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[CosmicGnosis]

The Catalyst's harvest cycle is essentially a force of nature. Basically, it's an artificial extinction cycle that prevents organic life from destroying itself. The cycle prevents things like technological singularities, but it also prevents something else that people often fail to consider: cultural subjugation.

The cycle ensured that humans, asari, hanar, etc. were not forever subjugated by the Protheans. It also liberated all the species of the galaxy from the reign of the Leviathans. I think this is a profoundly important point. We owe our existence to the Catalyst. Without the Catalyst, humans would not exist. In the context of the ME universe, this is a fact. The Catalyst's cycle "created" the Protheans, and the Protheans "created" humans, asari, hanar, etc. Without these external, unnatural forces, we would not exist. Ponder that for a moment...

From a detached, dispassionate perspective, there is a certain elegance and beauty inherit within the Catalyst's harvest cycle. Despite all the death and destruction, the cycle encourages the development of new life and ensures that it will be, at least for a time, free of long-lasting tyranny. Remember, the Catalyst determined that the Leviathans were part of the problem. Yes, the Catalyst's "regime" may be viewed as tyrannical, but the major difference is that it's not a traditional controlling force. Its purpose is not to dominate, but to preserve. That's it. There is nothing particularly sinister about the cycle.

The Catalyst is not "evil". It doesn't hate you. It doesn't like you. You are just an animal to it. It's more concerned with the domain of organic life than individual organics. Without the Catalyst, you would not exist. The Leviathans created a synthetic being that was interested in the preservation of life, and its solution was essentially a cosmic accident. It's nothing personal, just like an earthquake is nothing personal.

Of course, there are probably better ways of preserving organic life than the harvest cycle. I don't want to be killed for the preservation of all organic life. It's far too abstact for me. However, if you care about existence, something has to be done. And I don't know what the solution should be. Synthesis seems to set us on the right track, but many people hate that solution. If not Synthesis, then what should be done? How do we ensure the survival of life in a hostile universe?

"Like a cleansing fire, we restore balance. New life, both organic and synthetic, can once again flourish."

Modifié par CosmicGnosis, 27 décembre 2012 - 09:13 .

[ruggly]

QUIT MAKING ME FEEL BAD ABOUT DESTROYING THE REAPERS, DAMNIT!

[essarr71]

Funny. Nature has a way of sorting this out without the aid of artificial extinction.

[Constipator369]

Subjugated by the Protheans? If not for the Catalyst, we would serve the Leviathans.

[Blood drinker 7777]

how true you make a good point

[Fnork]

CosmicGnosis wrote...

The cycle ensured that humans, asari, hanar, etc. were not forever subjugated by the Protheans.

That's one gigantic assumption right there. Who says the Prothean empire would've lasted that long ? Empires rise and fall regardless of Starjar and his "solution". I don't buy it.

Modifié par Fnork, 27 décembre 2012 - 09:16 .

[jstme]

Lol. No.

[Fixers0]

You can't prove that.

[Archonsg]

/facepalm

[Rifneno]

[DeinonSlayer]

We owe our existence to the Chixculub asteroid for wiping out every warm blooded animal larger than a housecat and giving mammals a chance 65 million years ago. It's nothing personal, that's just what big rocks do when they hit bigger rocks. Still, I'd say next time it's poised to happen we should blow the thing out of the sky.

[CosmicGnosis]

Fnork wrote...

CosmicGnosis wrote...

The cycle ensured that humans, asari, hanar, etc. were not forever subjugated by the Protheans.

That's one gigantic assumption right there. Who says the Prothean empire would've lasted that long ? Empires rise and fall regardless of Starjar and his "solution". I don't buy it.

It was just one example. Who knows, the Protheans may have never existed if some other species millions of years older had taken the place of the Leviathans.

[Wayning_Star]

simply put: we don't

the catalyst is programmed to find the cure for chaos,its not the catalyst, however that designed the crucible nor it's choices menu. So we don't really know who's in charge, regarding the chaos/cycle/pattern or even the Levithan, who, apparently are not the apex race in the MEU.

