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Post by dividavi on Nov 22, 2018 2:09:28 GMT
www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/743886/technology-death-civilisation-nick-bostrom-vulnerable-world-future-predictionTechnology will be DEATH of civilisation as humanity SELF-DESTRUCTS – chilling warning
TECHNOLOGY could cause humanity to self-destruct unless we drastically change our ways, according to shocking claims by an Oxford professor.By Matt Drake / Published 22nd November 2018  VULNERABLE: The professor lays out his chilling warnings in a new paper (Pic: GETTY) Nick Bostrom claims there is a possibility of a new technology that is destructive on a large scale and easy to access. While mankind already has devastating technology, such as nuclear weaponry, its devastating potential is limited by a number of factors, such as the cost and rarity of the materials required to make them.  Professor Bostrom claims we have been “lucky” not to have destroyed ourselves so far.He claims we will create a technology that means our civilisation will be “almost certainly gets devastated by default” and create a “vulnerable world”. LUCKY: The professor says mankind has been lucky not to destroy itself (Pic: WIKIPEDIA) So far we have created technology that is mostly beneficial to society, which Prof Bolstrom refers to as “white balls” pulled from a hypothetical urn”. Nuclear weapons are “grey”, but it is only a matter of time before we pick a “black ball”. Prof Bostrom argues: “What we haven’t extracted, so far, is a black ball – a technology that invariably or by default destroys the civilisation that invents it. “The reason is not that we have been particularly careful or wise in our technology policy. We have just been lucky. “The most obvious kind of black ball is a technology that would make it very easy to unleash an enormously powerful destructive force.” Examples include advances in “biohacking” which would allow someone with basic training to cause a devastating disease. This is coupled with the use of the internet in which people can remain anonymous and gain access to information on a mass scale. So to prevent the destruction of mankind, or to re-stabilise the world, people need to take harsh steps.  BLACK BALL: It is only a matter of time before a destructive technology is invented (Pic: GETTY)
 DESTROYED: There is a possibility of a new technology that is destructive on a large scale (Pic: GETTY)There could be the development of a mass surveillance state or “extremely effective preventative policing”. Professor Bostrom added: “Even if we became seriously concerned that the urn of invention may contain a black ball, this need not move us to favour establishing stronger surveillance or global governance now, if we thought that it would be possible to take those steps later, if and when the hypothesised vulnerability came clearly into view. “We could then let the world continue its sweet slumber, in the confident expectation that as soon as the alarm goes off it will leap out of bed and undertake the required actions. “But we should question how realistic this plan is.” Professor Bostrom presents his findings in The Vulnerable World Hypothesis.
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Post by Catman on Nov 22, 2018 2:13:46 GMT
That's a relief.
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Post by MCDemuth on Nov 22, 2018 2:24:50 GMT
Civilization is already in the process of destroying itself, by more & more people insisting on ordering products, such as their groceries, online and having them delivered to their homes...
They are just going to sit there getting fatter and fatter, until they have heart attacks...
Put down those computers/smartphones and get off your lazy asses and get some exercise by going for a walk inside your local stores...
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Post by drystyx on Nov 22, 2018 2:48:47 GMT
In the words of Keith Carradine from "Southern Comfort",
"this is not exactly NEWS to the rest of us".
(Meaning, this is pretty much common knowledge, or accepted, certainly that we've been lucky not be in destruct right now)
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Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2018 12:57:20 GMT
Biohacking??? We already have AIDS which was almost 2 decades before the internet. If you're after human extinction, AIDS is a terrible disease. It only killed about a million people last year - a year in which well over 130 million people were born. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2018 13:52:06 GMT
Failure to tackle anthropogenically accelerated climate change when we had chance will end humanity.
We had our chance, latest scientific data this very day shows we have reached the point of no return.
It's now or never... Carry on the present course and die, or adapt and survive.
When climate shifts happen to push life outside of it's environmental tolerances, all species have just three choices... Adapt, evolve, or die.
The current change is so rapid, evolving is not an option.
The two ways to adapt are to migrate to a place within your environmental tolerances. We have nowhere left to go... Or change your behaviour.
That's our only option... Adapt our behaviour right now, or die.
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Post by lowtacks86 on Nov 22, 2018 14:23:11 GMT
Nah, overpopulation or global warming will be the more likely culprit.
