Humans Are Strong, Civilization is Fragile

We have confidence in our science-based civilization and think it has tenure. In so doing, I think we fail to distinguish between the life-span of civilizations and that of our species. In fact, civilizations are ephemeral compared with species. Humans have lasted at least a million years, but there have been 30 civilizations in the past 5000 years. Humans are tough and will survive; civilizations are fragile. It seems clear to me that we are not evolving in intelligence, not becoming true Homo sapiens. Indeed there is little evidence that our individual intelligence has improved through the 5000 years of recorded history.

Notes:

Humans will survive the death of civilization, which has happened 30 times over the centuries.

Folksonomies: science culture society civilization

Taxonomies:
/science/biology/zoology/endangered species (0.428442)
/science/social science/history/prehistory (0.395331)
/science/medicine (0.290533)

Keywords:
civilizations (0.997138 (negative:-0.505897)), Fragile Humans (0.909732 (neutral:0.000000)), science-based civilization (0.827000 (positive:0.645811)), recorded history (0.699253 (positive:0.312675)), little evidence (0.698667 (positive:0.312675)), individual intelligence (0.646105 (positive:0.312675)), species (0.467876 (negative:-0.505897)), life-span (0.391803 (negative:-0.504034)), tenure (0.370888 (positive:0.645811)), centuries (0.355328 (negative:-0.314367)), confidence (0.351588 (positive:0.645811)), death (0.338502 (neutral:0.000000)), times (0.337649 (negative:-0.314367))

Entities:
Homo sapiens:FieldTerminology (0.839443 (neutral:0.000000)), 5000 years:Quantity (0.839443 (neutral:0.000000)), million years:Quantity (0.839443 (neutral:0.000000))

A Book For All Seasons

Electronic/World Wide Web>Internet Article: Lovelock, James (8 May 1998), A Book For All Seasons, Science, Vol. 280 no. 5365 pp. 832-833, Retrieved on 2011-03-29

Source Material [www.sciencemag.org]

Folksonomies: science knowledge civilization perseverence

Triples

30 MAR 2011

Civilization's Collapse is Inevitable, Prepare for It

Humans Are Strong, Civilization is Fragile > Conclusion > Museums for Rebooting Civilization
Since human civilization has collapsed at least 30 times in over the millennium, we should plan for its eventuality like a fictional alien race does, with Museums ready to be rediscovered by future savages.

Folksonomies: culture society civilization

Schemas

02 MAR 2011

Seeing Farther Through Science

Visionary memes about the future of the human race and our potential.

Folksonomies: enlightenment science vision