The protheans are as much a thrall to the Levathan as the reapers via the catalyst. They never stood a chance.

Modifié par Wayning_Star, 27 décembre 2012 - 09:21 .

[CosmicGnosis]

DeinonSlayer wrote...

We owe our existence to the Chixculub asteroid for wiping out every warm blooded animal larger than a housecat and giving mammals a chance 65 million years ago. It's nothing personal, that's just what big rocks do when they hit bigger rocks. Still, I'd say next time it's poised to happen we should blow the thing out of the sky.

Yes, we owe our existence to cosmic accidents. The Catalyst is one of those accidents, in the context of the ME universe. I think this is what BioWare was trying to convey.

[Someone With Mass]

I actually owe my existence to my mother, thank you.

I also would rather be a subject of the Protheans than some organic Slurpee for the Reapers.

[Wayning_Star]

CosmicGnosis wrote...

DeinonSlayer wrote...

We owe our existence to the Chixculub asteroid for wiping out every warm blooded animal larger than a housecat and giving mammals a chance 65 million years ago. It's nothing personal, that's just what big rocks do when they hit bigger rocks. Still, I'd say next time it's poised to happen we should blow the thing out of the sky.

Yes, we owe our existence to cosmic accidents. The Catalyst is one of those accidents, in the context of the ME universe. I think this is what BioWare was trying to convey.

we'll call it the accidently on purpose theory?

[CosmicGnosis]

Someone With Mass wrote...

I actually owe my existence to my mother, thank you.

And the Big Bang, which the Catalyst also owes its existence to.

All these impersonal cosmic accidents in an uncaring universe...

[Rifneno]

Fire is not sentient. An intelligent being cannot compare its destruction to fire. If you can't grasp that distinction, there's really no hope for you.

[Fnork]

CosmicGnosis wrote...

Fnork wrote...

CosmicGnosis wrote...

The cycle ensured that humans, asari, hanar, etc. were not forever subjugated by the Protheans.

That's one gigantic assumption right there. Who says the Prothean empire would've lasted that long ? Empires rise and fall regardless of Starjar and his "solution". I don't buy it.

It was just one example. Who knows, the Protheans may have never existed if some other species millions of years older had taken the place of the Leviathans.

Regardless of species or timeframe you still make the assumption that any of those empires would actually last long enough to dominate the species that you claim the catalyst allowed to flourish.

Modifié par Fnork, 27 décembre 2012 - 09:26 .

[DeinonSlayer]

Rifneno wrote...

Fire is not sentient. An intelligent being cannot compare its destruction to fire. If you can't grasp that distinction, there's really no hope for you.

This. Glowstick's basically saying "don't blame me, blame my bullets!"

[Wayning_Star]

Rifneno wrote...

Fire is not sentient. An intelligent being cannot compare its destruction to fire. If you can't grasp that distinction, there's really no hope for you.

it's not a matter of sentience. The reapers are subject to the same laws of chaos theory. I can see the point being made, it's just very hard to explain them with our current knowledge base.

[kal_reegar]

but who created and programmed the catalyst?
the leviathans.

so we own our existence to the leviathans in the first place.

[Wayning_Star]

Fnork wrote...

CosmicGnosis wrote...

Fnork wrote...

CosmicGnosis wrote...

The cycle ensured that humans, asari, hanar, etc. were not forever subjugated by the Protheans.

That's one gigantic assumption right there. Who says the Prothean empire would've lasted that long ? Empires rise and fall regardless of Starjar and his "solution". I don't buy it.

It was just one example. Who knows, the Protheans may have never existed if some other species millions of years older had taken the place of the Leviathans.

Regardless of species or timeframe you still make the assumption that any of those empires would actually last long enough to dominate the species that you claim the catalyst allowed to flourish.

there is no way to disprove the theory with whats known. So the OP's point has merit, well as much merit as the big bang theory, or E=mc squared is the rule of the cosmos.