Singer / Songwriter / Lyrics / Music = Songs

• 2-Code-of-Hammurabi-hard-space-intro.mp3
• 2-Code-of-Hammurabi.mp3
• 2-Code-of-Hammurabi.mp4

[Intro]
An I for an I

[Verse 1]
100,000 years ago (or so)
We developed compassion
(As part of our fashion)
What the capacity for abstract thought…
(Brought)

[Bridge]
10,000 years ago (or so)
We developed religion (so it would begin)
Eve and the serpent (circumvent)

[Chorus]
An eye for an eye
A tooth for a tooth
How we all get by
Must be based on truth

[Verse 2]
Emerge the angel
(Goodwill instill)
Good versus evil
(We cheer the devil)

[Bridge]
10,000 years ago (or so)
They say (we start to pray)
Eve and the serpent (represent)

[Chorus]
An eye for an eye
A tooth for a tooth
How we all get by
Must be based on truth

[Verse]
Code of Hammurabi
(An eye for an eye)
Babylon
(Babble on and on)
And, so forth
(And so on)
Babylon
(Babble on and on)

[Bridge]
10,000 years ago (or so)
They say (we start to pray)
Eve and the serpent (represent)

[Chorus]
An eye for an eye
A tooth for a tooth
How we live (and how we die)
Be we brutes (with couth)

[Verse]
Code of Hammurabi
(An eye for an eye)
Babylon
(Babble on and on)
And, so forth
(And so on)
Babylon
(Babble on and on)

[Bridge]
Code of Hammurabi
(An eye for an eye)
[Instrumental, Guitar Solo]
Babylon
(Babble on and on)
And, so forth
(And so on)
Babylon
(Babble on and on)

[Verse]
What lex talionis is…
Is what we’ve become
(Be come retaliation)
What justice is…
We’ve come to undone
(Me and you…)
Undo
(We do)

[Bridge]
Code of Hammurabi
(An eye for an eye)
Babylon
(Babble on and on)
And, so forth
(And so on)
Babylon
(Babble on and on)

[Break]
Code of Hammurabi
(An eye for an eye)
[Accelerando, Up-tempo]
[Instrumental, Drum Solo]
Babylon
(Babble on and on)
And, so forth
(And so on)
Babylon
(Babble on and on)

[Verse]
Under the scrutiny
(Of “Divine Authority”)
We claim to see
(See divinity)
What’s come to be
(Come to be of you and me)
As we babble on….
[Bridge]
Babylon
(Babble on and on)
And, so forth
(And so on)
Babylon
(Babble on and on)

[Outro]
Code of Hammurabi
(An eye for an eye)
Babylon
(Babble on and on)

ABOUT THE SONG

The concepts of “good” and “evil” are not tied to a specific point in human evolution but rather emerged with the development of moral reasoning, social organization, and cultural norms. These ideas are deeply connected to human cognition, emotions, and our capacity to create systems of meaning.

When Did Humans Develop Morality?

1. Early Social Behavior:
   • Morality likely began as a way to ensure cooperation and social harmony within small groups. Early humans lived in communities where survival depended on collaboration.
   • Research on primates, like chimpanzees and bonobos, shows basic forms of empathy, fairness, and conflict resolution, suggesting the evolutionary roots of morality predate modern humans.
2. Emergence of Complex Social Norms:
   • Archaeological evidence from Homo sapiens and Neanderthals, such as burial practices and care for the sick or elderly, suggests that humans developed a sense of compassion and community at least 100,000 years ago.
   • The capacity for abstract thought, language, and storytelling—emerging around 70,000 years ago during the “Cognitive Revolution”—enabled humans to articulate ideas of right and wrong.
3. Religious and Cultural Development:
   • Organized religions, which began around 10,000 years ago, formalized moral codes, labeling behaviors as “good” or “evil.” This was likely influenced by the need to maintain order in increasingly complex agricultural societies.

