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Yakk · 11-21-2006, 12:42 PM

In the case of a society centrally controlled, those that control society are at risk if things change.

If things change, they could lose control.

With competition, those in control fear losing control if things do not change, because someone else might overpower them.

Wars and other forms of social conflict that obviously endangered those in control of socieity thus provided a reason for those in control to act rashly, and encourage development and change.

Now, it is claimed that most advancement comes from war -- but take a look at the pace of technological change right now.

It isn't being driven by war. Yet we have computers technology developing at a ridiculously exponential rate, materials science developing at a ridiculously exponential rate, microscopic sensing developing at a ridiculously exponential rate...

We are currently only a few orders of magnatude away from having materials good enough and cheap enough to build a space elevator. We are currently only a few orders of magnatude away from computers capable of simulating every inter-neuron connection in the human brain. We are currently only a few orders of magnatude away from being able to read neuron interneuron activity in real time at synaptic resolutions.

Now, massive progress can cause war. When the entrenched powers that be feel threatened by new powers, and new powers want to be recognized as the powers they are, one can easily fall into a spiral of violence.

But we seem to be progressing quite fine without war, thank you very much.

That NASA comparison -- have you compared the goals for the next mission to the Apollo mission? NASA doesn't want to repeat Apollo, they want to do better. Not just step foot on the moon and take some pebbles home -- but set up shop, and head on to Mars.

11-21-2006, 12:42 PM	#30 (permalink)
Yakk Wehret Den Anfängen! Location: Ontario, Canada	In the case of a society centrally controlled, those that control society are at risk if things change. If things change, they could lose control. With competition, those in control fear losing control if things do not change, because someone else might overpower them. Wars and other forms of social conflict that obviously endangered those in control of socieity thus provided a reason for those in control to act rashly, and encourage development and change. Now, it is claimed that most advancement comes from war -- but take a look at the pace of technological change right now. It isn't being driven by war. Yet we have computers technology developing at a ridiculously exponential rate, materials science developing at a ridiculously exponential rate, microscopic sensing developing at a ridiculously exponential rate... We are currently only a few orders of magnatude away from having materials good enough and cheap enough to build a space elevator. We are currently only a few orders of magnatude away from computers capable of simulating every inter-neuron connection in the human brain. We are currently only a few orders of magnatude away from being able to read neuron interneuron activity in real time at synaptic resolutions. Now, massive progress can cause war. When the entrenched powers that be feel threatened by new powers, and new powers want to be recognized as the powers they are, one can easily fall into a spiral of violence. But we seem to be progressing quite fine without war, thank you very much. That NASA comparison -- have you compared the goals for the next mission to the Apollo mission? NASA doesn't want to repeat Apollo, they want to do better. Not just step foot on the moon and take some pebbles home -- but set up shop, and head on to Mars. __________________ Last edited by JHVH : 10-29-4004 BC at 09:00 PM. Reason: Time for a rest.