Are we ever to become a Type III civilization?

[Reincarnate]

ITT we discuss the implications

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kardashev_scale

[rushyrulz]

Re: Are we ever to become a Type III civilization?

We can't even harness the energy from lightning, I don't think we'll ever get to type 2 let alone type 3.

[who_cares973]

Re: Are we ever to become a Type III civilization?

might want to add a link to the different types of civilizations

[Reincarnate]

Re: Are we ever to become a Type III civilization?

We're something like a Type .72 or so atm

I feel like the major chokepoint will be whether or not we figure out how to gtfo Earth. One huge obstacle I see is the cost. I see it as hard to justify persuading people to leave Earth to go start all over on some distant world unless Earth is entering shithole status all-around.

[rushyrulz]

Re: Are we ever to become a Type III civilization?

United States space program isn't looking too great. Go Russia! Maybe we'll get to .73 with them.

[Phynx]

Re: Are we ever to become a Type III civilization?

tl;dr - Forgive my horrible English in the following statements.

Predictions of over 100,000 years in order to be at a point where we MIGHT achieve type III.... um yeah lol. Good luck earth on reaching Type II let alone III.

As for reaching Type I, I would agree with Rube, the ability to inhabit other worlds would be a step onto that stairway. But I would also say we could achieve Type I if we could produce computers capable of true A.I. to the point where they could research and develope at or beyond our levels of the current time they existed. Given the expansion onto say, Mars, we would be open to a whole new industry of research possibilities. Not only that but Mars is completely untapped of resources so we have a rather bottomless amount of resources at our disposal for furthering our expansion as a civilization.

Now Type I might also be achieved, in my mind, if we managed to colonize space. Something like you'd see in cartoons or animes. Big fortresses and cities in space where people thrive on artificial gravity and hydroponic gardens. All three of these Type I solutions are highly feasible in our modern age. We have the know-how(cept with the whole, true artificial gravity thing) and the ability to construct such endeavors. Our biggest blockade is both money and social support. It seems like nowadays if any ideas of an amazing conquest of Mars comes up there are a 10,000,000 to 1 countup of people against the idea. I say **** you guys who say no. Just do it already. It's in our future why not make it the now?

All in all, we have the tech now to show off a presentation to space, it just boils down to the world coming together instead as a race against nations to do it first but collaborate 100% into the project as a whole and achieve greater results through international connections.

[Izzy]

Re: Are we ever to become a Type III civilization?

I don't think humans will ever achieve anything beyond a Type I civilization. Even when the whole earth is turning in an uninhabitable wasteland I feel like the jump to space colonization will just be far to great to ever be achieved.

I guess in 500 years or so you can say "I told you so" if you want once I'm wrong.

[Poison-]

Re: Are we ever to become a Type III civilization?

I highly doubt humanity will ever reach Type II. The 0.01 estimated improvement on the Kardashev scale from 2010 to 2030 sort of depresses me. I believe that humanity isn't really focused on leaving Earth, like Reincarnate said, the cost is astronomical, just to get off of Earth, let alone resettle on another planet, that is if we can even find a way to settle on another planet.

[Zageron]

Re: Are we ever to become a Type III civilization?

Type I and II will be achieved in the next 10,000 years if humanity is still around.
Type III will never be achieved, or will take millions of years, and require quintillions (if not more) humans inhabiting the entire galaxy. (As well as other galaxies)

[Poison-]

Re: Are we ever to become a Type III civilization?

Damn I wish i could just stick around and find out

[qqwref]

Re: Are we ever to become a Type III civilization?

I don't think we know enough about the universe to be sure Type III civilizations are even theoretically possible.

In other news, manned spaceflight is pointless until we move beyond "shoot stuff out the back" type rockets.

[SocoNhydro421]

Re: Are we ever to become a Type III civilization?

If anyone has any idea of the vastness of a single galaxy, they would know type III is way beyond anything we can even think about at the moment. Harvesting a stars worth of energy is a task in itself, let alone trillions of stars haha.

[alloyus]

Re: Are we ever to become a Type III civilization?

If the human race survives, then I think it's always going to continue improving, maybe even into something like type 3.

[Reincarnate]

Re: Are we ever to become a Type III civilization?

I think becoming Type I is definitely something we'll eventually achieve. But to become Type II, we'd have to either harness our sun more aggressively or figure out how to reach other stars. The nearest one is like 4 light years from us, so interstellar travel is already going to pose a challenge there.

In other words, once we start looking into traversing space, I think we're honestly ****ed. I really, really hope I'm wrong and that someday I turn out to be one of those pessimists who didn't see it coming much like the world underestimated how big the computer would be.

[alloyus]

Re: Are we ever to become a Type III civilization?

Well I don't think any of us are actually going to be able to see if we're right or wrong xD Even Type I is predicted to take 100-200 years, I just think that if the time is given that we'll be able to make it far, far into the future.