Member of the Month

PartyBullshiit
March, 2024

Online

Welcome to the Newschoolers forums! You may read the forums as a guest, however you must be a registered member to post. Register to become a member today!

Everything We Do is Natural.

profile picture
[~_~]
Posts: 20239 - Karma: 1,273
Is human development any different than other forms of development caused by other animals?

A 5 story parking garage isn't considered to be "nature" because it was built by humans, but an anthill is "natural" even though it was built by hoards of tiny ants with instinctual engineering degrees.

Some have told me that the human psyche is what differentiates us from other animals. But that brings up another question: is our current state of mind a natural occurrence? How is the progression of the foundation of our social, emotional, and logical selves any different than the evolution of another species?

Somebody please help me organize my brain goober.
Jan 19 2009 7:30PM
0 0
profile picture
RWalker
Posts: 384 - Karma: 11
forming a proper argument is probably not important to a thread on ns. instead, look at the question he is asking. it is a very good one. i think everything we do is natural as well. everything is the way it should be at this very moment because it needs to be. we could not have this experience if even one thing was different. there is nothing unnatural about the development of the human psyche but we are coming to the end of an age and that means it is time for the next step. we are only scratching the surface of what is wholly possible through the human consciousness...look inside, everything you could ever, ever possibly need is already there. inside your perception of yourself and the world around you
Nov 15 2009 6:31PM
0 0
profile picture
TheButterHashira
Posts: 9691 - Karma: 1,702
This basically comes down to semantics. There is a discrepancy in the definition of natural. Copernicium the 112th element is not considered "naturally occurring" like carbon or lead, but it was created by humans who are naturally occurring and natural beings(provided we accept fundamental foundations such as atomism and monism) so by the transitive you can call copernicium natural. Those dozen or so atoms of copernicium might be called unnatural but Looking at the universe and humans within it as a natural system they can be considered natural

Fucking language, its the vehicle for thought yet it causes so much confusion.

Note:Copernicium isn't the official name, but way sexier than ununbium.
Nov 15 2009 8:04PM
0 0
profile picture
Arabian.
Posts: 9632 - Karma: 54
Discrepancy is the cause of every single Philosophical debate you can think of - the definition of God, determinism, morality, etc. All the questions OP asks can be explained a thousand different ways concerning a thousand different perspectives, and that's what makes the questions futile and never-ending.


Nov 15 2009 8:26PM
0 0
profile picture
TheButterHashira
Posts: 9691 - Karma: 1,702
I don't think they are futile. The purpose of college philosophy classes is to offer people a chance to examine life and analyze their beliefs using logical arguments. Definitely a terrible degree, but an important exercise for the mind.


Nov 15 2009 8:42PM
0 0
profile picture
[~_~]
Posts: 20239 - Karma: 1,273
What makes you think I'm a human?
Nov 15 2009 8:44PM
0 0
profile picture
Arabian.
Posts: 9632 - Karma: 54
Not futile for an omnipotent, omniscient and everlasting being, but not within the scope of our human lives can we completely analyze the questions we're asking.
Nov 15 2009 8:53PM
0 0
profile picture
Arabian.
Posts: 9632 - Karma: 54
If it walks like duck and fails like a newfag....
Nov 15 2009 8:55PM
0 0
profile picture
Brock.
Posts: 5698 - Karma: 1,327
the human brain does not posses the capacity to visualize or even mildly comprehend the concept of "never-ending," or "infinity." The only aspect of our species that keeps us above other animals is our enormous brain power. We can utilize tools and form systems that make our life easier. We have advanced to the point where we have machines that can preform billions of operations a second and a global economy that only requires you to have money to survive. the kind of things our society have achieved defy what we perceive as nature, and it is that, that will destroy us.
Nov 15 2009 9:06PM
0 0
profile picture
RWalker
Posts: 384 - Karma: 11
that is why it is time for a shift to discover why we are creating things that will ultimately destroy us and change to create things that will aid us in and possibly beyond the physical realm
Nov 15 2009 9:13PM
0 0
profile picture
*Get_ill*
Posts: 344 - Karma: 6

this is something i saw in my history class all blazed

True or False?

