"thunder" wrote in message
...


It has often been said that, if the human species fails to make a go
of it here on Earth, some other species will take over the running.
In
the sense of developing high intelligence this is not correct. We
have, or soon will have, exhausted the necessary physical
prerequisites so far as this planet is concerned. With coal gone,
oil
gone, high-grade metallic ores gone, no species however competent
can
make the long climb from primitive conditions to high-level
technology. This is a one-shot affair. If we fail, this planetary
system fails so far as intelligence is concerned. The same will be
true of other planetary systems. On each of them there will be one
chance, and one chance only. (Hoyle, 1964)

Fred Hoyle was an astronomer and SF author. He didn't know jack about
why intelligence and self awareness arises. It certainly happened to man
long before the impact of available resources would have been felt. Was
socrates not highly intelligent?

High Intelligence is not the same as technology. For example, who is to
say a technology based on ceramics isn't possible? And all those metals
are still here. Our followers could mine cities and landfills and
junkyards.

More blather from someone liking the sound of his own voice.

del