Good vs. Evil in Psychological Terms

• Evolutionary Perspective: Acts considered “good” typically promote group survival and cooperation, while “evil” acts disrupt social bonds or endanger others.
• Neurological Basis: Empathy, guilt, and moral judgment are linked to brain regions like the prefrontal cortex and amygdala.
• Cultural Variation: What is deemed good or evil varies across societies, reflecting local norms, values, and historical contexts.

Philosophical and Religious Ideas

• Ancient civilizations, such as those in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Greece, began debating the nature of good and evil. Texts like the Code of Hammurabi (1754 BCE) or early religious writings laid the groundwork for moral thought.
• The dualistic view of good and evil became central in religions like Zoroastrianism, Christianity, and Islam.

Summary

The concepts of good and evil likely evolved as part of human social and cultural development. While their biological roots lie in the need for cooperation and conflict resolution, their philosophical and spiritual dimensions are human constructs, shaped over millennia of storytelling, religion, and ethical reasoning.

The Code of Hammurabi is one of the earliest and most comprehensive written legal codes in history, created around 1754 BCE during the reign of Hammurabi, the sixth king of the First Babylonian Dynasty. The code was inscribed on a large stone stele and several clay tablets and is renowned for its detailed provisions and structured approach to justice.

Key Features of the Code

1. Structure:
   • The code contains 282 laws, addressing a wide range of issues such as trade, property, family relations, labor, and criminal justice.
   • The laws are written in Akkadian, the language of Babylon, and arranged in a conditional (“if… then”) format.
2. Principles of Justice:
   • The code is based on the principle of lex talionis, or the “law of retaliation” (e.g., “an eye for an eye”).
   • It emphasizes hierarchy, with different punishments based on the perpetrator’s and victim’s social status (nobles, commoners, and slaves).
3. Areas Covered:
   • Property: Rules for land ownership, loans, and debt repayment.
   • Trade: Regulations for merchants, contracts, and liability.
   • Family: Provisions for marriage, divorce, and inheritance.
   • Punishments: Specific penalties for theft, assault, and other crimes.
4. Divine Authority:
   • The code begins with a prologue where Hammurabi claims divine mandate, stating he was chosen by the gods to bring order and justice to his people.

Historical Significance

• The Code of Hammurabi is a milestone in legal history, offering a glimpse into the structure of Babylonian society and its values.
• It influenced subsequent legal codes, including Mosaic Law in the Hebrew Bible and Roman law.
• The stele containing the code was discovered in 1901 in Susa (modern-day Iran) and is now housed in the Louvre Museum in Paris.

Notable Example of a Law:

One of the most famous laws states:
“If a man destroy the eye of another man, they shall destroy his eye. If one break a man’s bone, they shall break his bone.”

While reflecting the harshness of ancient justice, the code also aimed to ensure fairness and accountability.

From the album “Evolution of Man:” The End

The Human Induced Climate Change Experiment

MegaEpix Enormous

• 3-The-Decline-of-Modern-Civilization-intro.mp3
• 3-The-Decline-of-Modern-Civilization.mp3
• 3-The-Decline-of-Modern-Civilization.mp4

[Intro]
If one break a man’s bone
(They shall break his bone)
Casting stones on one’s home
(What thy so, we wreak)

[Verse 1]
Habitation
(Environmental degradation)
No solution
(Know pollution)
Getting hard to see
(Biodiversity)
The crime (of all time)
Primate (climate change)
How ’bout that habitat
(Rearrange)

[Chorus]
The Decline of Modern Civilization
(Realization)
We’ll come to see
(Accountability)
We’ve come to see
(Reality)

[Bridge]
Justice is…
(What we do Déjà vu)
What once was…
(Of our “because”)

[Verse 2]
Resource
(Overexploitation)
No recourse
(Overexploitation)
Deforestation
(Overexploitation)
Soil degradation
(Overexploitation)
Water waste
(What a disgrace)

[Chorus]
The Decline of Modern Civilization
(Realization)
We’ll come to see
(Accountability)
We’ve come to see
(Reality)

[Bridge]
Justice is…
(What we do Déjà vu)
What once was…
(Of our “because”)
Boo! (Déjà vu)
Coming true
What you do
(Comes back to bite you)

