FastForward Radio -- Stating the Obvious

This week Phil Bowermaster and Stephen Gordon take inspiration from a quote from Less Wrong.:

So my hypothesis is that if a certain side of an issue has very obvious points in support of it, and the other side of an issue relies on much more subtle points that the average person might not be expected to grasp, then adopting the second side of the issue will become a signal for intelligence, even if that side of the argument is wrong.

Are Speculists really just purveyors of the obvious? We examine some obvious(?) truths that may shed some light:

• The appearance of humanity on this planet was a good thing
  
• Life is getting better
  
• Death sucks
  
• The answer to our environmental problems lie in technological and economic development
  
• The answers to virtually all of our problems lie in technological and economic development

True or false? Let's discuss.