Serbia debates Srebrenica apology

[Neil]

The second are the nutcases: they think that Serbia has a God-given right to an Albanian majority province because they fought the Turks there centuries ago.

Claims like that didn't stop Israel.

Yeah, but Israel won the war, and are therefore right.  Serbia was crushed, and was therefore wrong.

[Neil]

Indeed. We would be far more technologically advance if it werent for WW1, the serbians, and the muslims.

I want my damn flying car!

What have muslims done to retard technology?

[The Brain]

Indeed. We would be far more technologically advance if it werent for WW1, the serbians, and the muslims.

I want my damn flying car!

What have muslims done to retard technology?

Perfected it?

[grumbler]

What have muslims done to retard technology?

Perfected it?

[Neil]

Indeed. We would be far more technologically advance if it werent for WW1, the serbians, and the muslims.

I want my damn flying car!

What have muslims done to retard technology?

Perfected it?

Nicely done.

[jimmy olsen]

Indeed. We would be far more technologically advance if it werent for WW1, the serbians, and the muslims.

I want my damn flying car!

What have muslims done to retard technology?

Perfected it?

Brilliant!

[Queequeg]

Last time I checked, the World Wars were the catalysts for nearly every great invention of the past century.   

[Neil]

Last time I checked, the World Wars were the catalysts for nearly every great invention of the past century.   

Not really, but they did help drive innovation and adoption.

[jimmy olsen]

Last time I checked, the World Wars were the catalysts for nearly every great invention of the past century.   

Immense amounts of human, physical and fiscal capital was lost. I think the argument that that was made up for by the extra incentive and drive provided by the Wars is questionable.

[Neil]

Last time I checked, the World Wars were the catalysts for nearly every great invention of the past century.   

Immense amounts of human, physical and fiscal capital was lost. I think the argument that that was made up for by the extra incentive and drive provided by the Wars is questionable.

Particularily WWI.

[Queequeg]

Last time I checked, the World Wars were the catalysts for nearly every great invention of the past century.   

Immense amounts of human, physical and fiscal capital was lost. I think the argument that that was made up for by the extra incentive and drive provided by the Wars is questionable.

That would be an argument from a hypothetical alternative history, an alternative (World War-less) reality so different from our own as to be unrecognizable. 

What we do know is that war and violence have been at the forefront of technological and social development for as long as there is an anthropological record.  I don't doubt that it has pushed our species forward, even as it has brought out our worst instincts.  Not pretty, necessarily, but true. 

[grumbler]

That would be an argument from a hypothetical alternative history, an alternative (World War-less) reality so different from our own as to be unrecognizable.   

All hypothetical arguments are made from hypotheses. 

I dunno about what an "argument from a hypothetical alternative history" even is, though.

What we do know is that war and violence have been at the forefront of technological and social development for as long as there is an anthropological record.  I don't doubt that it has pushed our species forward, even as it has brought out our worst instincts.  Not pretty, necessarily, but true.

We don't "know" this and this is not "true."  We suspect it of war (though not necessarily of violence).  You are engaging in the classic post hoc ergo propter hoc fallacy; one could as easily say "what we do know is that breathing and shitting have been at the forefront of technological and social development for as long as there is an anthropological record."

[Razgovory]

I'll wager some of the best ideas in the world have come while pondering the universe on a porcelain throne.

[Warspite]

War can perhaps accelerate certain aspects of our technological development, but there were no technologies AFAIK that were uniquely a result of industrial war - ie that we could reasonably consider that we would have not had otherwise.

Against this, we have to weigh up the destruction, opportunity cost of the economic distortion of total war, and the loss of labour and entrepreneurship in the fields.

[grumbler]

War can perhaps accelerate certain aspects of our technological development, but there were no technologies AFAIK that were uniquely a result of industrial war - ie that we could reasonably consider that we would have not had otherwise.

Against this, we have to weigh up the destruction, opportunity cost of the economic distortion of total war, and the loss of labour and entrepreneurship in the fields.

Indeed, arguments have been successfully made that wars have emphasized the development of the wrong kinds of technologies and the wrong elements of the right tech, while delaying the right kinds of tech.

Container shipment technology was available for a long time before it was implemented, but was delayed because there were so many break bulk Liberty and Victory ships available so cheaply that container ships couldn't be economically built.

Aircraft developments in WW1 emphasized speed and maneuverability, when what was needed to further the utility of aircraft was range and carrying capacity.