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Ted Talks - "Earth in it`s Final Century...

Sir Martin Rees - In a taut soliloquy that takes us from the origins of the universe to the last days of a dying sun 6 billion years later, renowned cosmologist Sir Martin Rees explains why the 21st century is a pivotal moment in the history of humanity: the first time in history when we can materially change ourselves and our planet. Stunning imagery of cosmological wonders show us the universe as we know it now. Speaking as "a concerned member of the human race," Rees harkens to the wisdom of Einstein, calling for scientists to act as moral compasses, confronting the coming developments and ensuring our role in "the immense future."

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14 Comments

Current View: 15 / Show all Comments

Gumpster : LVL 20: VP 2.9: said:

Gumpster

4 votes NegativePositive

314 days 14 hours ago...

I love this one! thanks for this TED!

mooseman : LVL 36: VP 4.4: said:

mooseman

3 votes NegativePositive

314 days 11 hours ago...

almost 6 am.... this is deep lol

Thorno : LVL 36: VP 4.4: said:

Thorno

-2 votes NegativePositive

313 days ago...

I`m an Atheist but I have to wonder...if there is one Universe or multiple Universes that became of one or more Big Bangs-what caused the Big Bangs & why?

On one hand it is proposterous to say "GOD" did as that could be any of the droves of different gods in that different human religions came up with. Saying its one God means that all the other are wrong or you deny their existance. You could assume its a supreme being but you cant back it up just as you cannot back up that it "Just happened".

I should think that it will be a matter of time before we figure everything out-but who knows, maybe it is the one thing man kind will never know for sure ;)

smooth_stalin : LVL 26: VP 3.5: said:

smooth_stalin

-1 votes NegativePositive

311 days 22 hours ago...

A hero to all humans.

alifeva1 : LVL 8: VP 1.7: said:

alifeva1

2 votes NegativePositive

311 days 22 hours ago...

i liked all of it but started nodding off during the end felt like i was in a class for a sec

[}{] //-\\ []v[] [] []_"[]" (()) []\[] : LVL 32: VP 4.1: said:

[}{] //-\\ []v[] [] []_"[]" (()) []\[]

5 votes NegativePositive

311 days 21 hours ago...

^for a second I thought your avatar said "vagina".

hydroquebec : LVL 11: VP 2: said:

hydroquebec

-1 votes NegativePositive

311 days 20 hours ago...

As a physicist! GOod talk!

AbOoyEAh : LVL 32: VP 4.1: said:

AbOoyEAh

0 votes NegativePositive

311 days 19 hours ago...

He reminds me of Doctor Farnsworth from Futurama.

Minus the hair :D

MasterChief182 : LVL 27: VP 3.6: said:

MasterChief182

4 votes NegativePositive

311 days 19 hours ago...

A question to ask yourself, since this post got me thinking:

Lets say that in 30 to 50 years or so science can accurately reproduce your brain via replacing every organic synapse with a synthetic one gradually until every piece of you brain is "artificial". So essentially your consciousness is transfered to this new synthetic brain. The main difference being the incredible amounts of computing power that your consciousness can now access thanks your new machinery. Think super computer of the future status, but in your brain.

Lets say that your "brain" is so powerful that you could even simulate and observe "big bangs" and big tears within your mind.

So the question is, "Would you change yourself in such a way?"

NytRydr : LVL 31: VP 4: said:

NytRydr

-4 votes NegativePositive

311 days 19 hours ago...

I find full fledged theists just as ignorant as atheists, they both have definite ideologies, whereas I believe agnostically. It is stupid to deny god just as it is to confirm him, cause quite frankly nobody can. No amount of history, philosophy or science has yet indecisively proven the existence or absence of a God.

Perhaps one day we will, but did anyone stop to think that maybe a being/species so ancient and advanced had the power to create universes and we as living things are it`s products. Or are we just the result of chemistry, biology, physics, science etc. An inevitable function of the universe life with conscious self awareness.

^ I definitely would considering that the human brain processes 450 billion bits per second, however we are only consciously aware of 2000. Replacing the body and keeping the mind could enable people to live far beyond what is biologically possible.

This might seems like a far fetched thought, but trust me when we are all old our kids will be submerged in virtual realities, people will have wireless, memory, processing, and other electronic implants. I wouldn`t even be surpriced that it would become a fad like tattoos, piercings or plastic surgery.

I can already imagine yelling at my kids telling them to unplug and go play in the "real" world.

j_mitch3 : LVL 19: VP 2.8: said:

j_mitch3

2 votes NegativePositive

311 days 18 hours ago...

NytRydr, atheists do not argue that there is no God, they argue an agnostic point of view because it is impossible to prove a negative. Atheism just doesn`t put the likelyhood of God at 50%, as you agnostics do, it is illogical to do so with the provided evidence or lack there of.

TheReturn666 : LVL 1: VP 1: said:

TheReturn666

-7 votes NegativePositive

311 days 16 hours ago...

Humans.... alive in 6 billion years.


HAHAHAAA. Not if Allah has his way!

NytRydr : LVL 31: VP 4: said:

NytRydr

0 votes NegativePositive

310 days 3 hours ago...

Merriam-Webster definitions:

atheist: one who believes that there is NO deity

agnostic:
1: a person who holds the view that any ultimate reality (as God) is unknown and probably unknowable; broadly : one who is not committed to believing in either the existence or the nonexistence of God or a god
2: a person unwilling to commit to an opinion about something <political agnostics>

I never put the likelihood of God at 50%, agnostically speaking you wouldn`t. I am just saying we shouldn`t argue either side because it would just be blind faith, until we have indisputable evidence for either case then it would be rational.
BTW logic/illogical are words thrown around quite a lot indiscriminately, don`t be confused as to believing that something that is logical is `right`. So to kill 1 person to save a 1000 is logical, but it still wouldn`t be right.

Do you mean by "you can`t prove a negative", that it is impossible to prove the absence of something, are you kidding me. You probably meant to say that you can`t Disprove a Negative, which would be like a double negative, such as "We don`t need no education".

monkeydoodle : LVL 22: VP 3.1: said:

monkeydoodle

0 votes NegativePositive

309 days 17 hours ago...

^That definition of Atheism is wrong. Dictionaries are only useful to give you a very general and simple meaning of a word. They`re not always accurate.

Atheism generally has 2 schools of thought.
1) The LACK OF BELIEF in God/Deities (Weak Atheism)
2) The NON-EXISTENCE of God/Deities (Strong Atheism)

What you describe as agnostic, is actually Weak Atheism. Most people who claim to be agnostic don`t realise that they`re really under the weak atheist school of thought.

The meaning of agnosticism is basically "without knowledge". In other words, you have no information and thus will not be able to make a decision. When you say "we cannot know", it already implies you have the information and have made a decision. Presented with the information, you have decided that its not good enough to believe. You are then not believing in the Deity, which is what atheism is.

So the only way to truly be agnostic, is to be completely ignorant of all theism.

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