[TrashMan]

The goal is not for the species to live forever - it is to live as long as possible.

You're saying just because we can't survive the end of the universe, we should kill ourselves now?
We can do something about a asteroid crashing into the planet, or global warming ... but we can't do anything to stop the end of the universe. Therefore it makes sense to avoid death as long as you can.

[High Max]

;-)

[High Max]

;-)

[The E]

Only if life has a purpose and people are scared of death would there be a reason to keep a species going. If a person believes in pure science and eveything is physical and no continuing of my memories or consciousness after death, then that means existance is pointless from that point of view since we would not live after we die and not be around in some form eternally. all the stuff I learned would be a waste and lost. All that for nothing basically since nothing and no one would last in some form forever. It would make everything we think do and our being nothing special at all. Not saying I'm part of that view though. I mix diffferent views.

"We would not live after we die"? That just made my day. Some would say that not living anymore is a big part of that whole "dying" thing, you know.
And speaking as someone who is absolutely certain that the only things that will be left behind after my death will be my children, and whatever enduring works I created during my time here, will say that nothing I learn and do is wasted. After all, if I don't work to make this world better, I will truly deserve to be forgotten.
So, saying that life would be pointless if it wasn't infinite sounds incredibly silly to my (admittedly condescending/liberal/rude/sarcastic/atheist) ears.

[High Max]

;-)

[The E]

And where did I talk about absolutes? Oh, yes, here:
"And speaking as someone who is absolutely certain that the only things that will be left behind after my death..."
My beliefs are the ONLY thing I can talk in absolutes about. Doing anything else would be dishonest.

I will not talk in absolutes since I know that I and no one knows for sure.

Oh, good.

[Woolie Wool]

Wow, has this thread completely deteriorated or what?

Ask a stupid question...

[NoneSuch]

I've always seen the Shivans as an insectoid race, due to the appearance of their ships and the attack drones/shivens in the cutscene. So I've always considered them to have an insectoid mentality of working towards the greater good, and not being worried about their own lives. I know the explanation of why they attack civilisations is heatly debated, but I've always thought they simply attack races which are starting to become a possible threat to them. A sort of pre-emptive attack to stop them from developing the tech to be able to threaten the Shivans.  That's why they're not bothered with taking land, as they aren't on a conquest, but more of pest control.

I'd like to see the next Shivan fleet focus on lots of Medium sized strong ships, rather than the traditional "boss" ship. Stuff which is supposed to swarm, overwhelm and pick apart bigger oppenents with numbers alone. Then again it's more likely we'd  just see one huge arse Sath style beast, with the traditional claws which fire lazer b34ms.

[General Battuta]

I concur with that idea of a focus on more tactically relevant medium-sized ships. Uberships are played out.

The Sathani actually did a good job of subverting that just by there being a lot of them.

[Droid803]

Sathanas Juggernauts are medium-sized ships to the Shivans!

(in certain continuities)

[mxlm]

I thought they were meant to be disposable path finders? 

[eliex]

In that case, I wouldn't want to know what an Aeshma would be considered as . . . 

[Killer Whale]

One of the red blood cells in one of the soldiers in your army. Probably not even red blood cells, it's an aeshma, so maybe an adipose cell.