"this sentence is false"

then its false! but if its false then its true...blows my mind everytime

Nov 15 2009 9:16PM
0 0
profile picture
[~_~]
Posts: 20239 - Karma: 1,273
but seriously, it would make no sense to think that anything from this planet, currently dwelling on this planet isn't "natural." Just because we drive cars and have electricity doesn't make us gods. Like you said, we're apes with iPods.
Nov 15 2009 9:21PM
0 0
profile picture
OhMyBosh
Posts: 5056 - Karma: 170
That is not a valid proposition.
Nov 15 2009 9:24PM
0 0
profile picture
ElbridgeGerry
Posts: 5902 - Karma: -27
Here's what you have to ask yourself Wyatt. Who's the real sodomite?
Nov 15 2009 9:26PM
0 0
profile picture
Malcolm
Posts: 15949 - Karma: 9,431
my brain is going to explode
Nov 15 2009 9:27PM
0 0
profile picture
Arabian.
Posts: 9632 - Karma: 54
Lol, I remember having this discussion with my Phil. professor. The proper logical response to that argument is this:

And even the idea of "Natural" can be taken and is stratospheric in nature. The "Unnatural" has no place in a universe wherein everything has the potential to exist. How can something be "Unnatural", yet still exist in a universe wherein its actual existence DOES make it natural? But then this argument disproves every single moral code and law of Ethics that anyone can possibly throw at you, so we don't bother with it. It's too complicated for just a few people to discuss.
Nov 15 2009 9:29PM
0 0
profile picture
Arabian.
Posts: 9632 - Karma: 54
MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Or, rather, am I the sodomite, or sodomee? Either way Christians are a-RAGIN'

Click for larger image
Nov 15 2009 9:31PM
0 0
profile picture
daytripper67
Posts: 681 - Karma: 11
interesting question. all im gonna add to the mix right now is that yes, i do to a certain extent value humans over animals, and my reason for that is that we are self conscious and way smarter. we can reason, and we also have the ability to realize what is going on in a way animals obviously cannot even fathom
Nov 15 2009 9:31PM
0 0
profile picture
[~_~]
Posts: 20239 - Karma: 1,273
ah ha! That's the type of answer I was looking for. Well played, sir.
Nov 15 2009 9:33PM
0 0
profile picture
ElbridgeGerry
Posts: 5902 - Karma: -27
Well, considering you're a pretty slight of build guy, I'd say the sodomee. Knowing you, probably no protection either!
Nov 15 2009 9:37PM
0 0
profile picture
superpoluha
Posts: 1986 - Karma: 10
i like it when children make a small simple step toward getting a better global perspective, and they think they found the key to the universe, if you think this is insane, reat "the history of time" by hawkins
Nov 15 2009 9:38PM
0 0
profile picture
kpow
Posts: 373 - Karma: 33
My philosophy on this topic is such:

The ants were given the little pieces of dirt from mother nature to build shelter to be able to live upon. they

are supposed to be able to stay alive the simplest and most efficient way possible, that is how nature is

set up. what humans have done is our minds have evolved so much that we have realized that we can

do more than just be alive. we can tamper with nature and create our own ways of doing things that

make life easier and more enjoyable for us, and in doing this, (being unnatural) over the many years we

have been on this earth we have caused many species to go extinct, and in the long run, humans will

eventually kill themselves off, long before the ants do, because the ants were natural, and us humans

were greedy and went unnatural. So in conclusion, humans are stupid and by the time the next say 50

generations go by, I think that human population will have long since started to dwindle until we are again

the little ant who relies on the dirt mound to live by, so i think that it is not true in saying that everything we

