Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Why I want our species to survive (#2833)

     First let me begin by saying I have no children. There are some out there who would use that as a factor in why I might want our species to survive so to them I say "I have no metaphorical dog in the hunt". I am for species survival because of what I have felt and seen. Our species is amazing, not only from my own experience but from the myriad examples I have been witness to and come to know. the whole question of species survival came about again recently when I was talking about Elon Musk and his plans to move us out beyond the Earth. One of the motivations of his and many of us who think like him is that our species has a better chance to survive if we are not all centrally located here on Earth.
     But someone posed a question as to whether it mattered. That the human species being eliminated would be just as acceptable. I have been thinking on that perspective for some time and being objective and honest with myself I have had to come up with counter arguments for our survival. Many times over the years I have brought up the fact that we humans are biological data processors of a unique kind. We control ourselves as to how we are to utilize our abilities and when and where and with whom. Our abilities of reasoning, analyzing and concluding are boundless and give us not only the capability to input not only old data but new data as well. It is this particular feature that separates us from machines and lesser species'. Our memories are both short term and long term and given our interlocking nature of the two we are comprehensive in our knowledge if we so choose.
     We are also a formidable physical being capable of manipulations that are not otherwise available to other known species. And beyond that we have a sense of morality and ethics that guide us in our adventure through time and space. There is much more we can be and do and for any of that to not be in existence would be a shame and a waste to this existence. We are better off being alive in our Universe than not being here at all as the qualities we now possess are most unusual and quite useful in this massive void that has little else to entertain on par with humanity.

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