Bay 12 Games Forum

... there is literally no such thing as devolution in modern evolutionary theory. It doesn't exist, and the concept of it is in complete contradiction to basically everything we know about the processes involved in evolution. It Doesn't Work Like That^TM.

If your biology teacher has been teaching or promoting theories proposing devolution, they should not be anywhere near a biology classroom.

I can't make anyone else have a religious experience [...]

Heh, you actually can if you're willing to perform a bit of medical malpractice. Religious experiences can be induced by screwing with the brain in the right way, though we've probably got a bit to go before it becomes an entirely safe process. There's really not much to it beyond the proper neurological stimulation, yah. Is why so many different processes, religious and otherwise, can induce 'em.

Another handful of decades and we'll probably even have the methodology and technology to be able to do so consistently and (mostly) harmlessly, without the current crude monkeying about with meditation, psychoactives, and the like.

I'm not really sure if that would count as non-mean, though, since if it's actual isolation an eternity of that would be among the absolute worst tortures you can inflict upon a human. Admittedly it wouldn't take very long before you're completely bughumping insane, but the christian god being what it is you'd probably be reset after a bit of that so you can experience it all over again.

I guess maybe non-mean as possible would still sorta' fit -- assuming the divine entity in question is in fact a sadistic monster that absolutely has to viciously torture non-beleivers, anyway -- but it's still brutally sadistic...

Honestly, christian afterlife is another of those aspects of the faith I tend to avoid contemplation of. All descriptions of it, for anyone involved, sound kinda' horrifying

E: Well, except for the simple destruction one. That one's alright. Non-existence gets a pass.

Valid point. I guess it's more, I don't mind humans in general, but I despise society for what it (d)evolved into becoming these days. It's gotten more vicious than usual.

... as a rule, it really, really hasn't. Even a cursory understanding of history shows that in general, things have improved -- not just in the most affluent places, but pretty much everywhere. The worst of us are better off, on the net (particularly, much greater numbers of said worst off would have just been straight up dead, not too far back). The best of us are better off. Pretty much everyone and everything is doing better than it was a few centuries ago. Cultures on the whole have gotten less vicious, even the more vicious or destabilized of them.

If you dislike things nowadays, it's largely only because you're aware enough to notice the excesses. Handful of generations ago, not only would have likely have not noticed, there's a damn good chance you would have been contributing to them.

Things... really are just kinda' better nowadays. They might not be in another century or two depending on how the environment shakes out, but right here and right now our species is kinda' at a high point. Least violent century in human history or something like that, among all the sciencey and culturaly stuff that's been happening.

... you missed an alliteration opportunity there, nenj. Though BDP is apparently the acronym for a whole host of political parties.

Math thread? Is no shame in asking for help, nor in making mistakes and whatnot. They happen, and often a second (or third, etc.) head helps spot 'em.

... I like that third one, though.

"In order: Inferior to wikipedia. Painfully less financed. Teachers largely didn't want to be there. Challenged me to not virulently hate science. I hope not, but expect to be disappointed. All responses informed by repeated exposure."

Though what do if you don't consider yourself an expert at anything?

Welp. Note to self: No visiting restaurants if in NC.