Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Loren Pechtel · 01-28-2003, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kuu
Since when would becoming immortal make me any more intelligent? You are suggesting that a woman who has trouble programming a video could actually build a starship?

No, if I am the only one left I am stuck on the rock.

If you are immortal you have infinite time to figure out how to do it.

Dyrwen · 01-28-2003, 03:11 PM

I'd imagine that if we were able to live forever, there'd be more and more people trying to kill more people. Because they'll be able to really reap the benefits over time of killing their enemies. It'd certainly make the whole "monarchy" life a bit of a bitch..

I suppose we'll just have to die though, or else there would be no reason for theism. Hehe.. if you live forever, the afterlife doesn't become an issue unless you're killed or have an accident. If we started living "forever" I'd imagine we wouldn't be some old withered gray human being over time...if anything we'd look really young since more than likely we'd have to be regenerative to survive that long.

Thought I'd chime in...

abe smith · 01-29-2003, 06:46 AM

Fer sher Dyrwin! Enter the fray & speak your mind.
(The word *data* IZ plural tho; the singular is *datum*. Hence "data are data." Of course the fact that "data are data" doesn't prove that (those) data are TRUE.....) Cheers! Abe aka Grandpa, & nitpicker.

Aerik Von · 01-29-2003, 06:03 PM

I don't want to die. I actually WISH I could believe in heaven. But really, my brain evolved - heaven did not.

I think you mistake the intent, I seperate reality from my own thoughts and wishes.

Amie · 01-29-2003, 06:08 PM

I believe I *am* going to live forever

In regards to living forever physically? well I would choose to live forever over death anyday. Life over ceasing to exist would win me over.

Doubting Didymus · 01-29-2003, 08:32 PM

Quote:

I don't know about wanting to live forever, but I'll tell you what I would like - I'd like to live until I damn well think I'm done, rather than have a limit imposed by biology and entropy, whether it be a thousand years or merely the next fifty or so.

Absolutely! What's so fucking special about our biology, that we should let IT decide how long we get? I can't think of a single downside to immortality that does not dissapear when you add the proviso: but you can choose to end if you want to. THATS freedom.

P.S. I can't imagine getting bored, either. I might try and cruise the galaxy insulting every sentient being in existance for a few million years.

SecularFuture · 01-31-2003, 11:04 AM

Quote:

�If life didn't end, life would have no value.�

Everyone is entitled to their personal opinions. Life by default, I feel, has no inherent meaning or value. We, as individuals, must create our own meaning and value.

Quote:

� Who would want to be old and shriveled in a wheelchair for all eternity?�

Who says that you would even have to? Have technology, science, and medicine stopped evolving? No. Eventually, we may be able to reverse the aging process.

Quote:

� I don't know; I currently can't imagine being bored with life, but I'm not very old yet. Perhaps thirty years from now my opinions will differ.�

Each new generation will bring new ideas to explore. Wouldn�t it be nice to be there to explore those ideas? A true lover of life will never get bored.

Quote:

� I also would love to live forever as a fairly young man. Growing old sucks and dying sucks even more.�

Amen! Welcome to Transhumanism!

Quote:

� Humanity essentially thrives on something or someone elses suffering�

For now, at least. Change is still possible.

Quote:

� I would only want to live forever if I could go through a continual evolution, eventually reaching the level of benevolent god�

Wow - what a fascinating concept! Oh � here�s something fun to think about! What if our God evolved from the last generation of humans from the last big bang, and our big bang was created by that God? Wowsers! There�s no evidence or reason to believe this though, so I�ll remain atheist for now.

Quote:

� I completely disagree with you. The human species will develop to a point where it can create it's own evolution apart from external forces of nature.�

EXACTLY!

The key is to think BIG. Think outside of the conventional confines that prison you.

Quote:

� Consider how exciting(?) it would be to live for a billion years! (You STILL haven't scratched the surface of FOREVER!) Come on...give me a break!!!!�

HAHA!! Good point!! But still� I would much rather have something forever than nothing forever. Life seems like a curse, doesn�t it?

Quote:

� I don't want to be around humans any longer than absolutely necessary, they are beyond depressing, besides who the hell wants to go to work forever.�

Think BIG! You may not have to.

Quote:

� I think that with an ulimited life span, I could find many ways to exist happily. I accept my eminent demise, but I don't have to like it.�

This is why we invented Gods in the first place, I think. What does Christianity preach about constantly? Eternal life with Jesus, right? The perfect paradise afterlife. Christianity, like all other religions, is nothing more than a really big pillow, something big and soft to lie on in the midst of a harsh reality. The natural world frightened out ancestors, so they imagined that an all powerful God was there to protect them, or punish them for wrongdoings.

Quote:

� Who gives a toss, you will never be the slightest bit aware of your condition.�

And that�s a problem. How can someone, like me, life happily knowing that one day everything that they�re working hard on is going to mean nothing sooner or later when they die? To avoid depression, I just don�t think about it anymore.

Quote:

� I don't want to die. I actually WISH I could believe in heaven.�

Someone should do a post about heaven. If it were a real place, what would we do there? It sounds kind of lame to me.

ju'iblex · 01-31-2003, 08:37 PM

Quote:

originally posted by Secular Future:

For now, at least. Change is still possible.

if it hasnt changed for thousands upon thousands of years, then why start thinking differently now? that would make no sense. sorry, i dont share your optimism

SecularFuture · 02-01-2003, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ju'iblex
if it hasnt changed for thousands upon thousands of years, then why start thinking differently now? that would make no sense. sorry, i dont share your optimism

Why not start thinking differently now? That is our problem today. Our minds are locked. We are afraid to be innovative.

ju'iblex · 02-01-2003, 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by SecularFuture
Why not start thinking differently now? That is our problem today. Our minds are locked. We are afraid to be innovative.

because humans are humans, they dont change. from Aztecs to the Middle Ages to today. We're all still as barbaric as the past 1000 years, no matter how much more civilised we claim we are.

Its got nought to do with innovation.

01-29-2003, 06:46 AM	#53
abe smith Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: springfield, MA. USA Posts: 2,482	Welcome; CHIME! Dyrwin Fer sher Dyrwin! Enter the fray & speak your mind. (The word data IZ plural tho; the singular is datum. Hence "data are data." Of course the fact that "data are data" doesn't prove that (those) data are TRUE.....) Cheers! Abe aka Grandpa, & nitpicker.

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01-28-2003, 03:11 PM	#52
Dyrwen Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Olympia, WA, U$A Posts: 680	I'd imagine that if we were able to live forever, there'd be more and more people trying to kill more people. Because they'll be able to really reap the benefits over time of killing their enemies. It'd certainly make the whole "monarchy" life a bit of a bitch.. I suppose we'll just have to die though, or else there would be no reason for theism. Hehe.. if you live forever, the afterlife doesn't become an issue unless you're killed or have an accident. If we started living "forever" I'd imagine we wouldn't be some old withered gray human being over time...if anything we'd look really young since more than likely we'd have to be regenerative to survive that long. Thought I'd chime in...

01-29-2003, 06:03 PM	#54
Aerik Von Regular Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Hell, New York Posts: 151	I don't want to die. I actually WISH I could believe in heaven. But really, my brain evolved - heaven did not. I think you mistake the intent, I seperate reality from my own thoughts and wishes.

01-29-2003, 06:08 PM	#55
Amie Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: New York Posts: 1,626	I believe I am going to live forever In regards to living forever physically? well I would choose to live forever over death anyday. Life over ceasing to exist would win me over.

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