[Verse]
Economic practices
(Or lack thereof)
Practice needs practice
(Forgot the love)
Unsustainable
(Consumption)
Unsustainable
(Excavation)
Unsustainable
(Evacuation)
Destabilization
(Divided nations)
Devolution
(No solution)

[Bridge]
Justice is…
(What we do Déjà vu)
What once was…
(Of our “because”)
Boo! (Déjà vu)
Coming true
What you do
(Comes back to bite you)

[Chorus]
The Decline of Modern Civilization
(Realization)
We’ll come to see
(Accountability)
We’ve come to see
(Reality)

[Verse]
Misinformation
(Polarization)
We come untied
(We divide)
We decide
(What we do)
What we’ve done
(Who won?)
No one won
(No one as one)
Justice is…
(Is)

[Bridge]
Justice is…
(What we do Déjà vu)
What once was…
(Of our “because”)
Boo! (Déjà vu)
Coming true
What you do
(Comes back to bite you)

[Chorus]
The Decline of Modern Civilization
(Realization)
We’ll come to see
(Accountability)
We’ve come to see
(Reality)

[Outro]
Justice is…
Is

ABOUT THE SONG
The Code of Hammurabi is one of the earliest and most comprehensive written legal codes in history, created around 1754 BCE during the reign of Hammurabi, the sixth king of the First Babylonian Dynasty. The code was inscribed on a large stone stele and several clay tablets and is renowned for its detailed provisions and structured approach to justice.

One of the most famous laws states:
“If a man destroy the eye of another man, they shall destroy his eye. If one break a man’s bone, they shall break his bone.”

While reflecting the harshness of ancient justice, the code also aimed to ensure fairness and accountability.

Human activities have contributed significantly to challenges that threaten the sustainability of modern civilization. These activities span environmental, economic, social, and political dimensions, each exacerbating vulnerabilities in global systems. Below are the major ways human activities are linked to the decline of modern civilization:

1. Environmental Degradation

• Climate Change: The burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial processes release greenhouse gases, leading to rising temperatures, more frequent extreme weather events, and sea level rise. These changes strain agriculture, displace populations, and disrupt ecosystems.
• Loss of Biodiversity: Overhunting, habitat destruction, and pollution have led to the extinction of species and the collapse of ecosystems critical to human survival.
• Pollution: Plastics, chemicals, and industrial waste contaminate air, water, and soil, affecting human health and reducing the quality of life globally.

2. Resource Overexploitation

• Deforestation: Excessive logging and clearing of forests for agriculture or urban expansion reduce carbon sequestration and disrupt water cycles.
• Water Scarcity: Overuse of freshwater resources for agriculture, industry, and personal consumption has led to water shortages and conflicts in regions like the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Soil Degradation: Unsustainable farming practices have led to soil erosion, reduced fertility, and desertification, threatening food security.

3. Economic Practices

• Unsustainable Consumption: The culture of mass production and consumption depletes natural resources at rates faster than they can regenerate.
• Economic Inequality: Concentration of wealth among the few leads to social unrest and undermines economic stability.
• Short-Term Focus: Economic systems prioritize short-term profits over long-term sustainability, leading to decisions that exacerbate environmental and social problems.

4. Social and Political Issues

• Population Growth: Rapid population increase intensifies demand for resources, leading to overexploitation and heightened competition.
• Geopolitical Conflicts: Wars and political instability often stem from competition over scarce resources and ideological differences, disrupting societies and economies.
• Misinformation and Polarization: The spread of misinformation and rising political polarization erode trust in institutions and hinder collaborative problem-solving.

5. Technological Misuse

• Automation and Job Displacement: Rapid advances in technology can disrupt economies, increasing unemployment and social inequality.
• Weapons Development: Nuclear proliferation and advanced weaponry threaten global security.
• Digital Overconsumption: Excessive reliance on digital technologies contributes to social isolation and mental health issues.

