Is the world ever going to "make it"?

[Dog]

For as long as man as been around, we've been on this constant rollercoaster ride through stupidity.

We look back now with conceited amusement at the flat-earthers, those who believed in spontaneous generation, tribal religions, the Crusades, the Middle Ages, slavery, and all sorts of other things. Yet, ironically, humans in general still hold absolutely retarded beliefs, and even in a "great" country like America, you still have a disturbingly flawed education, legal, and social system.

Do you think we'll ever get to a point where the norm is a scientific-thinker and where all of our systems and governments actually work in the best way that they can? Imagine how insanely better the world would be if people weren't controlled by their delusions (ie. any unscientific, irrational belief). We wouldn't have Muslim extremists, we wouldn't have impractical and willfully stupid Bible Thumpers, we wouldn't have anti-progress racists, we wouldn't be freaking out about gay marriage, we wouldn't have anti-Semites, we wouldn't have the fucking never-ending conflict over Jerusalem...

Whoo. So...will humanity ever make it, in your honest opinion?

[Butcher]

Imagine how insanely better the world would be if people weren't controlled by their delusions (ie. any unscientific, irrational belief).

That will never happen, the reason is has to do with the left side of the brain compared to the right side. When people fail to understand something with the left side of their brain (scientifically, logically) they resort to the right side of their brain (imagination) which results in beliefs in supernatural shit. So to put an end to all supernatural belief, we would have to know everything there is to know about the universe. Those examples you gave are the result of people using the right side of their brain when they can't explain using the left side.

[Death_Merchant]

The world is making it. What a horribly uncolourful world we'd live in if it weren't for the battle of wills that takes place around the world. We're all trying to control a piece of the world, cause that's human nature. Depending on your level of power and influence, this piece can be anything from your personal life, to an entire nation or religious following. All are problems stem from the belief that their is a best way to live for all, when that isn't the case. People seek out, or naturally grow up in what they believe to be the right way.

You're just as at fault to a Muslim for your ideology. Maybe they're right that if everyone was Muslim, we'd all get along. Not likely, because even different Muslim sects fight amongst themselves. They kill each other more often, than they kill secularist with terrorism.

Rational scientific thinking also ends up on moral grounds for people to fight once again. Look at abortion. It makes sense to allow people this option, or to deny it. There is no right or wrong here, only personal beliefs which are scientific and rational on both sides, except for the religion motivated people.

Same goes for genetic research. One day it will be possible to custom create your child. We could eliminate all genetic defects completely, but it won't likely be available to everyone for financial reasons. Who gets to decide what the master race of genetically modified people will be? The disadvantage would see this as a threat to their future offspring, as these super-attractive hyper-intelligent people would own the world because of their gifts. I could argue both sides equally and rationally, and right and wrong would lie in the mind of the believer once again.

Obviously, my point would be that no matter what we do, beliefs are going to vary based on how someone rationalizes things. No matter what system we use to establish beliefs, we're still going to find a range of them, and people will fight over them if they feel a strong will against them. That's what humanity is all about though, a battle of wills. It's what we do, and without it, we're just robots.

[Dog]

You're just as at fault to a Muslim for your ideology. Maybe they're right that if everyone was Muslim, we'd all get along. Not likely, because even different Muslim sects fight amongst themselves. They kill each other more often, than they kill secularist with terrorism.


While I agree fully with the rest of your post (about conflicting opinions, morals, etc.), the above is absolutely wrong. An Islamic world would by definition be incompatible with society having a scientific, reality-based mindset, and worse, it would also be incompatible with female equality and various human rights in general.

I'm sure you'll disagree ("because, like, we gotta respect and tolerate all beliefs, man"), so if you feel the need to debate, please post it in my Islam and Woman thread.

[Druidus]

We are a limited species, and shall remain so always, barring advances in genetic manipulation, nanorobotics, and energy production.

We don't even need the level of intelligence we now hold as average. We evolved brains ridiculously larger than required because sexual selection was deeply entwined with this trait. To expect humans to be spontaneously and collectively rational is too much.

As of now, anyways.