Mass extinction date set by science.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Yeah, that stopped two world wars so far.

Okay, and? Past failures don't predict future failures nor do they prove that we can't stop our own self-inflicted extinction.

Seriously? Have a nice day.

[TheBeardedDude]

I have no idea what article you're referring to, but it sounds like complete bullshit. 

There is no doubt that some of the harm we done is irreversible (extinctions of taxa) and some of it may even be irreparable (long-lasting ecosystem damage), but that doesn't mean our extinction is now inevitable in the immediate or near future. Our species can't survive forever, but that doesn't give us a valid excuse to throw our hands up and quit. "Fuck it, someone wrote an article saying we are screwed, so let's just go with it."

I've been searching for the article, might take a while.

In the meantime, I shall leave you with this: color me a pessimistic realist in relation to preventing an approaching mass extinction.

I had already painted you as a pessimist. So no worries there.

As for "preventing an approaching mass extinction," 2 things: 1) we have already caused a mass extinction (and this mass extinction of charismatic megafauna is, geologically speaking, something that is ongoing), so no, we can't avoid what has already happened. 2) I am not discussing whether or not one can avoid a mass extinction, but whether or not an individual species can indeed survive one. And every mass extinction ever recorded, has taxa that survived for one reason or another. So there is literally no reason to presume that humans can't be one of the organisms that survives any future extinction event (even if we are the trigger and primary driving mechanism)

---

Okay, and? Past failures don't predict future failures nor do they prove that we can't stop our own self-inflicted extinction.

Seriously? Have a nice day.

Yeah, seriously. Taxa come and go. Species rise and fall. But even in mass extinction events, some taxa survive. Why would the most intelligent species known to exist that is capable of technologically innovating a solution and/or response to change, not be capable of surviving?

*Mass extinction does not (and never has) mean that all species go extinct. And typically, extinctions are not random. Meaning that species that do go extinct tend to share common traits and/or live in similar environments.





edit to add: The greatest threat to our species may not be from the uninformed and scientifically illiterate, but from the intelligent people who could effect change but choose not to do so

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I'm a historian by trade. I doubt people will get any smarter.

[TheBeardedDude]

I'm a historian by trade. I doubt people will get any smarter.

People are getting smarter. Whether or not the least intelligent among us are getting smarter or not is clearly debatable, but the overall knowledge we possess has increased forward in time. 

And I am a paleontologist by trade who studies mass extinction events related to climatic and environmental change.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I'm a historian by trade. I doubt people will get any smarter.

People are getting smarter. Whether or not the least intelligent among us are getting smarter or not is clearly debatable, but the overall knowledge we possess has increased forward in time. 

And I am a paleontologist by trade who studies mass extinction events related to climatic and environmental change.

Whatever you're playing for,  you won.

[Cyberman]

Yay, scorched earth victories for the win!

[Minimalist]

Only if someone can figure out how to get rich off of it.

"When shit is worth money, the poor will be born without arseholes."

Though whoever said that never imagined reality shows.

[TheBeardedDude]

People are getting smarter. Whether or not the least intelligent among us are getting smarter or not is clearly debatable, but the overall knowledge we possess has increased forward in time. 

And I am a paleontologist by trade who studies mass extinction events related to climatic and environmental change.

Whatever you're playing for,  you won.

I'm not "playing" for anything. I do hope that the intelligent members of our species will be helpful moving forward and not as detrimental to our species' outcome as the scientifically illiterate. And part of the way I sustain that hope is by detailing how and why we still have room for being optimistic. We aren't extinct, yet

[Silver]

We aren't extinct, yet

Give North Korea some more time.

[Minimalist]

Give the WLB some more time.