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Re:Weapon physicist declassifies rescued nuclear test films by M_Grey on Thursday March 16, 2017 @10:44AM (#13885401)
I live my life by that single insight: technology and progress do not change human nature. Behavior, sure, but not our nature. Human nature and nuclear weaponry are not compatible.
Re:Weapon physicist declassifies rescued nuclear test films by TeMPOraL on Thursday March 16, 2017 @11:20AM (#13885713)
> Human nature and nuclear weaponry are not compatible.

Here's the problem though: most interesting and useful technologies of the future are not compatible with human nature. E.g. any interesting interplanetary drive that would give us reasonable transit times is at the same time a powerful WMD, simply because of the energies we'll be working with. Or bio/nanotech, dream of so many industries, is also potentially much worse than nukes.

Makes me worry if we grow up in time, or end up killing ourselves with our toys.

Re:Weapon physicist declassifies rescued nuclear test films by M_Grey on Thursday March 16, 2017 @11:25AM (#13885768)
You've hit on why I don't see humanity's long-term survival as very likely, and why I find the Great Filter hypothesis so compelling.
Re:Weapon physicist declassifies rescued nuclear test films by noir_lord on Thursday March 16, 2017 @12:43PM (#13886472)
It's also why if we where rational as a species we'd be focusing on becoming a genuine space borne/multi-planetary civilisation.

Our best shot at surviving the great filter is been spread out enough that when someone goes "Ooops" and levels wherever they are there are other self-sufficient humans far enough away to survive.

Not sure if we'll ever achieve that (though I think in totality it's only just beyond our current technology) though since it would require a colossal investment that would make the Apollo program look tiny to bootstrap it.

barring some significant breakthrough in fusion.

Re:Weapon physicist declassifies rescued nuclear test films by c-smile on Thursday March 16, 2017 @03:28PM (#13888309)
Wondering if it is even possible to convince humanity to focus on creating multi-stellar civilization at this point until it is not too late.

Instead of fighting in sandboxes, et cetera.

Re:Weapon physicist declassifies rescued nuclear test films by M_Grey on Thursday March 16, 2017 @03:35PM (#13888388)
Re:Weapon physicist declassifies rescued nuclear test films by alphapapa on Thursday March 16, 2017 @01:39PM (#13887040)
> Our best shot at surviving the great filter is been spread out enough that when someone goes "Ooops" and levels wherever they are there are other self-sufficient humans far enough away to survive.

This idea of compartmentalization is a strong argument against globalism. "Oops"es in government, society, and culture can be just as deadly.

Re:Weapon physicist declassifies rescued nuclear test films by emmelaich on Thursday March 16, 2017 @09:29PM (#13890632)
> Human nature and nuclear weaponry are not compatible.

They've been around for quite a while, so the evidence is against that conclusion.