Aristotle, one of the most famous Greek philosophers, believed the universe had existed forever. The reason he believed why we are not more developed was that floods, or other natural disasters, repeatedly set civilization back to the beginning.

Today we are developing ever faster. Our knowledge is growing exponentially and with it, our technology. But as humans we still have the instincts, and in particular the aggressive impulses, that we had in caveman days. Aggression has had definite survival advantages but when modern technology meets ancient aggression the entire human race and much of the rest of life on Earth is at risk.

Today in Syria we see modern technology in the forms of bombs, chemicals and other weapons being used to further so-called intelligent political ends.