What is the most significant event in the history of mankind

[Meow Mix]

Gotta say, very interesting stuff about the gamma rays and the intergalactic doomsday device that is our solar system, are you studying astronomy?

I'm a cosmology grad student.

But if they were never alive to begin with, what would they be missing?

Well clearly they wouldn't miss anything, but it would just be a shame not to continue the beauty that is sentient life...

 

[crimsonlung]

Well clearly they wouldn't miss anything, but it would just be a shame not to continue the beauty that is sentient life...

Maybe god (if there is a god) doesn't want us to space travel. If we are adhering to Abrahamic religions, there isn't anything about traveling outside of Earth. Also, god created Earth and look how difficult it is getting into outer space and finding a viable planet to sustain life. There is no oxygen out there, it also requires a significant amount of resources to send something into outer space. Also, there are several biblical Armageddons and signs of Armageddon that take place on Earth, so would we be dodging these if we moved to Venus?

Maybe this needs another forum post

 

[blackout]

What is the most significant event in the history of mankind

The event of SelfRealization.

 

[LuisDantas]

Something related to the capability of abstract thought. Perhaps the very development of that capability in the brain, or else the use of stone tools, the birth of spoken language, or perhaps the first few paintings.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Putting a man on the moon.

 

[painted wolf]

Yes.

Do you like yours with ice-cream, strawberry or honey? Or some other ingredients that I can't think of?

Isn't the beauty of pamcakes that anything goes? Apple-butter is quite nice as is a drizzle of dark chocolate... or just fresh butter.
I have yet to really find a topping that doesn't work.

Besides everyone knows that Pamcakes defeat all evil.

Hellboy is other people « Eagles on Pogo Sticks

But doesn't necessarily impart intelligence.

wa:do

 

[mohammed_beiruti]

I was reading an article and the author said that Christmas was the the most significant event in the history of mankind. I found that to be a bit arrogant and I disagree. Certianly the birth of Christ could be considered the most significant event for Christians but I doubt the rest of the world would consider it so.

So, what do you consider the most significant event in the history of mankind? I'm curious how many folks select a religious event and what that means to people of other faiths.

have you ever heard about Phoenix ?

have you ever heard about the three kings gifts (Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh)?

These are the gifts that were brought to Jesus when He was a small child at bethlehem, by the Wise Men from the East

The Hebrew Bible identifies Beit Lehem as the city David was from and the location where he was crowned as the king of Israel
​

 

[gnomon]

Why would this be important? Even if this is true, it was going to happen anyway.

Seriously. Why would this be important? The development of our species is the most important event in our history. Unless you believe God placed you here. Which stating that "it was going to happen anyway" implies that you either believe God, aliens or something else made us and put us here.

If you don't want to go with that than go with LuisDantes suggestion of the human mind's development of abstraction which would be the next immediate step beyond what I stated.

We are essentially stating the genetic differentiation from other primate species that put homo sapiens sapiens on the planet in the first place.

 

[crimsonlung]

Seriously. Why would this be important? The development of our species is the most important event in our history. Unless you believe God placed you here. Which stating that "it was going to happen anyway" implies that you either believe God, aliens or something else made us and put us here.

If you don't want to go with that than go with LuisDantes suggestion of the human mind's development of abstraction which would be the next immediate step beyond what I stated.

We are essentially stating the genetic differentiation from other primate species that put homo sapiens sapiens on the planet in the first place.

Well, I think you misunderstood my statement which is understandable since it was less than a sentence. What I meant was that regardless of anything that happened, apes would of evolved into human's anyway (assuming the theory of evolution is correct, and yes, I do believe this theory) so why would this be important? Or lets say our species was devoured and went extinct before we fully evolved or even in the embryonic stage, then we wouldn't be having this convo.

In other words, we did not have to do anything for us to evolve into humans, it just happened. We didn't have to be clever and think of ways to be human, we just, became.

When I see an important event of human kind, it comes to mind something that is controlled by us, something we as a human kind have done that is important.

 

[gnomon]

The theory of evolution does not state that humans were an inevitable product of evolution.

That's more of an anthropic principle.

 

[crimsonlung]

The theory of evolution does not state that humans were an inevitable product of evolution.

That's more of an anthropic principle.

Through natural selection, they are, they were trying to survive, that's it. Apes before human did not sit down around the campfire and think of ways to become human. It was a natural development.

 

[gnomon]

Through natural selection, they are, they were trying to survive, that's it. Apes before human did not sit down around the campfire and think of ways to become human. It was a natural development.

Natural of course.

But evolutionary theory does not state that homo sapiens sapiens was inevitable. Biologists will actually tell you the opposite. It wasn't inevitable. It just happened.

Inevitability in this sense implies purpose be it divine or anthropic.

 

[crimsonlung]

Natural of course.

But evolutionary theory does not state that homo sapiens sapiens was inevitable. Biologists will actually tell you the opposite. It wasn't inevitable. It just happened.

Inevitability in this sense implies purpose be it divine or anthropic.

We are looking at this question through the eyes of an already developed homosapien, the path is already distinguished, its like looking down at a ladder from the top rung, we already see where the ladder is going, we are there. If we are looking at our achievements in the history of humankind, I wouldn't consider a biological change in our evolution process to be an achievement.