do is natural. Thank you for reading this.
Nov 15 2009 9:38PM
0 0
profile picture
Arabian.
Posts: 9632 - Karma: 54
Do I know you? How did you know I'm on the skinny side now and my drunken penchant for non-protection? TELL ME YOUR NAME.
Nov 15 2009 9:40PM
0 0
profile picture
yellav
Posts: 10056 - Karma: 1,217
pretty much the best thing posted in this thread. also is the basis for nihilism as a whole. anarchy fuck yah.
Nov 15 2009 9:42PM
0 0
profile picture
ElbridgeGerry
Posts: 5902 - Karma: -27
You're living room furniture looks really nice at this time of night.
Nov 15 2009 9:59PM
0 0
profile picture
Arabian.
Posts: 9632 - Karma: 54
...........i don't have any furniture in my living room. Our dorm doesn't have one.
Nov 15 2009 10:00PM
0 0
profile picture
ElbridgeGerry
Posts: 5902 - Karma: -27
ChrisHansen4 is a shitty gamertag!
Nov 15 2009 10:02PM
0 0
profile picture
Arabian.
Posts: 9632 - Karma: 54
Only if you're a pedo.
Nov 15 2009 10:02PM
0 0
profile picture
Hood.[scdb]
Posts: 564 - Karma: 14
.
Nov 15 2009 10:03PM
0 0
profile picture
ElbridgeGerry
Posts: 5902 - Karma: -27
Or if you play Left4Dead. Wyatt, you disappoint me.
Nov 15 2009 10:39PM
0 0
profile picture
Arabian.
Posts: 9632 - Karma: 54
When the Zombiepocalypse comes, you and all the Modern Warfare and Halo tards are gonna get raped. I will live comfortably.
Nov 15 2009 10:43PM
0 0
profile picture
k-rob
Posts: 14217 - Karma: 2,891
you play xbox or pc?
Nov 15 2009 10:43PM
0 0
profile picture
ElbridgeGerry
Posts: 5902 - Karma: -27
He plays Xbox and he sucks at Left4Dead and has unprotected anal sex all the time.
Nov 15 2009 10:47PM
0 0
profile picture
k-rob
Posts: 14217 - Karma: 2,891
ah, i play pc.
Nov 15 2009 11:02PM
0 0
profile picture
ESB
Posts: 9273 - Karma: 10,647
Ah, now we're getting somewhere. So the question of what is "natural" and "unnatural" really falls into the sticky morass of morality and ethics, which aren't to be found in nature in the first place.



I don't know if this discussion can live on, but one quite urgent tangent to this that I worry about is the desire of many humans to "correct" our what's seen as our "unnaturalness" - thinking, of course, that they understand "the natural," and beyond just that, think that they're actually capable of controlling it.
Nov 16 2009 1:09AM
0 0
profile picture
GhostfaceKillah
Posts: 3398 - Karma: 10
can we classify the human consciousness as something "natural"? despite our inability to explain it in natural (physical) terms?
Nov 16 2009 9:51AM
0 0
profile picture
Arabian.
Posts: 9632 - Karma: 54
It exists, therefore it is natural. You may not think it's natural, but that's more from lack of understanding than it's qualities. Everything your brain is made up of is completely natural, so how can the end product be something unnatural?
Nov 16 2009 11:14AM
0 0
profile picture
ElbridgeGerry
Posts: 5902 - Karma: -27
Everything in a parking garage is natural. It may be mixed and welded together, but everything used in creation is naturally occuring.
Nov 16 2009 9:46PM
0 0
profile picture
griffin.paisley
Posts: 1520 - Karma: 38
including afterbang.
Nov 16 2009 9:56PM
0 0
profile picture
BEARS.
Posts: 5380 - Karma: 696
space boggles me.

to think gigantic balls of mass, mass of unequal value are just hovering in nothing makes me shit bricks.
Nov 16 2009 11:18PM
0 0
All times are Eastern (-4)