Psychology/Biology? question! Thoughts on death

[Komm Suesser Tod]

Reminds me of the 5:00 mark on this video.

Seasame Street - Mr. Hooper

Only thing I could think was "Wow, Big Bird is fucking retarded."

[Darus Grey]

Ugh I'm talking about the ones we have already found, and have known about for years and years.

You realize we have OBSERVED evolution taking place right? You can breed fruit flies, selecting specific traits, and after awhile...OH SHIT group A and group B can no longer breed! You've introduced a genetic shift and selective breeding has created a new SPECIES!

Evolution happening is a FACT, this absolutely 100% cannot be argued, really, it can't be.

The only reason we can't prove evolution as the 100% source of all animals is because we don't have a fucking time machine, and our bodily remains have this habit of DECAYING.

You deserve to be ridiculed for your faux enlightened attitude, I'm sure you think you're "being open minded to the possibilities", when in reality you are simply being uneducated and ignorant.


P.S. I hate discussing evolution simply because the majority of people are more uninformed than the health care debate.

[BadKarma]

We die because God determines how long a person is to live.

[Kaelan?]

We die because God determines how long a person is to live.

http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/p...oteEp3_012.jpg

[Shuvo]

It's clear. We've all accepted it. We are all going to die one day. But I'm going to pose to you guys what may at first seem to be an absurd question:

Why do we die? (I'm referring to death from old age, and not a technical aspect like "your heart decays")

What is the significance of death? Why are all organisms fated to suffer the same fate: death? I want to say that I'm not asking this because I'm afraid of death (though I am, don't get me wrong), but out of genuine curiosity. I anticipate that some of you will say something along the lines of "we just do; it's how life works", and that indeed is a plausible conclusion. However, in life as we know it in all of its evolutionary greatness, how does death benefit? As a species evolves, the tendency is to become more fit and et cetera. But we've yet to encounter a species that has evolved to the point to where it is null of death (which I am guessing is a negative aspect). Why hasn't even a single individual's cell machinery evolved to the point where it can repair the causing factors of death from old age?

You're assuming evolution moves like a tree, i.e. its constant upward improvement. But, evolution moves more like a bush, where progress moves outwards, forward but not necessarily for the better. Certain cells can regenerate, e.g. a lizards tail will always regenerate, we just missed that part of evolution.

I have to say, the whole idea of death scares the crap out of me, from an atheist point of view. I just can't understand it either, it makes no sense to me how the world around me can possibly exist without me being there to perceive it.

I'm hoping that over the next 20-50 years, stem cell technology will evolve to the point where we can regenerate or re-grow/replace any organ at all (brain of course can only be regenerated, being the container of our consciousness). I think we will definitely get to that point within the next 100 years... just hope it happens in my lifetime!

[Kilhart]

I'm hoping that over the next 20-50 years, stem cell technology will evolve to the point where we can regenerate or re-grow/replace any organ at all (brain of course can only be regenerated, being the container of our consciousness). I think we will definitely get to that point within the next 100 years... just hope it happens in my lifetime!

There is a much larger obstacle to the pursuit of immortality than our own physical degeneration. Read Isaac Asimov's "The Last Question."

[thebearofscience]

2012.

something like this, or the world exploding or some shit, doesn't really bother me. shouldn't really bother others a lot either. and, we'd all be dying together. besides, seeing the apocalypse would be bad ass. if you thought the sunset was cool, wait until the motherfuckin apocalypse. will be bright.

[Mizango]

What is it about death that frightens so many? I dont see it as anything scary, its as natural and as big a part of life as breathing and eating. I mean I get the whole thing about not wanting your family to grieve or the fact that you will miss this and that, I understand that but putting all that aside what is there to be afraid of?

That is about the fourth time I've heard that in this thread alone.

[Mizango]

Inb4 Pascal's wager.

[Orden]

Simpliest answer: Macroscopic biological organisms are a result of billions of years of complex chemicals, amino acids and proteins finding the most effective way to increase entropy. Due to this, we are a ever changing result of biochemical building blocks that are sustained only as long as the protein bases can maintain themselves (as long as your DNA remains solid). As time progresses and your DNA splits for reproduction over and over, it suffers degradation and damage. This degradation/damage causes what we call "aging" and then eventually failure of key compenents to our macroscopic biochemical packet we call bodies, resulting in death.

Or did you want some deeper/philosophical answer?

Quoted for truth. I was going to write this, but Neosutra it worded better than I would have. I am currently taking AP biology (High School Senior) and one of the most shocking things I learned in the class was how screwed up and imperfect cell division is. To liken it to copying paper would not be an exaggeration.

If you take a piece of paper and run it through a copier, you might notice that there is an extra brown fleck where it should be solid white, or there is a white mark where it should only be black. Now, if you take that copy and copy it, the result is an even more imperfect replication (when compared to the original). Now if you do that a couple billion times what you will end up with is a trippy mosaic with words only barely distinguishable, if at all. At a certain point, the copies become so mangled that they simply cannot perform their original purpose of relaying information.

[Siniroth]

If you take a piece of paper and run it through a copier, you might notice that there is an extra brown fleck where it should be solid white, or there is a white mark where it should only be black. Now, if you take that copy and copy it, the result is an even more imperfect replication (when compared to the original). Now if you do that a couple billion times what you will end up with is a trippy mosaic with words only barely distinguishable, if at all. At a certain point, the copies become so mangled that they simply cannot perform their original purpose of relaying information.

Fuck this happens at my work all the time <_<

[Andarvi]

Dontkare is making a strong push to take Vajra's throne on these forums.

[Faris]

death is natural, but noone ever knows when they will die. now thats scary.
some people die before there are even out of their mother's womb, and some get to live to 90 before they just expire. and you cant help but wonder, when will i die? x.x

[gt_killa]

What is it about death that frightens so many? I dont see it as anything scary, its as natural and as big a part of life as breathing and eating. I mean I get the whole thing about not wanting your family to grieve or the fact that you will miss this and that, I understand that but putting all that aside what is there to be afraid of?

That is about the fourth time I've heard that in this thread alone.

To die a virgin is pretty frightening for some people maybe

[Max™]

Labels son, labels, i'm a Scientist! Opps, it would seem I inadvertently lit the Max signal.

Don't you know who I am?

I'm the motherfucking Max-Tee-Em-Man!

http://www.answersingenesis.org/asse...-structure.jpg

Whales have vestigial hips, and shoulder blades like land animals.

Evolution all up in your motherfuckin' face, and shit!

[Andarvi]

Yes, that is one of my favorite examples, along with human vs. great apes xsomes, etc... Allopatric speciation is one of my favorite avenues to take, and i find some of the funniest anti-evolution arguments arise from there.

[Kerberoz]

Another fun one to make creationists cry:

http://www.abc.net.au/science/slab/d...g/archaeop.jpg