garys@bunkerb.UUCP (Gary Samuelson) (12/15/83)
On the abilities of man vs. the abilities of God:
Tim Maroney writes:
As longtime readers of the group know, I feel that
humans have attained to the status of gods in this
century. We can devastate cities in a microsecond, send
our voices across millions of miles, reap vast and
profitable harvests, fly, create new forms of matter,
pry behind the scenes of the very nature of events, and
so on. These developments propel us into the world of
the gods whether we want it or not, and our morals must
be worthy of gods or horror and chaos will surely
result. If human history continues as it has, we will
surely die before another century passes. We must
change if we are to survive our forced technological
apotheosis.
First, no one human has any of these abilities. Hence, you
might argue that the human race as a whole has godlike powers,
but not that "humans" are "gods."
Second, these accomplishments aren't really that impressive,
compared to the abilities attributed to God:
"devestate cities in a microsecond" -- Let's see you destroy
a whole planet. Not the life thereon, but the rock itself
(Preferably not this one, as I wouldn't be able to tell you
how impressed I was). Better yet, let's see you create a
planet, or maybe a star.
"reap vast and profitable harvests" -- You can plant wheat,
(for example), and you can water it, but you can't make it
grow. Let's see you grow wheat without starting with seeds.
"fly" -- With the use of machines, we have demonstrated the
abilit (so far) to travel a mere quarter million miles. A
couple hundred times that, and we could get to the next planet;
if we could carry several years of food, air, and water. Getting
to the next star, on the hope that there are planets there to
visit once you, or your children, since it may take that long,
is another question.
"create new forms of matter" -- You mean rearrange existing
matter, and give it a new name. Besides, you don't know that
anything created in the lab hasn't existed before.
"pry behind the scenes of the very nature of events" -- that
doesn't even say anything.
Let's see some real godlike abilities: Create matter, instead
or merely rearranging it. Create life, instead of prolonging
it. Resurrect someone who has been dead four days. Command
the earth to stop turning on its axis for a few hours. No
sudden starts or stops, though. Prevent rain from falling
on Palestine for three years. Cause rain to fall anywhere.
For a more intellectual challenge, tell me what differentiates
humans from animals, if anything. Language? Tools? Morals?
How long has the world existed? When did the first human live?
Plus or minus several million years is not accurate enough.
What causes the fall of civilizations? War? Loose morals?
Overly strict morals? Conflicting morals? Complacency?
What effect(s) on the ecology would result from the extinction
of the mosquito? the snail darter? the blue whale? man?
Humans have godlike abilities? Not by a long shot. Maybe
humanity's belief that it does possess godlike abilities
is part of the problem; perhaps a little, or a lot, of
humility would help. Maybe if people didn't think they
could solve all their problems, and everybody else's, with
no help from man, beast, or spirit, they would be closer
to a solution. Some people are absolutely convinced that
if we lower taxes, certain problems would disappear. Others
are equally convinced that the same problems can only disappear
if taxes are raised. Who's right? And on and on. People
can't even agree on what word to use to refer to a 20-year
old female human.
On the other hand, maybe stronger convictions are needed.
To which principles should we be more strongly committed?
Rights? Your right to pollute the air by smoking, or my
right to have clean air to breathe? Freedom? Law and order?
Justice? Punishment of criminals? Mercy? Treatment of mal-
adjusted victims of society? A chicken in every pot? If
someone will not work, let him not eat?
"Don't be too proud of this technological marvel you've
constructed..."
Gary Samuelson
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