[Brian W (Brian)]

Originally Posted by casstony

I think you're focusing exclusively on the negative Brian - it's not hard to find the good side of human nature either.

I would suggest that if it is raining and I note the rain that I am not being negative... rather I am simply observing correctly. I will change my understanding of humanity when you or anyone else can show me 1 moral / ethical advance that all of humanity has adopted any time in the last 10,000 years.

There have certainly been enlightened individuals throughout history who have tried to advance humanity but none of their movements have ever succeeded.


All species have to compete to survive; we're in a transition period where we've achieved a level of intelligence that may not be beneficial to our species survival unless we can alter our competitive instinct. Perhaps that pressure to cooperate or die will lead us to continue to evolve through this phase.

Your thinking in the above is a little fuzzy. All species have to compete we are a species so we must have to compete... yes?

Then you say we are in a transitional period. Assuming that the theory of evolution is more or less correct of course we are changing.

But I believe that you need to show that evolution can affect morality (I can see no evidence in the history that I have studied) and that evolution unites a species.

As I understand it all of humanity evolved from one smallish group of wandering people who originated in what is now Africa. If that is the case then to date evolution has not produced unity but rather diversity.

We learned to cooperate first in family groups, then in tribal groups because it benefited our survival. Learning to cooperate on a planetary scale would benefit the survival of our species today - maybe that pressure will lead us to continue evolving and ensure a future for humanity.

There is an old joke or truism in the Mennonite culture that might be applicable here; what is the first thing a new Mennonite community does? it hires a Lutheran to be the police man!

Humanity did not learn how to cooperate in family and group. What humanity learned was the need to drive out those who did not fit in so that the larger group could function and survive.

I fear and believe that if we ever do begin the exploration of space that it will be a great deal more like 'Avatar' than 'Star Trek'

Brian