I'm Futurist Dr. Stan Schatt --Ask Me Anything!

a reply to: Annee
I would think that once free will is an option, there really wouldn't be any turning back from that because then, by definition, it really wouldn't be free will.

I don't think the 3rd world has the power to control the world's economy although certainly countries with oil have some leverage. One thought is that in the future we'll have several coalitions like OPEC including the food growing coalition, the fresh water coalition, etc. with all of them using what they have to leverage their own best interests.

a reply to: nerbot
You might be right, but lately it's become a litmus test to just ask people what cable station they watch for news and politics-- Fox or MSNBC. It's tough to carry on a polite political discussion when each person only listens to the echo chamber that they agree with. I've chosen to "agree to disagree" and just try to avoid those kinds of conversations with relatives and friends.

Do you believe that we can see light, or only the effects of light?

sorry if it's a silly question lol

Unless I missed the response somehow, was my question from page two considered invalid?

Should I ask a different one?

a reply to: Autorico
Interesting question--- Are you implying that we might be like the people in Plato's Allegory of the Cave where we only see shadows of reality rather than reality itself? I think we see light, but only part of it. We see within a certain range of spectrum, with some people being able to see a slightly wider range of spectrum. There are creatures on this planet that can see into the infrared spectrum. Imagine if aliens can. They're view of reality would be different than ours.

Hi Stan,

We've had lots of questions about discovery of an alien civilization. Assuming it transpires in the future then how would you foresee this happening?

An artificial signal detected, perhaps an ET artifact discovered within the solar system (or here on earth) or the proverbial landing on the Whitehouse lawn type scenario?

a reply to: StanSchatt

Thanks for spending your time with us on ATS, Stan.

I'd like to say that I believe that aliens have been here visiting the Earth in some capacity. There are too many strange historical references regarding things in the sky (e.g. the 1561 phenomenon over Nuremberg, Germany). I've often wondered if we stopped starring at smart phones, computers, and television and looked up more frequently (much like our ancestors) that we too might see strange things.
1. Having said that, have you considered strongly that aliens have already been here, are still coming here, and researched the evidence that may suggest this?

My own research has suggested that we are tied to this planet and weren't meant to get off this planet.
2. Have you considered the idea that we weren't meant for interstellar travel?

I'm of the mindset that your mass media analysis of the use of aliens and UFOs to manipulate the social consciousness is dead on. But I believe our government(s) will use it for malevolence and not benevolence. Sort of the Ronald Reagan "external threat" to unite the world.
3. Do you feel that's the direction the alien/UFO social consciousness angle is currently being played?

Next, and this related to the previous question, given that both the Disclosure Project (Steven Greer) and Paradigm Research Group (Stephen Bassett) are openly funded by the Rockefellers through the Rockefeller Initiative and Project Starlight -
4. Do you feel this does a disservice to getting at the truth when you have people being paid and funded by the Rockfellers? I ask because this seems to lean the agenda of disclosure a certain direction, and again it appears less than benevolent.

Finally, I am someone that gets to see some technologies before they come out, because I work in the patent field.
5. Do you feel that to truly advance the human race that the notion of patents and patent ownership is a severe hindrance to humans ever moving forward technologically?

Thanks again for your time.

a reply to: DMFL1133
I've read some interesting speculation that our government and others have been searching for star gates described in ancient writings. I think star gates would represent a way of overcoming the practical limitations of space travel. I'm not sure about the physical laws behind such devices, but I would guess they have something to do with the creation of miniature black holes. If we don't find any, I think it would be a long time before we could develop our own.

a reply to: StanSchatt

I had just read a post about how light is a particle, wave, or both and came up with the question. I will have to read Allegory of the Cave and get back to you. Thanks for answering, much appreciated

a reply to: DMFL1133
Sorry --I missed the question there. I just went back and replied.

originally posted by: StanSchatt

Thank you for your time and effort in this thread - It is appreciated.

a reply to: mirageman
I'm inclined to go with one of two possibilities --a message (unlikely) or an alien probe. I'm a little concerned that governments by their very nature enjoy the power that comes with keeping secrets. I don't trust NASA to reveal any alien artifacts it discovers. The lights on Ceres are an interesting possibilities. There also have been reports that some "moons" are actually hollow, suggesting they might artificial. I don't see a UFO landing on the White House lawn.

originally posted by: StanSchatt
a reply to: Annee
I would think that once free will is an option, there really wouldn't be any turning back from that because then, by definition, it really wouldn't be free will.

