The Republic of Heaven

Apparently we're going to try and change Mars's climate...

We will, one day. Currently it's beyond our technology.

Agreed that it's probably a better idea to solde some of our problems on Earth now. Personally I love the idea of space exploration. One day it will happen. I just hoep I'm still around when it does.

Apparently we're going to try and change Mars's climate...

We will, one day. Currently it's beyond our technology.

Agreed that it's probably a better idea to solde some of our problems on Earth now. Personally I love the idea of space exploration. One day it will happen. I just hoep I'm still around when it does.

I hope we are...

Thing is, if we don't sort out cliate change we ain't going to. We're hard pressed to stop it going over 2C already, if we carry on like this we'lkl reaach4/5/6C and then were fecked.

Thing is, if we don't sort out cliate change we ain't going to. We're hard pressed to stop it going over 2C already, if we carry on like this we'lkl reaach4/5/6C and then were fecked.

Would be nice if the governments of the world shared our viewpoint, don't you? There's actually a rather funny book I read- "Colony" by Rob Grant. Overpopulation and Global warming have made Earth unihabitable, so a select group of humans is sent to find a new world. Ten generations into their flight, their intelligence seems to have disappeared...

I'm not sure that if we die out, it will all have been for nothing though. I mean, everybody dies at some point but that doesn't make their lives meaningless.

That's because even though those peoplare dead, humanity lives on.

I still disagree. Eventual extinction will not render our lives meaningless. Human life is important because we value it. Necessarily we are at the centre of our universe. Maybe in the great scheme of things, we don't matter at all. But people matter to people. There won't be anyone left to value humanity once we're gone, but that doesn't change the fact that we gave our lives meaning, or that our lives and achievements were important to us.

I still disagree. Eventual extinction will not render our lives meaningless. Human life is important because we value it. Necessarily we are at the centre of our universe. Maybe in the great scheme of things, we don't matter at all. But people matter to people. There won't be anyone left to value humanity once we're gone, but that doesn't change the fact that we gave our lives meaning, or that our lives and achievements were important to us.

Not trying to start a massive argument, but personally I believe that if we let intelligence die, then everything people did was for nothing. If we all die, then what have we achieved? We may have given our lives meaning, but all that will die with us. That's partly why I think that we should do everything in our power to make sure as much life survives as possible (hopefully with me as part of it).

If we all die, then what have we achieved?

We achieved what we achieved when we were alive. But this is going way off-topic, so I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree.

If we all die, then what have we achieved?

We achieved what we achieved when we were alive.

But it comes to nothing, as there's nobody around.

But this is going way off-topic, so I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree.

Agreed.

Just as soon as we can get there. Oh, technology is a wondrous thing!

Just as soon as we can get there. Oh, technology is a wondrous thing!

Agreed. It's good, isn't it? Shame we can't get FTL (faster than light) technology. THat would be good.

What, so we can get there in hours, rather than months? I think I'll stay earthbound, thanks very much.

What, so we can get there in hours, rather than months? I think I'll stay earthbound, thanks very much.

Suit yourself. Delta Pavonis, here I come!

But seriously, FTL would make life a LOT easier. Think about it- to get a ship to the nearest star would take a massive effort, especially if there are people on board. You need food, water, oxygen etc for at least twenty years (using a ship still far in advance of anything we currently have). Not to mention the psychological effects, radiation and nasty health effects of zero gravity. To get further than that would take centuries.

If we could get there in afew days, we'd spread through the galaxy with ease.

I wasn't saying that it wasn't a good thing, just that I'll be one of the Luddites staying behind to go crazy and then extinct, rather than the people off forging a brave new world.

I do not want to smash the machines but neither do I want the machines to smash me.

I do not want to smash the machines but neither do I want the machines to smash me.

Then take control of the machines' computers and ensure they will never be able to contemplate smashing you.