BWE

Sorry sorry sorry. It was early. It was a baaaaaad joke about sentence structure.

ericmurphy

Then why are you even reading this thread? The SUBJECT of this thread is whether or not ancient humans had improbably extended lifetimes. If you want to discuss something else, fine. But do it elsewhere. You don't get to drag this entire thread off-topic, and then complain that other people want to discuss the topic, just because you'd rather discuss something else. No one is stopping you from creating your own topic.

ericmurphy

Thank you for stating the obvious with an air of discovery. But the topic of this discussion, if you would trouble to read the OP, is not how such hypothetical creatures would be different from modern humans. The topic is, did they exist in the first place?

Now, if you don't want to discuss that issue, that's your right. No one's going to force you. But don't take people to task for discussing an issue that is the topic of this thread.

Then why are you criticizing people for discussing what is, after all, the topic of this thread?

Wait a minute. Person A asserts that humans once lived for centuries, because written records say so. Person B requests empirical evidence that supports such written records, because the records themselves are unpersuasive. And somehow you characterize that request as "old invective almost in set terms." Could it be that maybe the reason it's "old" is because it's been asked a million times and never answered?

Look, if you don't think humans ever lived for centuries, or don't hold an opinion on the topic, or think the topic is unworthy of discussion, then what are you doing here?

Faid

What Eric said.

Sauron

You'll find that regardless of the topic, Roger will ultimately try to steer the discussion towards ancient manuscripts, so he can play the queen bee.* It does, however, result in some tortuously contrived discussions.




* with apologies to Margot Ledbetter.

Smullyan-esque

Hey, you aren't bashing good old Hugo, are you?

Smullyan-esque

When I was in High School, I had a friend who's father talked just like this Roger Pearse fellow. He was a complete blowhard. A true stuffed shirt. He was a travelling salesman, and he had managed to gain a lot of undeserved respect. His ideas were simplistic and his reasoning juvenile, yet he spoke with great, ponderous authority. He believed himself to be an authority on any number of topics, without ever having studied them in any official manner.

I had two opportunities to discuss interesting topics with him. Both times ended with him finding an excuse to end the conversation in a huff. After that, I was no longer welcome in his house. That's right: Even in High School, I was already knowledgeable enough to pick holes in his assertions, and he could only handle it with a stiff formality and heavy-handed "grace".

It seems that people like this really have a very fragile ego. They cannot abide the possibility of being wrong, so they avoid real study, and surround themselves with people who fear them. Any real challenge to their paper-maché expertise is met with accusations of poor manners and veiled threats.
-----------------------------

Of course, my comments above are not in any way directed at the illustrious Roger Pearse.

What I wish to say to Roger is: Cal has a point, and her manners are far better than your own. The science that you so casually dismiss is well within your ability to understand, if you simply apply a little effort. Until you do so, you will continue to make yourself a laughingstock by making bold statements that are at odds with well established knowledge.

Calilasseia

Actually, I'm male.

But at least you didn't make the mistake of erring with respect to my gender after I posted a comment about fathering all of Scarlett Johanssen's children, which a certain individual here did at RD.net. You have three guesses who that was.

cajela

me too.

I think afdave does believe all these things, except the wales. Men actually have been swallowed by wales, in many a mining disaster. Whales are another question.

(thank you, I'm here all week.)

Smullyan-esque

Whoops! My mistake!

In my own defense, you DO have a screen name that is very similar to my daughter's name... :blush: