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Thread: 2020 Isaac Asimov Memorial Debate: Alien Life

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    2020 Isaac Asimov Memorial Debate: Alien Life


    Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgESzc3hc2U

    "Sep 25, 2020 by American Museum of Natural History

    Neil deGrasse Tyson, Frederick P. Rose Director of the Hayden Planetarium, hosts and moderates a lively discussion about how life might have formed on Earth and explores what alien life might look like elsewhere in the universe. What criteria do we use to classify life as we know it? Should the criteria be revised as we look for life on other worlds?"

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    Tyson is as much of a jackass as Sagan was in his day. Both perfect representations of scientific arrogance. Make me wanna holla'

    Sorry Kathy, some just have a knack to be pushing my 'boing', 'boing', 'boing' buttons. I won't be able to listen with Tyson in it.
    “El revolucionario: te meteré la bota en el culo"

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    I mostly like Tyson. I don't like it when he gets arrogant. He shouldn't, as a scientist. But he's also a personality and speaker and sometimes that stuff comes out.

    I recall my parents practically telling me I should believe Sagan and take his word for things because he was so smart. And yet, they themselves did not. It was really weird. I think they were trying to steer me towards a group or a certain kind of group think so that I'd have a group I could 'fit into'. Which was also weird because they raised me not to be in cliques.

    They basically sent many mixed messages. Fortunately my Dad also taught me how to be diplomatic so I'd say things like, "Thank you so much for your advice. It's very helpful."

    Sagan didn't know all and neither does Tyson.

    I really enjoyed his pursuit of the idea that we could be in a simulation. That's certainly outside the normal scientific boxes.


    As for Isaac Asimov, I have decided it's time to reread Robots of Dawn. I don't know where my copies are, I may have to get the books again. I Highly recommend.

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    I remember reading one of his science books where he castigated himself for his low I.Q. It was weird, he was obviously a brilliant writer.
    “El revolucionario: te meteré la bota en el culo"

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    Quote Originally posted by NotAPretender View Post
    Tyson is as much of a jackass as Sagan was in his day. Both perfect representations of scientific arrogance. Make me wanna holla'

    Sorry Kathy, some just have a knack to be pushing my 'boing', 'boing', 'boing' buttons. I won't be able to listen with Tyson in it.
    NAP, what you think is your choice. I maintain life is like a mirror.

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    yeah, my mirror is very shiny ...
    “El revolucionario: te meteré la bota en el culo"

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    Quote Originally posted by NotAPretender View Post
    I remember reading one of his science books where he castigated himself for his low I.Q. It was weird, he was obviously a brilliant writer.

    I take it that you're talking about Isaac Asimov. I think artistes commonly cannot judge themselves. I thought Carl Sagan's "Contact" was brilliant.

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    yeah, Contact was great ... his hidden psyche favored the concept of ET's are here, but he hid it for political and professional reasons. Tyson doesn't even posses those redeeming qualities. That is the sole reason I dislike him. I'm so hard to please ... Compare Tyson with Michio Kaku (an individual that I admire and like very much) and you might see where I'm coming from.
    “El revolucionario: te meteré la bota en el culo"

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    “El revolucionario: te meteré la bota en el culo"

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    Quote Originally posted by NotAPretender View Post
    I'm just teasing and do see where you're coming from. Now I'm confused, I don't know who thought they had a low IQ.

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    Isaac Asimov ... he was a highly regarded scientist and sci-fi writer but he felt he had overachieved because of his not notable I.Q.
    “El revolucionario: te meteré la bota en el culo"

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    Asimov must have forgotten that the IQ test was developed to measure success in school. Not raw intelligence. Perhaps Asimov was like dozens of smart folks I know who hated school and barely or didn't finish. They were still smart and successful.

    (dozens might be an exaggeration...but certainly many)

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    yeah, there are, at least were many false assumptions made throughout the history of I.Q. testing.
    “El revolucionario: te meteré la bota en el culo"

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    Quote Originally posted by NotAPretender View Post
    yeah, there are, at least were many false assumptions made throughout the history of I.Q. testing.
    Totally indeed, i have been measured at IQ 134, but when i was 14 it was 139. And i can't do math, apparently i'm more just for arts and other stuff, like mechanical and logical. I can calculate in my mind the route a bullet can take by just looking at the target and 'feeling' it, but somehow math is something i dislike a lot and i could never make the calculations on a paper, if asked. So IQ matters nothing to me. It's just some random number that has not represented my real potential in life ever

    My sister is "normal" at around 128 or something, yet she's crazy smart for math, and she builds models and equations and has that bright total scientific aspect about it i can't follow.

    I know more people like this, who can achieve great things regardless of IQ tests and what they were told they could be good at, it's just not even related i think, i'ts just 'potential' but it was assumed it was a final measure that would tell people what they can achieve
    Last edited by Malisa, 16th October 2020 at 23:20.

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    Quote Originally posted by NotAPretender View Post
    I'm so hard to please ...
    I've certainly noticed that!

    I like Sagan and his pupil Tyson as scientists, but their understanding is limited too and I don't like arrogance either. I liked Contact as movie a lot, I have the book too. I especially enjoyed Sagan's show Cosmos. I can disagree with people without necessarily disliking them, can you imagine that? I've never read Asimov's books even though I've read how people have been praising them.

    Quote Originally posted by Malisa View Post
    Totally indeed, i have been measured at IQ 134, but when i was 14 it was 139. And i can't do math, apparently i'm more just for arts and other stuff, like mechanical and logical. I can calculate in my mind the route a bullet can take by just looking at the target and 'feeling' it, but somehow math is something i dislike a lot and i could never make the calculations on a paper, if asked. So IQ matters nothing to me. It's just some random number that has not represented my real potential in life ever
    That's interesting, I've never been officially measured and I keep mostly quiet about myself as I'm not interested in ego stroking or anything like that. Some people know what I have revealed about myself and that's that. Let's just say that my brain doesn't function in the most normal or neurotypical way. I was never good at math so it kinda made me feel dumb, but then I found out that I had a more creative side in me and I'm especially good at gathering data and looking at the big picture in a way that many don't seem to be capable of, but that is really hard to explain so I even won't try. As I've said before, I think EQ is something that should be valued way more than IQ. Intelligence isn't wisdom anyways, people seem to forget that. Humanity might be intelligent, but it's not wise. Or would a wise species bring itself to the brink of self-destruction? I think not.

    I must say that I've always greatly admired both artists and engineers. I just can't figure out how engineers are capable of making stuff the way they do in a very precise and intricate way, thanks to them we have all these amazing gadgets and technology that make life much more convenient. Artists themselves make society a better place too with their contributions, art is one of the best reasons for human existence. Human creativity is quite amazing. At times it makes me feel like this species isn't completely hopeless.

    "Art's task is to save the soul of mankind. Anything less is a dithering while Rome burns." ~ Terence McKenna
    Last edited by Wind, 17th October 2020 at 23:09.

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