Have Humans Really Progressed?

[Lightkeeper]

We have the same psyche and physiology as early man. It seems to me the only thing that has changed is that we have nicer homes, more advanced transportaion, can travel farther faster and more complicated toys. We still have the same needs. I sometimes wonder if we are less civilized than Cromagnon man. They might have been more interdpendent on each other. We fight bigger wars. Have we progressed?

 

[Ceridwen018]

Lol, that's a good question.

We like to think that we've progressed a great deal, but you've got a good point. We have the same basic needs, the same basic thought processes....maybe we haven't evolved so much, as we've 'aged' and gained worldly experience.

 

[huajiro]

I would say "no", as we have not fixed problems....we just create more.

 

[painted wolf]

I cant say that we have progressed in any meaningfull ways. Toys aside, we still have the same psycology as our ancestors. We still have the same problems, War, Disease, Famin... If anything I think that it is worse for us to have them as we have the tecnology to fix these problems but not the will or selflessness to do so. Come to think of it, maybe we have gone backwards some.

wa:do

 

[Valjean]

Our psychology is the product of a million years living in small bands as hunter-gatherers. We are fine-tuned for this lifestyle. Todays "advanced" society creates delinquency, anxiety and anomie as our stone age psyches struggle to adjust to the realities of what we've created.

 

[jewscout]

I don't know that we've progressed more. We still do the things we did thousands of years ago just our tools make it easier.

 

[Lintu]

I don't know if this is relevant, but look how we keep setting new records in athletic events. To me, that shows that we are progressing. (And women seem to be catching up to men in those events, too). This is hardly a major important fact, but at least a small sign

 

[lousyskater]

technologically, we have progressed. psychologically, we haven't. people still think in the same way they did hundreds and thousands of years ago.

 

[Pah]

technologically, we have progressed. psychologically, we haven't. people still think in the same way they did hundreds and thousands of years ago.

I disagree with the same-thinking thought. I find that today's high schoolers have far and away have more comprehension about life than in my day. I think I'm, in some ways, catching up to them.

Bob

 

[cardero]

Lightkeeper here are some of the conversations that I have had with GOD concerning technology.



One must also REMEMBER that I AM an ancient entity who has seen many different societies at many different stages of existence, so I would modestly BE considered an expert in this field. ONE only has to look through the history of YOUR planet to realize that many individuals have survived and prospered immensely without this technology of today. Keep in mind that GOD does not impress easily.



Technology should BE treated like pride. Either everyONE has it or they don't. Technology extracts an extreme prejudice on an individual, a wedge that comes between the people who can afford it and the people who can't. Even basic living requirements like water, electricity, heat, and shelter. Now, consider these basic requirements many people take for granted. But the fact remains there are many people who are going without. Technology should BE thinking about technological equality rather than making life more difficult for those who cannot afford even the most basic elements.





“It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity.”

-- Albert Einstein



“Technological progress has merely provided us with more efficient means for going backwards.”

-- Aldous Huxley



“Technology [is] the knack of so arranging the world that we don't have to experience it.”

-- Max Frisch

 

[Mr Spinkles]

I cant say that we have progressed in any meaningfull ways. Toys aside, we still have the same psycology as our ancestors. We still have the same problems, War, Disease, Famin... If anything I think that it is worse for us to have them as we have the tecnology to fix these problems but not the will or selflessness to do so. Come to think of it, maybe we have gone backwards some.

wa:do

painted wolf-- Really? I'm not so sure. Life as a hunter-gatherer was difficult and short. Infant mortality was very high, and life expectancy was low. Perhaps we have a tendancy to look at all the problems of today and forget about all the problems there were in ancient times. I'm not sure I could compare the food, healthcare, sanitation, law enforcement, technology, cultural awareness, education, and political systems of ancient times to today's. I should think that if we brought a Cromagnon man to our time period, he would be awed by the relative luxury and comfort by which we lead our modern lives.

 

[HelpMe]

natural selection, in many cases(in our species), seems to of chosen the low road.

 

[painted wolf]

true for those that have it the tecnology is a wonderful boon to mankind. But, there are places in this world that do not have access to such things. My point is that with our vast wealth and resources that we havent bothered to defeat these problems on a global scale. (we throw money at the problems to make ourselves feel better but nothing spectacular.) AIDS, is a perfect example, we have drugs that can prolong the life and ease the suffering of this disease, and they can be made cheaply and quickly. However untill recently the corperations that held the patent for these drugs was urging our government to deny help to countrys that were producing genaric virsions of the drugs because it cut into thier profit margins. Countries such as Ethiopia and Nigeria who could never afford to purchase the high priced US drugs. It took an outpouring of Global outrage to get those who wanted to trade health for cash to back down.
Our Dairy producers pour millions of gallons of milk down the drain, for price control, when that milk could go to helping the needy. The same goes for many other food products.

life expectancy from 2000 around the world, most fall into the 60's and below. I choose the 60's because our 'retirement age' is 65. Most countrys the average life expectancy is below this age.
http://geography.about.com/library/weekly/aa042000b.htm

wa:do

 

[Mr Spinkles]

But, there are places in this world that do not have access to such things.

Yes...but a world that has places that do not have access to such things is still better than a world that lacks those things entirely, no?

life expectancy from 2000 around the world, most fall into the 60's and below. I choose the 60's because our 'retirement age' is 65. Most countrys the average life expectancy is below this age.

And what was the average life expectancy of Cromagnon man? Was it higher or lower than 60-something?

No matter how many problems we have nowadays, I just do not understand how life could have possibly been better (in general) in ancient times. Sure, we have humanitarian crises today, but there have been humanitarian crises throughout history. The question is, how many humanitarian agencies did Cromagnon man set up? How could life have possibly been better during those historical times when a much greater percentage of people had no education (no reading, writing, math skills), no voice in government, and no freedom of speech and religion?

I think the fact that obesity has replaced wild animals, plague, and barbarian invasions as one of our main threats speaks volumes. I'm not saying life is perfect today...I just think if life is difficult for people now, it was much moreso for the ancients. Like many others, I owe my life to recent advances in science and medicine.

 

[HelpMe]

Yes...but a world that has places that do not have access to such things is still better than a world that lacks those things entirely, no?

do you know of one war which doesn't include humans?

how peaceful would the world be without humans?

smith=you're like a virus.

 

[Mr Spinkles]

do you know of one war which doesn't include humans?

Yes...packs of baboons and chimps fight each other all the time over territory and resources. What's your point?

 

[jewscout]

You can't hug your kids with Nuclear arms.
lol:biglaugh:

 

[lousyskater]

You can't hug your kids with Nuclear arms.
lol:biglaugh:

can't go wrong with a family guy quote. :woohoo:

 

[HelpMe]

Yes...packs of baboons and chimps fight each other all the time over territory and resources. What's your point?

that's what you call a war?a civil disturbance?

 

[Mr Spinkles]

dictionary.com defines war as: A state of open, armed, often prolonged conflict carried on between nations, states, or parties.

States of prolonged conflict occur amongst groups of chimps and baboons all the time. Bands of male chimps go out specifically to kill members of the other group. I'm sure painted wolf will back me up here. Once again, HelpMe: what's your point?