 

[gnomon]

We are looking at this question through the eyes of an already developed homosapien, the path is already distinguished, its like looking down at a ladder from the top rung, we already see where the ladder is going, we are there. If we are looking at our achievements in the history of humankind, I wouldn't consider a biological change in our evolution process to be an achievement.

We're talking past each other.

You are talking about achievement.

I read the OP as asking for the most important event.

As far as achievements I couldn't quantify between the moon landing, first trip across the ocean, agriculture, etc. as the most important. I would probably go with agriculture for it's association with astronomy, biology, mathematics, etc.

As far as events I still stick with the evolution of a primate into homo sapiens sapiens or as LuisDantes puts it the development of abstract thought. I don't know enough to put the two of those together as a singular event or two separate events.

 

[crimsonlung]

We're talking past each other.

You are talking about achievement.

I read the OP as asking for the most important event.

As far as achievements I couldn't quantify between the moon landing, first trip across the ocean, agriculture, etc. as the most important. I would probably go with agriculture for it's association with astronomy, biology, mathematics, etc.

As far as events I still stick with the evolution of a primate into homo sapiens sapiens or as LuisDantes puts it the development of abstract thought. I don't know enough to put the two of those together as a singular event or two separate events.

Whats the difference between an achievement and an event? An achievement can be an event and vice versa. The Moon Landing happened, it was an event, it was also an achievement because it was the first man on the moon, but, as soon as that man put his foot on the moon, it was an event. Event is just an action, achievement is an accomplishment. Becoming a homo sapien is actually more of an accomplishment, but I don't see it as a full accomplishment since we didn't do anything to become homo sapiens. But I can see where we are going to debate a circle around this.

 

[Dan4reason]

I was reading an article and the author said that Christmas was the the most significant event in the history of mankind. I found that to be a bit arrogant and I disagree. Certianly the birth of Christ could be considered the most significant event for Christians but I doubt the rest of the world would consider it so.

So, what do you consider the most significant event in the history of mankind? I'm curious how many folks select a religious event and what that means to people of other faiths.

I think that the most significant even in human history was WWII. This war was the beginning of the end of European colonialism allowing many places to develop military, economic, and technological power on their own. WWII also gave a bad name to discrimination helping lead to an age of tolerance in much of the world. Because WWII was so awful, this encouraged the world especially Europe to be more peaceful. WWII also lead to the UN and nuclear weapons which have changed the world in their own right.

 

[gnomon]

Whats the difference between an achievement and an event? An achievement can be an event and vice versa. The Moon Landing happened, it was an event, it was also an achievement because it was the first man on the moon, but, as soon as that man put his foot on the moon, it was an event. Event is just an action, achievement is an accomplishment. Becoming a homo sapien is actually more of an accomplishment, but I don't see it as a full accomplishment since we didn't do anything to become homo sapiens. But I can see where we are going to debate a circle around this.

Yes, we will go in circles.

Because while every achievement is an event not every event is an achievement. An achievement is a subset of event.

So I can say the greatest event is the genetic change in primates that led to homo sapiens sapiens but the greatest achievement of homo sapiens sapiens is say...agriculture, for example. But the genetic development of primates into homo sapiens or the development of abstraction is not an achievement but they are definitely events.


But I have to go to work now.

 

[Jeremiah]

The moon landing.

In the future it will be 100% necessary for continued survival to use space travel to find a new home (or new homes). The moon landing proves that it's possible in principle if we put our noses to the grindstone and get working.

The first responsibility humans have as one of the only known sentient beings is -- if we value sentience -- to protect it. It's a fact that sooner or later (hopefully later) something will render this planet uninhabitable. We have the same sort of duty to ensure our descendants' survival as we do to protect our current selves with laws against things like murder and rape.

Failing to work our way towards space ensures our extinction and is equivalent to negligent homicide of the entire human species and the other species we share this planet with.

"In the future it will be 100% necessary for continued survival to use space travel to find a new home (or new homes). The moon landing proves that it's possible in principle if we put our noses to the grindstone and get working."

We simply may not be able to leave our solar system. The vastness of space just may make it a impossibility; a moat we cannot cross. Technology can only be pushed so far and even it must have limits.

A speedy escape may be completely out of the question, but perhaps we could build some-type of mobile secondary Earth and live there as it slowly moves through space. Who knows though? Such things may just be impossible and we may just be stuck here until Mother Nature decides it is time for humanity to end.

 

[Jeremiah]

Failing to work our way towards space ensures our extinction and is equivalent to negligent homicide of the entire human species and the other species we share this planet with.

We humans are already doom to extinction, it can not be avoided. Even if we escape all the perils of Mother Nature, evolution, whether by our own hands or natural course, will end the human species.

If we gain control of evolution, would we really leave ourselves as human? No, we'd start to make "improvements" and after a time, when the process is perfected by trial and error, what remains, I doubt, could be called human.

 

[Midnight Pete]

Failing to work our way towards space ensures our extinction and is equivalent to negligent homicide of the entire human species and the other species we share this planet with.

We have much more immediate problems than failing to work our way through space, Meow. War, crime, disease, pollution, poverty, energy crisis, natural disasters. These are the problems mankind currently faces. These are the problems we should be thinking about before we even daydream about colonizing other worlds.