6. Health Crises

• Pandemics: Globalization and human encroachment into wildlife habitats increase the risk of zoonotic diseases (e.g., COVID-19), overwhelming healthcare systems and economies.
• Lifestyle Diseases: Sedentary lifestyles and poor diets contribute to rising rates of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

Examples of Impact

• The 2019 drought in Taiwan disrupted the semiconductor industry, exacerbating global inflation.
• Climate-induced food and water shortages have fueled conflicts in regions like the Sahel.
• Rising sea levels and hurricanes, such as Hurricane Ida (2021), have displaced millions and cost billions in damages.

Conclusion

While modern civilization has made remarkable progress, the unsustainable practices that underpin much of its development pose significant risks to its longevity. A shift toward sustainable practices, equitable resource distribution, and international cooperation is essential to mitigate these risks and ensure a stable future.

From the album “Evolution of Man:” The End

The Human Induced Climate Change Experiment

MegaEpix Enormous

• 4-The-Moral-of-Our-Tail.mp3
• 4-The-Moral-of-Our-Tail.mp4

[Intro]
Vestiges of tails in Humans
(We lost our tail)
Vestiges of tales of Humans
(We lost our tale)

[Verse 2]
What have we become
(Divided less than one)
What we chose to do
(Determined if dreams came true)

[Bridge]
But did we turn our dream
Into our scene
Or did we turn our seen
(Obscene)

[Chorus]
Ultimately (you and me)
Determined (our destiny)
Do we realize (We emphasize)
Our rapid demise
The choices of our lives
Whether humanity thrives
(Or everybody dies)
Realize
(No surprise)

[Verse 2]
Hard to forget
(All we’ve come to regret)
Place our bet
(On undone and neglect)

[Bridge]
Turned a bad dream
Into our scene
Everything we’ve seen
(Turned obscene)

[Chorus]
Ultimately (you and me)
Determined (our destiny)
Did we realize (We emphasized)
Our rapid demise
The choices of our lives
Whether humanity thrives
(Or everybody dies)
Realize
(No surprise)

[Bridge]
[Instrumental, Guitar Solo]
Turned our nightmare
Into what’s there
Everything we’ve seen
(Turned obscene)

[Verse]
Lost our balance
(And common sense)
Accountability
(To society)
Responsibility
(To you and me)
We!

[Chorus]
Ultimately (you and me)
Determined (our destiny)
Did we realize (We emphasized)
Our rapid demise
The choices of our lives
Whether humanity thrives
(Or everybody dies)
Realize
(No surprise)

[Bridge]
Vestiges of tails in Humans
(We lost our tail)
Vestiges of tales of Humans
(We lost our tale)

[Verse]
Not apt (to adapt)
No, No, No
Can’t let it go
(No know no)
Couldn’t make sense
(Of interdependence)
Had to dispense
(Of common sense)

[Chorus]
Ultimately (you and me)
Determined (our destiny)
Did we realize (We emphasized)
Our rapid demise
The choices of our lives
Whether humanity thrives
(Or everybody dies)
Realize
(No surprise)

[Outro]
Vestiges of tails in Humans
(We lost our tail)
Vestiges of tales of Humans
(We lost our tale)

ABOUT THE SONG
Humans lost their tails roughly 20 to 25 million years ago, during the evolutionary divergence of Old World monkeys and apes, which eventually gave rise to humans. This significant anatomical change likely occurred in a common ancestor shared by humans and other tailless primates, such as gorillas and chimpanzees.

Why Did Humans Lose Their Tails?

1. Genetic Mutation: Research indicates that the loss of tails in humans and other apes is linked to mutations in genes like TBXT (T-box transcription factor), which play a key role in tail development during embryogenesis. Changes in this gene likely disrupted tail formation.
2. Evolutionary Advantage: For early primates that began to adapt to a more terrestrial (ground-based) lifestyle or engage in bipedal locomotion, tails may have become less advantageous. Instead, their balance and mobility were supported by other anatomical adaptations, such as the development of the gluteal muscles and a more flexible spine.
3. Energy Efficiency: Maintaining a tail requires metabolic resources, and in some environments, the evolutionary trade-off of losing a tail likely benefited these ancestors in terms of energy conservation.

