Is Acension relative?

[~Dave]

First I apologize if this topic has been done before. This has to do with what is considered ascension in Stargate SG1. Is it relative to who you are?

If it could think, would any animal with more than one cell be an ascended being to an amoeba? Would a land animal be an ascended being to an aquatic animal? Would we be ascended beings to an ape? It seems that leaving a physical body and becoming a spirit(?) is ascension to us. In other words, if you believe in evolution, is each stage in the evolutionary process considered ascension? Or is the SG1-type of ascension the only kind there is? Like, is there no ascension after that ascension? Or does it matter?

~Dave

[Alteran of Atlantis]

First I apologize if this topic has been done before. This has to do with what is considered ascension in Stargate SG1. Is it relative to who you are?

If it could think, would any animal with more than one cell be an ascended being to an amoeba? Would a land animal be an ascended being to an aquatic animal? Would we be ascended beings to an ape? It seems that leaving a physical body and becoming a spirit(?) is ascension to us. In other words, if you believe in evolution, is each stage in the evolutionary process considered ascension? Or is the SG1-type of ascension the only kind there is? Like, is there no ascension after that ascension? Or does it matter?

~Dave

I don't think so. Ascension is described as the process of shedding the physical body and rising to a higher plane of existence.

[ASAKATA]

First I apologize if this topic has been done before. This has to do with what is considered ascension in Stargate SG1. Is it relative to who you are?

If it could think, would any animal with more than one cell be an ascended being to an amoeba? Would a land animal be an ascended being to an aquatic animal? Would we be ascended beings to an ape? It seems that leaving a physical body and becoming a spirit(?) is ascension to us. In other words, if you believe in evolution, is each stage in the evolutionary process considered ascension? Or is the SG1-type of ascension the only kind there is? Like, is there no ascension after that ascension? Or does it matter?

~Dave

Aren't we getting away from ourselves? Evolution brings about many changes in many species. Humanity is thought to be the first animal capable of abstract thought. WE have a more hightened understanding of the world around us. Most animals only operate instinctually, motivated by hunger or the urge to mate. It takes alot of pure brain power and self awareness to achieve Ascension, and Humans are the closest. Not to say that Dolphins couldn't achieve it, they are very intelligent beings, but right now, only Highly evolved organisms at the top of the food chain are capable of ascension. Did I ramble, I think I did

[Giantevilhead]

Humans aren't actually "more evolved" than any other species on earth. All creatures on earth are equally evolved, it's just that they evolved differently.

[ASAKATA]

Humans aren't actually "more evolved" than any other species on earth. All creatures on earth are equally evolved, it's just that they evolved differently.

Good Point

[Pharaoh Hamenthotep]

Aren't we getting away from ourselves? Evolution brings about many changes in many species. Humanity is thought to be the first animal capable of abstract thought. WE have a more hightened understanding of the world around us. Most animals only operate instinctually, motivated by hunger or the urge to mate. It takes alot of pure brain power and self awareness to achieve Ascension, and Humans are the closest. Not to say that Dolphins couldn't achieve it, they are very intelligent beings, but right now, only Highly evolved organisms at the top of the food chain are capable of ascension. Did I ramble, I think I did

If a Dolphin could ascend then so could an Octopus! It has been proven that octopuses can learn from observing the action of other octopuses. An octopus in one tank was trained that if it hit a red ball it would be rewarded with food, whereas it wouldn't if it hit a white ball. Octopuses in adjoining tanks took less time to learn this than by trial and error, suggesting they have the basics of conceptual thought.

[Discotrash]

I don't think so. Ascension is described as the process of shedding the physical body and rising to a higher plane of existence.

The concept of "higher" and "lower" planes is relative, I suppose. Orlin points out that the Ancients are, even in their state, still interested in further enlightenment, so presumably there are planes that are "higher" still. Ascension has to do with existing as energy and possessing a greater understanding of the universe. There is also a spiritual component: physical evolution is not enough to allow one to ascend.

There is no reason in my mind to consider a land animal, for example, more highly evolved than an aquatic one; ascension refers to transcending our current level of consciousness, to living as pure energy. I don't think this is analogous to simply adapting to a different environment.

