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[Frumple]

In a world which is abruptly quantified, we'll lose our sense of ignorance, so we'll lose our sense of wonderment and curiosity too.

I'd... strongly disagree that ignorance and wonderment/curiosity are intrinsically linked. The splendor of nuclear fusion is not lessened by knowing how it occurs, ferex, and just because you can quantify something doesn't necessarily mean you have to -- you can still experiment and investigate when you're capable of knowing beforehand what would occur. Knowing isn't the same doing, after all. Plus there's the whole memory thing, heh. Knowing something at one point doesn't mean you'll know it at another, et al. Buncha' other stuff like that.

Far better to have the ability to quantify than to not. The vibrancy of existence is not strengthened by ignorance, imo.

[Urist McScoopbeard]

In a world which is abruptly quantified, we'll lose our sense of ignorance, so we'll lose our sense of wonderment and curiosity too.

I'd... strongly disagree that ignorance and wonderment/curiosity are intrinsically linked. The splendor of nuclear fusion is not lessened by knowing how it occurs, ferex, and just because you can quantify something doesn't necessarily mean you have to -- you can still experiment and investigate when you're capable of knowing beforehand what would occur. Knowing isn't the same doing, after all. Plus there's the whole memory thing, heh. Knowing something at one point doesn't mean you'll know it at another, et al. Buncha' other stuff like that.

Far better to have the ability to quantify than to not. The vibrancy of existence is not strengthened by ignorance, imo.

First of all, thank you Tack for clarifying what I was saying. That's a rather accurate way to put it! Second of all, let me respond to Frumple, and also somewhat deviate from Tack's interpretation. I am not advocating ignorance, nor do I believe in a world where nobody really knows anything. I simply mean, that when you have everything figured out, life gets dull. Why do you think people keep seeking out new things? That humanity is so drawn to exploration? No, no i'm sorry I cannot agree with you Frumple. When you quantify things it becomes a chore rather than an adventure. I believe that statement hold true for all aspects of life. Besides, how do you think society is where it is today? You think everyone always knew everything? People have been seeking out the wondrous and unknown for as long as there have been people and THAT is INTRINSICALLY part of human nature.

You are correct in stating that the vibrancy of life is not strengthened by ignorance, although I would postulate that you would feel quite bored regardless of whether you knew nothing or everything. It is DISCOVERY that strengthens the vibrancy of existence. To take your nuclear fusion example, and although I cannot confess to know the definite physics behind the process, I can tell you that it not a new concept to me and that I don't find it a splendor. I have been acquainted with the idea of nuclear power all my life and can quite positively say I feel very little wonder at the thought of it.

So there. It is the act of passing from ignorance to knowledgable that is so joyous. Either side of the equation, so to speak, is equally dull. You might say, well that's ridiculous: there are an infinite number of new things to discover! Well, I would say, how do they effect me? I guarantee you most of them won't be discovered in my lifetime, more of them I will never hear about, and potentially none of them will have been discovered by me. Out of the options left, the possibility that the discovery is life-chaning is quite slim.

[Angle]

I agree that discovery is pretty great and that knowing everything would be pretty dull - but that state is SO far away, we'll probably never need to worry about it. We have barely the slightest clue about the fundamental nature of the universe, let alone the details. And besides, great as it is, there is more to life than discovery - doing things with the knowledge you've discovered can be great fun too.

[MagmaMcFry]

Also might I remind everyone of the thing called creativity; discovery is not restricted to real things.

[ChairmanPoo]

I personally believe that to take into your own hands the lives of others and decide who lives and who dies is morally wrong in itself.

And yet it's something that is intrinsically bound to the medical practice. Organ transplant lists and triage are the obvious examples, but the very allocation of resources (where to spend the money at the managerial level, cost-benefit choices at the individual physician one) is a life-and-death dillema in itself.

[Urist McScoopbeard]

Listen, I agree with both you guys (Angle & Fry that is), but you have to admit both of those things are linked to the unknown and the spontaneous.

[Angle]

...yes?

I don't see the point you're making.

[BFEL]

Can we just form a new philosophy based around burrito's please?

[Tack]

Sure. If you could eat only one burrito, would you eat the burrito you know to be creamy and delicious, or eat the burrito you've never tasted before?

Nuclear fusion example.

I believe (But am not a nuclear physicist.) that we haven't actually yet unlocked the secret of nuclear fusion.

Most of the bombs and power plants we have use nuclear fission.

[Urist McScoopbeard]

Nuclear fusion example.

I believe (But am not a nuclear physicist.) that we haven't actually yet unlocked the secret of nuclear fusion.

Most of the bombs and power plants we have use nuclear fission.

Ya, as I understand there's no real widespread use/understanding of something like a nuclear fusion reactor.

[ChairmanPoo]

Fusion bombs have been around since the fifties though.

[Angle]

Yeah, Fusion is the standard for bombs. Power plants are proving difficult, though...

[Tack]

Sweet. Nuclear warfare textdump.

Woo woo thanks guy in the happy thread who linked this way back.

[Urist McScoopbeard]

Anyways, the point is that life can't be so quantized by all the things that we know. It is better to discover as you go. Keep notes if you want, but experience it rather than study it. Something like that.

[MagmaMcFry]

Anyways, the point is that life can't be so quantized by all the things that we know. It is better to discover as you go. Keep notes if you want, but experience it rather than study it. Something like that.

Is that supposed to be a theory, a rule, a suggestion, or just your opinion? What do you mean by "better", better for whom in what way? What are the benefits of "discovering as you go" and "experiencing rather than studying"? Can you prove that they outweigh the drawbacks? What is your reason to believe what you just said? Is that a valid reason? Is your statement even verifiable or falsifiable, if yes then how?