I don't think the 3rd world has the power to control the world's economy although certainly countries with oil have some leverage. One thought is that in the future we'll have several coalitions like OPEC including the food growing coalition, the fresh water coalition, etc. with all of them using what they have to leverage their own best interests.

Thanks.

We are still animal and survival of the fittest still rules. I'm a realist.

Perhaps becoming part human - part machine could sway the logical side a litle more

Hi Stan! How close are we to the technology of Star Wars? I.e Charged Particle Beam Weapons, Super Lasers, Light Saber, large destroyer ships, all terrain walkers, hyperdrives, bacta tanks that heal just about anything etc.

a reply to: WCmutant
WOW, you get the prize for the most detailed series of questions to chew on. Let me try to respond.
1. Even if you disregard the Chariot of the Gods group that sees an alien everywhere, there still are some historical anomalies. I don't understand statistically while we think aliens would happy by our part of the universe now rather than earlier in our history. There have been so many reports in the distant past as well as presently that I think there is some fire behind all the smoke. As far as getting off this planet, there are all kinds of theories about why we're here with no alien contact as of yet --the Zoo theory, the quarantine theory, the experiment theory, etc, even the Prime Directive theory.

2. It certainly is true what Reagan said --it would take an outside threat to bring everyone together. I'm more inclined, though, to think that a government that had made contact would keep it a secret because of the reaction of other governments.

3. My theory is that we are being manipulated towards accepting extraterrestrials in the same way that mass media made being gay acceptable. It took around 50 years for the public's attitude to change about homosexuality, but movies certainly helped.

4. I don't know much about the Rockefeller Initiative or Project Starlight, although it's tough to browse through the web looking at ET articles without running into ads.

5. I agree with you about private ownership when it comes to a hindrance. Remember all the stories of auto companies buying up promising alternative technology? In Southern California the auto companies bought up the right of way and pulled out the tracks for a great system of transportation in order to force people to buy and drive cars. I mourn the fact that we no longer have a Bell Labs where scientists did pure research. I'm particularly worried about technology in the medical field. There's a real threat that companies applying for patents on genes might make treatment so expensive that only the very rich could pay for targeted genetic cures.

a reply to: IngyBall
Well, from what I read, we're getting closer, although we can't destroy a planet form space yet. Bata tanks are getting closer. The problem is that a lot of those fun things you described are probably being developed deep down within our military industrial complex under top secret conditions.

a reply to: StanSchatt

Good day Dr Schatt.

I would like to ask you your opinion on the following.

A friend of mine has an implant in his spine, which was fitted by doctors to interfere with pain signals being sent from damaged nerves in his back. It does this by sending pulses of electrical signal across the nerves surrounding it, which either mask, or cancel the pain signals from the damaged area. The item charges by induction, which means that no external access port or power jack is necessary, just an induction pad under the skin, which receives power from a pad which is laid over the outside of the skin, which in turn is connected to a specialist adaptor.

The implant can be programmed to a series of pre-set levels, which are arrived at after careful experimentation on the part of the doctors who fitted it, to establish good levels which relieve or eliminate the pain in the subjects back.

My question to you is as follows:

Does this qualify as an example of transhumanism?

I await your response with interest.

Hello dr. I have a question thats relatively easy to answer. What do you think of the ORION program and its apparent cancellation(really it went black in actuality) and the secret space programs connection to the breakaway civilization working with our government and the end goals of said partnership.

a reply to: StanSchatt

As in the way that physicality has consistency, or states which do reoccur, who, or what, do you attribute to such ordering of physicality? And what do you make of the reoccurrence of states? Is there a purpose to it?

Have you studied any on continuums, spectra, states, or qualia? If so, do you have any good leads on this subject?

How would you, specifically, categorize awareness? Is it a force? A field? Something else? And do you believe awareness is emergent or fundamental?

Hopefully my questions aren't beyond any prior thoughts of yours. But if they are, please feel free to speculate.

a reply to: TrueBrit
As defined by the Transhumanism Association itself, I think what you describe would be an example, albeit a small step example of transhumanism. I like the fact that the device acts apparently without any human intervention. On the other hand, the recent work by Washington University Medical School researchers in developing mind directed devices to control arms and legs does require active human intervention and probably is more in line with an evolution toward the Singularity that Ray Kurzweil proposes.