Thoughts on society and the human race

[Napoléon]

Which one of us burnt their own at stakes for simply having an opinion? Which one of us nuked our own species for the sake of a stupid war? Which one of us have built many thousands of nukes that have the power to wipe this planet out several times over? Which one of us flew planes into buildings? This could go on and on.
We are supposed to be smarter. The question is...are we?

We can burn each other at the stake because we know how to control fire: +1 Humans
Ants fight each other just like we do: Evens
We know how nuclear fission works: +1 Humans
We have the power of flight, over enormous distances: +1 Humans
Any more you want to suggest? It's currently 3-0.

*EDIT* yeash I changed it don't bite me.

[Ace Otana]

Which one of us burnt their own at stakes for simply having an opinion? Which one of us nuked our own species for the sake of a stupid war? Which one of us have built many thousands of nukes that have the power to wipe this planet out several times over? Which one of us flew planes into buildings? This could go on and on.
We are supposed to be smarter. The question is...are we?

Seen as ants don't hold the ability to seperate the atom then I'd say we are. But whateverrrrrrrrr.....

Having the know how to manipulate atoms doesn't matter. It's the mind behind that power. We've used it to kill each other, would ants do the same if they were capable? No one ant goes against the colony. They function as a single unit, huge efficiency and corporation. If we were just as efficient and corporative, think how far we would be right now. Ants beat us hands down when it comes to working together. Working together is where that power and ability comes from. A table with 8 legs is twice as strong as one with 4. It's more capable.

[Napoléon]

Having the know how to manipulate atoms doesn't matter. It's the mind behind that power. We've used it to kill each other, would ants do the same if they were capable? No one ant goes against the colony. They function as a single unit, huge efficiency and corporation. If we were just as efficient and corporative, think how far we would be right now. Ants beat us hands down when it comes to working together. Working together is where that power and ability comes from. A table with 8 legs is twice as strong as one with 4. It's more capable.

Wait you've just moved the goalposts. You asked are ants smarter. Then you start talking about teamwork. I never doubted ants have amazingly good teamwork. But I was responding to the notion that ants are smarter than us.

Even still, the notion you are going for is simply not viable. Humans can't be like ants because we have not evolved that way. The very thing which has put us at the top of the food chain is freedom of thought. The ability to think for ones self and come up with ideas. Ants don't do this, and that is why they are walking around carrying sticks, whilst we are sending people to space.

This whole argument is rather silly.

[TheYoungAtheist]

Which one of us burnt their own at stakes for simply having an opinion? Which one of us nuked our own species for the sake of a stupid war? Which one of us have built many thousands of nukes that have the power to wipe this planet out several times over? Which one of us flew planes into buildings? This could go on and on.
We are supposed to be smarter. The question is...are we?

Seen as ants don't hold the ability to seperate the atom then I'd say we are. But whateverrrrrrrrr.....

Having the know how to manipulate atoms doesn't matter. It's the mind behind that power. We've used it to kill each other, would ants do the same if they were capable? No one ant goes against the colony. They function as a single unit, huge efficiency and corporation. If we were just as efficient and corporative, think how far we would be right now. Ants beat us hands down when it comes to working together. Working together is where that power and ability comes from. A table with 8 legs is twice as strong as one with 4. It's more capable.

Ace definately knows were I'm coming from. It's about how you use your intelligence, not that you have it. Humans (some) have intelligence no doubt, but they abuse it, and use it for barbaric things.

[Napoléon]

Ace definately knows were I'm coming from. It's about how you use your intelligence, not that you have it. Humans (some) have intelligence no doubt, but they abuse it, and use it for barbaric things.

It's all well and good saying it. But let's just say we DO become like ants. Everyone does as they are told and we just mindlessly get along doing whatever tasks benefit society.
Now where does scientific progression come from? Where do new ideas come from? If everyone is focused entirely on their one role which they have to perform, then yes, we may become more efficient at survival, but in terms of intelligence progression as a species we would stagnate.

The reason I responded was because the notion that ants are in some way intelligently superior to us because they do things their way is stupid. They are very good at doing what they do yes. But as a species they are limited to what they can achieve. Do you see them coming to great understandings about how the universe works? No. Do they understand gravity? No. Do they know about stars, or black holes, or even what space is at all? That's my point. Just because they are extremely efficient at one thing, does not mean that it would translate well by us doing the same.

If someone was extremely good at playing football, me following their daily routine would not necessarily lead me to being good at playing sports in general. You get it?

[Ace Otana]

Wait you've just moved the goalposts. You asked are ants smarter. Then you start talking about teamwork. I never doubted ants have amazingly good teamwork. But I was responding to the notion that ants are smarter than us.