[Giantevilhead]

If a Dolphin could ascend then so could an Octopus! It has been proven that octopuses can learn from observing the action of other octopuses. An octopus in one tank was trained that if it hit a red ball it would be rewarded with food, whereas it wouldn't if it hit a white ball. Octopuses in adjoining tanks took less time to learn this than by trial and error, suggesting they have the basics of conceptual thought.

That's why we have keep polluting the oceans to wipe them out. It won't take long before octopuses learn to use their tentacles to open our skulls like a tuna can and devour our juicy delicious brains.

[Rickington]

The concept of "higher" and "lower" planes is relative, I suppose. Orlin points out that the Ancients are, even in their state, still interested in further enlightenment, so presumably there are planes that are "higher" still.

This makes me wonder what those "higher" planes are.

Physical existence = matter
"Ascended" existence = energy
beyond-"ascended" existence = time (?)

[jenks]

First I apologize if this topic has been done before. This has to do with what is considered ascension in Stargate SG1. Is it relative to who you are?

If it could think, would any animal with more than one cell be an ascended being to an amoeba? Would a land animal be an ascended being to an aquatic animal? Would we be ascended beings to an ape? It seems that leaving a physical body and becoming a spirit(?) is ascension to us. In other words, if you believe in evolution, is each stage in the evolutionary process considered ascension? Or is the SG1-type of ascension the only kind there is? Like, is there no ascension after that ascension? Or does it matter?

~Dave

There are no 'stages' in evolution, it's a continuous process. Ascension as it's understood in the SG universe is the process in which an animal sheds it's physical forms and lives as pure energy.

Aren't we getting away from ourselves? Evolution brings about many changes in many species. Humanity is thought to be the first animal capable of abstract thought. WE have a more hightened understanding of the world around us. Most animals only operate instinctually, motivated by hunger or the urge to mate. It takes alot of pure brain power and self awareness to achieve Ascension, and Humans are the closest. Not to say that Dolphins couldn't achieve it, they are very intelligent beings, but right now, only Highly evolved organisms at the top of the food chain are capable of ascension. Did I ramble, I think I did

No we're not, hell there's evidence animals as 'primitive' as mice can think abstract thoughts. All these concepts that are supposed to separate us from animals like being sentient, or having self-awareness or using logic or being capable of metacognition are all myths, nothing so clean cut separates us from animals.

[~Dave]

Didn't Oma say that ascension is the beginning of the journey, and not the end? If that's correct, then doesn't that mean that there are further stages of ascension after the first one?

About evolution. I thought that the theory was that life evolves from the more primitive to the more advanced forms of life. From single cells to more complex beings. So from our point of view, could the SG1 ascended beings be just the next step in our current evolution?

~Dave

[Heqet]

This makes me wonder what those "higher" planes are.

Physical existence = matter
"Ascended" existence = energy
beyond-"ascended" existence = time (?)

Super-Beyond-Ascended Existence = The Tesseract?

[~Dave]

Super-Beyond-Ascended Existence = The Tesseract?

There may be nothing in our world which corresponds to what lies outside. It may be impossible to think outside the box, when all you know lies inside the box. There may be things we can't think about. That is, until we can physically move outside the box. Would that be ascension? And then would there be an ascension after that one? How many could there be? Is there an end?

~Dave

[HotOne]

Didn't Oma say that ascension is the beginning of the journey, and not the end? If that's correct, then doesn't that mean that there are further stages of ascension after the first one?

About evolution. I thought that the theory was that life evolves from the more primitive to the more advanced forms of life. From single cells to more complex beings. So from our point of view, could the SG1 ascended beings be just the next step in our current evolution?

~Dave

That is exactly what ascension is - the next step in evolution. But again, it is not just physical, it is spiritual. It wouldn't just happen automatically after a certain period of time. It requires meditation and a shedding of burdens similar to Buddhism on top of all the evolutionary requirements.

[unluckynumber11]

First I apologize if this topic has been done before. This has to do with what is considered ascension in Stargate SG1. Is it relative to who you are?

If it could think, would any animal with more than one cell be an ascended being to an amoeba? Would a land animal be an ascended being to an aquatic animal? Would we be ascended beings to an ape? It seems that leaving a physical body and becoming a spirit(?) is ascension to us. In other words, if you believe in evolution, is each stage in the evolutionary process considered ascension? Or is the SG1-type of ascension the only kind there is? Like, is there no ascension after that ascension? Or does it matter?

~Dave

it's all relative, carter could explain it all but we'd be here a while