New Member

--- In spacesettlers@yahoogroups.com, "Richard" wrote:

> > That's quite the rejoinder. It's apparent that your threshold for
> > proof is so high that only going to Mars, implementing your dream, and
> > failing at it will be convincing. Or will you then offer us the
> > socialist excuse, "well, we just didn't do it the right way, so we
> > should try to do it again but the right way this time . ." ad
> > infinitum until the end of time.

> > Tell us what level of proof you require.

> Going there and looking things over.

> You remind me of the Greek philosophers that could argue for hours
> about how many teeth a horse had in his mouth and never look.

A: We should go to Mars and build a civilization there.

B: It's too far from Earth for us to trade efficiently and we'll never
survive without subsidies.

A: Well, I'll believe that when we actually go to Mars and start our
building.

B: Why do you have to do that? Don't you see that it doesn't make sense?

A: Once we start building a civilization on Mars it may make trade
more efficient with Earth.

B: Like how?

A: I don't really have clue, but maybe Mars' orbit will shift and
we'll come closer. Anything is possible. Just because it hasn't
happened it shouldn't be a reason to rule it out. First we need to
start building Robinson City on Mars and then we'll worry about
whether it makes sense.

B: I have absolutely no idea how to respond to that. Boy, Zubrin and
his crew sure are good at PR.

> > > I can just see Tangoman in space attempting to singlehandedly
> > > blockade Mars and shoot down anybody trying to go there.

> > The ad hominem attack, the last refuge of the logically exhausted
> > debater.
> >
> > > Can't you see it is way too early to decide?

> > Absolutely not. The time is ripe to squish the Mars meme before it
> > ruins us all. Someone should have done the same with the Dutch Tulip
> > Mania in the 1600s, or the Jim Jones Cult in Guyana. Some things
> > simply don't make sense and a Mars civilization and terraforming
> > clearly falls into that category.

> Talk about ad hominem attacks.

Ad hominem is an attack against the person. The above is an attack on
the Mars Fantasy. I'm not ridiculing you.

TangoMan