Even still, the notion you are going for is simply not viable. Humans can't be like ants because we have not evolved that way. The very thing which has put us at the top of the food chain is freedom of thought. The ability to think for ones self and come up with ideas. Ants don't do this, and that is why they are walking around carrying sticks, whilst we are sending people to space.

This whole argument is rather silly.

Many people do underestimate so very much of the natural world. Its really hard to transfer what I see to others. Its hard to send in words. I can only try.

In some ways they are smarter. Because we lower ourselves by our thoughts and actions. Knowing how to build a gun is not smart when it is designed to kill one of your own. It defeats the point of purpose of having intelligence. What is smart? Is building a nuclear warhead intelligent or is it not? It's purpose is to kill ourselves. If ants could build such a thing, would they use it on each other?
If we sent ourselves into oblivion and ants survived, would we still be smarter, more intelligent? I'll leave this for you to ponder. It's not the ability but the intelligence behind one's actions.

Also corporation, which is something we can learn from ants. Imagine a city, where everyone worked for the better of the city and themselves. There is no crime or corruption. Everyone worked for each other and themselves. Imagine the amount of corporation and efficiency there would be. An ant colony functions this way exactly.
Animals and insects have nothing to learn from us, but we have tons to learn from them. We're idiots, animals and insects are not.

[Napoléon]

You are in cloud cuckoo land. I've already explained why it doesn't work.

The very fact that ants aren't top of the food chain should be testiment to that.

[TheYoungAtheist]

Ace definately knows were I'm coming from. It's about how you use your intelligence, not that you have it. Humans (some) have intelligence no doubt, but they abuse it, and use it for barbaric things.

It's all well and good saying it. But let's just say we DO become like ants. Everyone does as they are told and we just mindlessly get along doing whatever tasks benefit society.
Now where does scientific progression come from? Where do new ideas come from? If everyone is focused entirely on their one role which they have to perform, then yes, we may become more efficient at survival, but in terms of intelligence progression as a species we would stagnate.

The reason I responded was because the notion that ants are in some way intelligently superior to us because they do things their way is stupid. They are very good at doing what they do yes. But as a species what can they are limited to what they can achieve. Do you see them coming to great understandings about how the universe works? No. Do they understand gravity? No. Do they know about stars, or black holes, or even what space is at all? That's my point. Just because they are extremely efficient at one thing, does not mean that it would translate well by us doing the same.

If someone was extremely good at playing football, me following their daily routine would not necessarily lead me to being good at playing sports in general. You get it?

Yes I understand were you're coming from. What I was trying to say was: "Everyone does as they are told and we just mindlessly get along doing whatever tasks benefit society." That neccesarily wouldn't be a bad thing. We wouldn't have those destructive individuals trying to drag us down with them. You have to think about it as if scientific progress never existed or need not existence. If scientific progress had never been, we obviously wouldn't need it. I just believe if we all worked together like ants, with no indifferences between eachother. We would be even more of a "super-race"

[Ace Otana]

You are in cloud cuckoo land. I've already explained why it doesn't work.

The very fact that ants aren't top of the food chain should be testiment to that.

Everyone is entitled to an opinion.

When you look into the intelligence of our actions, think you'll find that we are one the dumbest things to ever walk the earth. We've killed each other for the dumbest of reasons imaginable and built weapons for our own destruction. Ants have never failed to corporate, we have. It's not about being exactly like ants, as in no mind. But looking at their intelligence when it comes to action. Its not the ability but the action. You can have the ability to destroy everything, but that isn't intelligent.

Being at the top of the food chain doesn't mean we're smart. We are our greatest threat. You must of noticed that.

[Napoléon]

I just believe if we all worked together like ants, with no indifferences between eachother. We would be even more of a "super-race"

I highly doubt it. We'd more likely just be gathering sticks and stones in the mud.

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Everyone is entitled to an opinion.

When you look into the intelligence of our actions, think you'll find that we are one the dumbest things to ever walk the earth. We've killed each other for the dumbest of reasons imaginable and built weapons for our own destruction.

Oh? So ant colonies don't fight? Seriously Ace, this is so disingenuous it's unbelievable.

Ants have never failed to corporate, we have.

And how exactly does this make ants more intelligent/superior/smarter whatever you want to call it than us. Indipendent thought can lead to a multitude of different opinions, which can lead to a multitude of different ways of reasoning. This is exactly what enables the human race to advance, because you can see what other people think and discern what is the best solution to a problem. With a collective mind you lose this process, and problems are only ever looked at one way.

It's not about being exactly like ants, as in no mind. But looking at their intelligence when it comes to action. Its not the ability but the action. You can have the ability to destroy everything, but that isn't intelligent.

I agree with this to an extent.

Being at the top of the food chain doesn't mean we're smart. We are our greatest threat. You must of noticed that.

Being at the top of the food chain may not mean we're smart, but we are certainly smarter than everything else below.