Rapid is a relative term, but I have no doubt the tech people are working as hard and conscientiously as possible. My main concern is who controls the...
I wonder how many of those students don't pay their own tuition fees. I wonder how many distract themselves - whether with recreational drugs (includi...
Yes and yes. Probably right on both counts. Besides, it's a helluva lot easier to make an ad campaign featuring friendly androids and cute household m...
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