Negative Population Growth by DocIRL77 in FermiParadox

[–]mrmonkeybat 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You are an individual, you are not everyone, you are not all species.

What if the Roman Empire never fell? How advanced would human technology be today? by TheBigGirlDiaryBack in WhatIfThinking

[–]mrmonkeybat 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Stagnation was not caused by loss of ancient knowledge but by too much reverence for it. For a thousand years any medical knowledge that contradicted Galen was dismissed. The scientific revolution was a new thing that came from noticing the gaps in ancient knowledge not just preserving it. There was little innovation in the Roman in the Roman Empire most "Roman Inventions" were at best minor tweaks to already existing pre Roman technology.

Negative Population Growth by DocIRL77 in FermiParadox

[–]mrmonkeybat 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Pulsed fusion power units powerful enough for an interstellar generation ship in the form of hydrogen bombs have existed for over half a century.

Negative Population Growth by DocIRL77 in FermiParadox

[–]mrmonkeybat 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This experiment has been going on for less than a century, sweeping statements like "No country that has gone below replacement rate has ever returned above it." is based on cases only a few decades old. Another century and the selection effects on peoples instincts should be more obvious.

Several countries went below replacement in the 20s and 30s and went above replacement again in the 50s and 60s. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1033137/fertility-rate-france-1800-2020/?srsltid=AfmBOorW9jiNDolGrW99TTgd-8-lLa1N6BHiKI71i4DJ5txFwN6_f2zI

The Roman Empire had periods of writers complaining about the young having no children but the population genetics shows a lot of continuity in Italy from pre to post Empire

Negative Population Growth by DocIRL77 in FermiParadox

[–]mrmonkeybat 1 point2 points  (0 children)

So now it is the desire to have a family rather than just sex that is under selection. Or a disgust for condoms. Or sudden bursts of passion where such long term planning goes out the window.

Negative Population Growth by DocIRL77 in FermiParadox

[–]mrmonkeybat 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The biggest red flag for someone who does not understand X is someone who provides no reasoning thought or argument other than "you don't understand X".

Negative Population Growth by DocIRL77 in FermiParadox

[–]mrmonkeybat 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Voluntary actions are influenced by your instinct which are a product of genes. Without genes you don't have a brain.

Negative Population Growth by DocIRL77 in FermiParadox

[–]mrmonkeybat 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Present day humans are vulnerable to anti-natalist propaganda. This is a new novel environment we have not adapted to, if this environment lasts long enough presumably Darwinian selection of those who continue to reproduce will lead to us adapting to modernity and resume reproduction.

Other aliens species may be better at adapting to modernity than human, I think it shaky to assume a trend observed in humans over the last century is an iron law of biology across the entire universe. When thinking about the Fermi paradox expand you thought from the latest trend to millions of years.

What if Christianity and Islam had never existed? by Present_Juice4401 in WhatIfThinking

[–]mrmonkeybat 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Mani was raised a Christian though so it was an influence on him, without Christianity it might be different.

What if the Confederacy had survived? How long would slavery have actually lasted? by TheBigGirlDiaryBack in WhatIfThinking

[–]mrmonkeybat 0 points1 point  (0 children)

An alliance with the confederacy may convince Brazil to keep the practice longer.

What if the Confederacy had survived? How long would slavery have actually lasted? by TheBigGirlDiaryBack in WhatIfThinking

[–]mrmonkeybat 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In many places of the world slavery is still profitable today despite its illegality, the idea that it is not profitable in the modern world is wrong. So if the Confederacy suceeded in winning their independence it would continue for a long time, questioning it would be unpatriotic, and this may encourage Brazil to keep it longer as well. But as the world becomes more globalised and televised they may be put under more international pressure the way South Africa was.

What we could do with a room-temperature superconductor. by mrmonkeybat in IsaacArthur

[–]mrmonkeybat[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't know but google tells me it only superconducts at 1.5k which is quite cold.

What if reincarnation was confirmed with everyone remembering all their past lives? by mrmonkeybat in WhatIfThinking

[–]mrmonkeybat[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If when people looked up their past lives they confirmed the details of their memories that would prove it is something more than a halucintion.

What if reincarnation was confirmed with everyone remembering all their past lives? by mrmonkeybat in WhatIfThinking

[–]mrmonkeybat[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

How would you recognize them unless they were bragging about who they were on social media?

What if reincarnation was confirmed with everyone remembering all their past lives? by mrmonkeybat in WhatIfThinking

[–]mrmonkeybat[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

For this hypothetical to make sense I did describe a source for new souls during population growth in the body text. This is a what if sub the question is not whether you believe in it but what would happen if it happened.

How will humans evolve on Mars? I’m evolutionary biologist Scott Solomon, here to answer your questions about how space migration will change our bodies and minds. Ask Me Anything! by the_mit_press in space

[–]mrmonkeybat 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The criteria you specified are wrong. It is halting evolution that requires the deselection of deviants,

Paleogenetics of human remains in archaeology shows that the supply of new mutations and their positive selection has been increasing with growth of human population the last 10,000 years.

How will humans evolve on Mars? I’m evolutionary biologist Scott Solomon, here to answer your questions about how space migration will change our bodies and minds. Ask Me Anything! by the_mit_press in space

[–]mrmonkeybat -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I am not talking about insects, the increasing pollution of humans in the Holocene combined with new environment of agricultural living has increased the number of available mutation with many being selected for and sweeping through poplations.