

  (Source: Education & Technology)













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RE: Great developments...
By geddarkstorm on 10/27/2008 1:19:38 PM , Rating: 3
I had to only think about it for 2.159 seconds, what about you?

There's both good and bad to such advances. If it is easier to kill people en mass, which is what war is verses say a mafia hit, with less collateral damage, then there is less incentive (due to less of an outcry over said collateral damage) to not wipe out some band of pesky humans being a thorn in your world view's side; instead of reasoning with them or finding other peaceful solutions. Certainly, if killing reaches a certain level of efficiency, it'll be a lot easier to do that than seek diplomacy. So, while less collatoral damage is all well and good, the problem crops up with who has this ability and who are they labeling "pesky humans"? However, this is only a fundamental issue with human nature that will continue to be a problem no matter what level of technology we are using.

RE: Great developments...
By madoka on 10/27/2008 3:27:08 PM , Rating: 2
Yes, this is precisely what happened with the Eminian Union who was at war with the Vendikar for over 500 years. Their war is fought by computer simulations instead of real weapons, and the people calculated as casualties voluntarily report to disintigration chambers to die, but the planets' culture and infrastructure survive. Killing became so clean and simple that they had no incentive to stop their war. It was only after Capt. Kirk destroyed their simulation computers that. . .

Oh snap! I've confused reality with Star Trek again. . .

