If the world actually was only a few thousand years old, how would history play out different

[Nimos]

If however, science is all wrong, and we were only actually here for 5000 years, how would things be markedly different. Is it conceivable that all history would have played out the same way?

No, history couldn't have played out as it did. Reaching the era of being able to use and craft "modern" tools took quite a long time.

Stone tools and other artifacts offer evidence about how early humans made things, how they lived, interacted with their surroundings, and evolved over time.

Spanning the past 2.6 million years, many thousands of archeological sites have been excavated, studied, and dated. These sites often consist of the accumulated debris from making and using stone tools. Because stone tools are less susceptible to destruction than bones, stone artifacts typically offer the best evidence of where and when early humans lived, their geographic dispersal, and their ability to survive in a variety of habitats. But since multiple hominin species often existed at the same time, it can be difficult to determine which species made the tools at any given site.

Most important is that stone tools provide evidence about the technologies, dexterity, particular kinds of mental skills, and innovations that were within the grasp of early human toolmakers.

So you would have to compress roughly 2.6 million years of technological development into 5000 years. The development of new tools and materials would be so fast, that I think we would expect a mixture of stone tools being used side by side with chainsaws and nail guns

If we look at the roman empire and say that it lasted 1000 years, then we would expect to see a huge development in the equipment they used as you are talking about 1/5 of Earth history. And clearly there is no way that this could ever happen, simply because the early development of tools and materials were extremely slow, compared to now.

 

[amorphous_constellation]

No, history couldn't have played out as it did. Reaching the era of being able to use and craft "modern" tools took quite a long time.

good post there , that was the kind of answer I was looking for

 

[exchemist]

I guess I'm talking about if all these things gave false appearances, and humans were just placed here, or generated here, 5000 years ago, as you see them.

Well in that case, one has to assume these humans could already write. So then we'd try to deduce things from the writing they left and their artifacts, I imagine. But as for speculating about what events in history would have taken place it is impossible to say.

 

[amorphous_constellation]

Well in that case, one has to assume these humans could already write. So then we'd try to deduce things from the writing they left and their artifacts, I imagine. But as for speculating about what events in history would have taken place it is impossible to say.

Well, I don't know. Perhaps I wouldn't grant them that for the experiment to play through

 

[ChristineM]

good question, but that's really worthy of a separate thread.. maybe title it 'deception and god (s)'

For the world to be only 5000 years old then someone has made a pretty good job of making it appear much older.

 

[amorphous_constellation]

For the world to be only 5000 years old then someone has made a pretty good job of making it appear much older.

indeed , though that's beside the point of this particular thread

 

[BSM1]

I don't know about that, the number of non french speakers who have castigated me for it seems to indicate it translates to bible belt American readily enough?

Ooo...a skull with a bite. Cool.

 

[HonestJoe]

I guess I'm talking about if all these things gave false appearances, and humans were just placed here, or generated here, 5000 years ago, as you see them.

Your question basically seems to be "How would things look if they were different but had been made to look the same?" Maybe you need to step back and think that through.

 

[amorphous_constellation]

Your question basically seems to be "How would things look if they were different but had been made to look the same?" Maybe you need to step back and think that through.

I did think maybe it was a bad question, but thinking a little more about it , things may indeed be different. Read some of the other answers in this thread

 

[amorphous_constellation]

I guess to try to finally make my question clearer, what would groups of humans do if they appeared here 5000 years ago spontaneously and their only tool was language

 

[ChristineM]

indeed , though that's beside the point of this particular thread

The point is you asked a question, i answered.

 

[ppp]

Your question basically seems to be "How would things look if they were different but had been made to look the same?" Maybe you need to step back and think that through.

It's an interesting thought experiment. It would depend on how thoroughly things were made to look the same. Was Earth and its biosphere created from some sort of geological printer to make it look old? Or did Earth evolve naturally, except for humans, And humans were uplifted artificially from existing apes and planted 5000 years ago along with artificially aged artifacts, false memories and history, and artificially created links (hominid fossils/mutations) to create the effect?

I read similar thought experiment about 25 years ago - Celestial Matters - where Aristotelian physics and chemistry were the actual building blocks of reality. It was fun.

 

[amorphous_constellation]

It's an interesting thought experiment. It would depend on how thoroughly things were made to look the same. Was Earth and its biosphere created from some sort of geological printer to make it look old? Or did Earth evolve naturally, except for humans, And humans were uplifted artificially from existing apes and planted 5000 years ago along with artificially aged artifacts, false memories and history, and artificially created links (hominid fossils/mutations) to create the effect?

Yeah, I mean why shouldn't we fully expect aliens to possess the 3-d printers and ecology equilibrium software to produce the correct habitats and organisms. As well, they could merely apply customization to the apes to get to humans quickly

 

[ppp]

Yeah, I mean why shouldn't we fully expect aliens to possess the 3-d printers and ecology equilibrium software to produce the correct habitats and organisms. As well, they could merely apply customization to the apes to get to humans quickly

We shouldn't fully expect it because we have no evidence for it.

 

[amorphous_constellation]

We shouldn't fully expect it because we have no evidence for it.

I dunno, present evidence to the contrary.. this whole thing is kinda weird, with one primate line that seems to captain the earth

 

[ppp]

I dunno, present evidence to the contrary.. this whole thing is kinda weird, with one primate line that seems to captain the earth

Not particularly. And arguably those primates are not the most successful. Just the loudest in their success. Maybe I would find it weird with the right score. Some theremin music?

 

[amorphous_constellation]

Some theremin music?

yes

 

[viole]

And this question goes mostly to the atheists, actually. If you believe that the world is only 5000 years old, then we already know your view.

Maybe it's not a good or interesting question, and I don't know if it belongs in the history or philosophy section, but I figured I'd ask it before I forget

I myself believe in the scientific explanation for how things came to be, mostly. That is, that there was evolution and millions of years of history etc.

However, our lack of paperwork for most the time we've been here, is what gives our origins a run for the money. Since we have only now entered paperwork culture, certain things are only now practically impossible to deny.

If however, science is all wrong, and we were only actually here for 5000 years, how would things be markedly different. Is it conceivable that all history would have played out the same way?

Well, we would surely have more problems to confuse a BBC natural documentary with the Flintstones.

ciao

- viole

 

[Milton Platt]

And this question goes mostly to the atheists, actually. If you believe that the world is only 5000 years old, then we already know your view.

Maybe it's not a good or interesting question, and I don't know if it belongs in the history or philosophy section, but I figured I'd ask it before I forget

I myself believe in the scientific explanation for how things came to be, mostly. That is, that there was evolution and millions of years of history etc.

However, our lack of paperwork for most the time we've been here, is what gives our origins a run for the money. Since we have only now entered paperwork culture, certain things are only now practically impossible to deny.

If however, science is all wrong, and we were only actually here for 5000 years, how would things be markedly different. Is it conceivable that all history would have played out the same way?

Well, it would not be even close to habitable and would be devoid of any life, for starters.

 

[amorphous_constellation]

Well, it would not be even close to habitable and would be devoid of any life, for starters.

how about if they were placed here 5000 years ago (all evidence for this not happening aside) and their only tool was language