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Post by Catman on Nov 22, 2018 14:53:55 GMT
Funny how the problems caused by technology often can only be solved using technology.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2018 15:00:33 GMT
If you're after human extinction, AIDS is a terrible disease. It only killed about a million people last year - a year in which well over 130 million people were born. I was riding on the coattails of the articles deadly biohacking disease prophesizing. Take the amount of deaths the AIDS virus caused amongst just homosexual men, specifically in the 80's, then I would say it would give a different picture. Or I could go back way way further and just state bubonic plague instead.  Go for it. The worst diseases in history have never come close to wiping out humanity. There are practical reasons why diseases just can't do that. |
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Post by rachelcarson1953 on Nov 22, 2018 16:31:29 GMT
Go for it. The worst diseases in history have never come close to wiping out humanity. There are practical reasons why diseases just can't do that. Isn't there a conspiracy theory that the AIDS virus was created distinctly\specifically? Yes, there is always a conspiracy theory for anything, but spend any time with real infectious disease specialists and you'll learn about natural selection in action, in the world of pathogens. Honestly, AIDS progresses too slowly to decimate a population. Now, Ebola... there's a real contender. If it mutates to an airborne distribution, we're going to see another mass die-off like Bubonic Plague. But there will be humans who have a genetic resistance, and the struggle between predator and prey will go on. Currently, there is a strain of E. coli that is causing kidney failure in many who contract it. And then there is always MRSA. And, yeah, I spend too much time on the CDC website... |
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Post by general313 on Nov 22, 2018 17:14:38 GMT
Go for it. The worst diseases in history have never come close to wiping out humanity. There are practical reasons why diseases just can't do that. Isn't there a conspiracy theory that the AIDS virus was created distinctly\specifically? You mean Operation Infecktion? |
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Post by politicidal on Nov 22, 2018 17:43:27 GMT
Happy Thanksgiving to you too!
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Post by The Herald Erjen on Nov 22, 2018 19:16:50 GMT
The beginning.....is a very delicate time.
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Post by phludowin on Nov 22, 2018 20:31:39 GMT
Honestly, AIDS progresses too slowly to decimate a population. Now, Ebola... there's a real contender. If it mutates to an airborne distribution, we're going to see another mass die-off like Bubonic Plague. But there will be humans who have a genetic resistance, and the struggle between predator and prey will go on. Currently, there is a strain of E. coli that is causing kidney failure in many who contract it. And then there is always MRSA. And, yeah, I spend too much time on the CDC website... All of these are amateurs compared to the flu and malaria. The Spanish Flu killed 18 million people after World War I; malaria kills approximately 1 million per year. None of this diseases exists because of technology. |
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Post by rachelcarson1953 on Nov 22, 2018 21:05:33 GMT
Honestly, AIDS progresses too slowly to decimate a population. Now, Ebola... there's a real contender. If it mutates to an airborne distribution, we're going to see another mass die-off like Bubonic Plague. But there will be humans who have a genetic resistance, and the struggle between predator and prey will go on. Currently, there is a strain of E. coli that is causing kidney failure in many who contract it. And then there is always MRSA. And, yeah, I spend too much time on the CDC website... All of these are amateurs compared to the flu and malaria. The Spanish Flu killed 18 million people after World War I; malaria kills approximately 1 million per year. None of this diseases exists because of technology. Wow, another poster who knows something about infectious disease! It has been 100 years since the Spanish Flu broke out. And malaria is pretty much endemic in much of the world. My cousin spent 2 years in Africa with the Peace Corps, and despite multiple vaccinations and precautions, still deals with malaria. But only 'bug nerds' would know about these things. And you are right, technology has nothing to do with it, unless... somebody like the scientist in "Twelve Monkeys" bio-engineers and purposely spreads a pathogen. www.imdb.com/title/tt0114746/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_88 |
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Post by dividavi on Nov 23, 2018 0:12:37 GMT
I was riding on the coattails of the articles deadly biohacking disease prophesizing. Take the amount of deaths the AIDS virus caused amongst just homosexual men, specifically in the 80's, then I would say it would give a different picture. Or I could go back way way further and just state bubonic plague instead. Go for it. The worst diseases in history have never come close to wiping out humanity. There are practical reasons why diseases just can't do that. Could you briefly list those practical reasons. Here's a CNN report from a few hours ago about Superbugs (bacteria immune to antibiotics) in war torn Afghanistan. It sure sounds to me that these Superbugs could eliminate vast swathes of humanity. Humanity can be considered to be in an arms race with resistant bacteria and it looks like humans will be the ultimate losers. Of course it really isn't necessary for micro-organisms to make people sick. Some gene-spliced entity could do things like blocking photosynthesis or killing all arthropods. Most people would starve under those circumstance. There was a novel called No Blade Of Grass where some bacteria kill off all the rice, grass and wheat production. Perhaps you or rachelcarson1953 could explain why it would not be possible for some hostile group to design an organism that would kill humanity directly or indirectly. |
