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To me the algae vs. alumnae solution to the Fermi paradox seems appealing. I.e. that life is common, but that intelligent life isn't. Our sample size of one on
by avar 10y ago
To me the algae vs. alumnae solution to the Fermi paradox seems appealing. I.e. that life is common, but that intelligent life isn't.
Our sample size of one on Earth supports that. We have millions of species, but only one has evolved higher intelligence, and there's no reason to think that it's a successful evolutionary strategy v.s. say being a parasite.
> [...]by having some advanced Elder Race show up
> and try to help us[...].
Right, "help". I'm just going to let the history of how advanced civilizations have treated primitive civilizations here on Earth speak for itself.
- civilian 10y agoWe could also quote Blindsight by Peter Watts: http://www.rifters.com/real/Blindsight.htm http://www.rifters.com/real/Blindsight.htm Search for "Once there were three tribes." and read 10 paragraphs :) The key quote is: > Equidistant to the other two tribes sat the Historians. They didn't have too many thoughts on the probable prevalence of intelligent, spacefaring extraterrestrials— but if there are any, they said, they're not just going to be smart. They're going to be mean.
- taneq 10y agoEven easier, it's the second occurrence of the word "historians". :)
- derekp7 10y agoIn the lists of "once's", we have: 1) proto-life, 2) single-cellular life, 3) multi-cellular life, 4) neurons (which eventually form brains), 5) enough intelligence to launch rockets. Now it is possible (maybe even likely) that other life on earth will develop human-level intelligence (not only other primate, but thinking of crows and dolphins too). But intelligence is rare enough that it takes a long time to achieve.