Vestiges of Tails in Humans

While humans do not have functional tails, the coccyx (or tailbone) is a remnant of our evolutionary tail. It serves as an attachment point for muscles, tendons, and ligaments and plays a role in supporting the pelvic region.

This evolutionary loss underscores how humans have adapted to changing environments and modes of locomotion over millions of years.

The moral of “our story,” as suggested by the themes and concerns you’ve explored, might be that human progress and survival are inherently tied to our capacity to act responsibly, sustainably, and collectively.

Key lessons include:

1. Awareness and Accountability: Understanding the profound consequences of our actions—whether environmental, economic, or social—is crucial. Ignoring these implications endangers the very systems that support modern civilization.
2. Interdependence: No one individual, nation, or industry can tackle global challenges alone. Collaboration, innovation, and empathy are essential for sustainable solutions.
3. Balance Between Progress and Responsibility: While technological and industrial advancements have improved quality of life, they must align with ethical and sustainable practices to ensure long-term benefits.
4. Resilience and Adaptation: To address crises like climate change, political instability, and inequality, societies must foster resilience through adaptability and proactive measures.

Ultimately, the story seems to emphasize that the choices we make today determine whether humanity thrives or falters in the face of self-created challenges. Is this aligned with your intended message?

From the album “Evolution of Man:” The End

The Human Induced Climate Change Experiment

MegaEpix Enormous

• 5-Retrospective-Bonus.mp3
• 5-Retrospective-Bonus.mp4
• 5-Retrospective-intro.mp3
• 5-Retrospective.mp3
• 5-Retrospective.mp4

[Intro]
Looking back
(In hindsight)
Why did we lack
(Seeing the light)
I don’t know
(Dwelling in the shadow)

[Verse]
Biological journey
(Cultural sojourn)
What sort of dreams we see
(What wisdom shall be born)

[Bridge]
Looking back
(Way, way back)
Can you say
(Which way)
Can you tell
(So well)
How the evolution of Man
(Began)

[Chorus]
Looking back
(In hindsight)
Why did we lack
(Seeing the light)

[Verse]
Code of Hammurabi
(An eye for an eye)
Babylon
(Babble on and on)
And, so forth
(And so on)
Babylon
(Babble on and on)

[Bridge]
10,000 years ago (or so)
They say (we start to pray)
Eve and the serpent (represent)

[Chorus]
Looking back
(In hindsight)
Why did we lack
(Seeing the light)

[Bridge]
Babylon
(Babble on and on)
And, so forth
(And so on)
Babylon
(Babble on and on)
And, on and on….

[Verse]
The Decline of Modern Civilization
(Realization)
We’ll come to see
(Accountability)
We’ve come to see
(Reality)

[Bridge]
Justice is…
(What we do Déjà vu)
What once was…
(Of our “because”)
Boo! (Déjà vu)
Coming true
What you do
(Comes back to bite you)

[Instrumental, Guitar Solo]

[Bridge]
[Instrumental, Bass Solo]
Babylon
(Babble on and on)
And, so forth
(And so on)
Babylon
(Babble on and on)
And, on and on….

[Chorus]
Looking back
(In hindsight)
Why did we lack
(Seeing the light)

[Bridge]
Babylon
(Babble on and on)
And, so forth
(And so on)
Babylon
(Babble on and on)
And, on and on….

[Verse[
Ultimately (you and me)
Determined (our destiny)
Do we realize (We emphasize)
Our rapid demise
[Instrumental, Guitar Solo]
The choices of our lives
Whether humanity thrives
(Or everybody dies)
Realize
(No surprise)

[Break]
Modern Babylon
(We babble on)
Babylon
(Babble on and on)
And, so forth
(And so on)
Babylon
(Babble on and on)
And, on and on….

[Chorus]
Vestiges of tails in Humans
(We lost our tail)
Vestiges of tales of Humans
(We lost our tale)

[Outro]
Vestiges of tails in Humans
(We lost our tail)
Vestiges of tales of Humans
(We lost our tale)

From the album “Evolution of Man:” The End

The Human Induced Climate Change Experiment

MegaEpix Enormous