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Post by rachelcarson1953 on Nov 23, 2018 0:39:00 GMT
Go for it. The worst diseases in history have never come close to wiping out humanity. There are practical reasons why diseases just can't do that. Could you briefly list those practical reasons. Here's a CNN report from a few hours ago about Superbugs (bacteria immune to antibiotics) in war torn Afghanistan. It sure sounds to me that these Superbugs could eliminate vast swathes of humanity. Humanity can be considered to be in an arms race with resistant bacteria and it looks like humans will be the ultimate losers. Of course it really isn't necessary for micro-organisms to make people sick. Some gene-spliced entity could do things like blocking photosynthesis or killing all arthropods. Most people would starve under those circumstance. There was a novel called No Blade Of Grass where some bacteria kill off all the rice, grass and wheat production. Perhaps you or rachelcarson1953 could explain why it would not be possible for some hostile group to design an organism that would kill humanity directly or indirectly. IMHO, it could be possible for a pathogen to start a serious downturn in human population, though most likely, some humans would have a chance genetic resistance, and we would adapt and survive. But given the environmental crisis we are now facing, who knows what might happen? Have you ever read the book "Silent Spring"? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silent_Spring |
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Post by dividavi on Nov 23, 2018 0:55:04 GMT
Could you briefly list those practical reasons. Here's a CNN report from a few hours ago about Superbugs (bacteria immune to antibiotics) in war torn Afghanistan. It sure sounds to me that these Superbugs could eliminate vast swathes of humanity. Humanity can be considered to be in an arms race with resistant bacteria and it looks like humans will be the ultimate losers. Of course it really isn't necessary for micro-organisms to make people sick. Some gene-spliced entity could do things like blocking photosynthesis or killing all arthropods. Most people would starve under those circumstance. There was a novel called No Blade Of Grass where some bacteria kill off all the rice, grass and wheat production. Perhaps you or rachelcarson1953 could explain why it would not be possible for some hostile group to design an organism that would kill humanity directly or indirectly. IMHO, it could be possible for a pathogen to start a serious downturn in human population, though most likely, some humans would have a chance genetic resistance, and we would adapt and survive. But given the environmental crisis we are now facing, who knows what might happen? Have you ever read the book "Silent Spring"? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silent_SpringNever have, though I watched some tv shows on the subject. I remember some Englishman who vociferously objected to Rachel Carson's ideas and he gave an impassioned speech about "vermin destroying the earth," or something like that. Speaking theoretically, would it be possible to design an organism that's lethal but not exactly a pathogen? say somebody invents something that blocks hemoglobin interactions. Maybe somebody else comes up with a surefire insecticide that does the same thing to copper-based insect blood. There's the scenario where bacteria learn to eat gasoline and plastic. Possible? |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 23, 2018 2:44:59 GMT
Go for it. The worst diseases in history have never come close to wiping out humanity. There are practical reasons why diseases just can't do that. Could you briefly list those practical reasons. Because diseases are living things too, and they have to survive just as any living thing has to survive. So if you're a disease that is fatal to your host, you have to be able to spread to an average of at least one new host for every one person you kill. But if we're talking about some hyper-fatal disease that is wiping out a large percentage of humanity, we'd reach a point where the human race became pockets of people isolated from one another geographically - just as we were for most of our history. In that scenario the disease can no longer spread, and would burn itself out. In reality it never gets even that far. The black death, for instance, killed one third of the population of Europe before burning itself out. That's a massive disaster, obviously... but it's not even close to extinction levels. And that was in an age where people had almost no tools to fight disease the way we do. |
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Post by permutojoe on Nov 23, 2018 4:20:03 GMT
We were meant to be hunter/gatherers. We started a collision course with annihilation the moment the agricultural revolution happened. Hoarding and class were invented overnight. That was the first sign we were on the wrong track.
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