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That was my reaction as well. If you're being scientific about it, how can you be sure at all? We have observed exactly zero instances of life beyond Earth. We'

by Pigo 9y ago

That was my reaction as well. If you're being scientific about it, how can you be sure at all? We have observed exactly zero instances of life beyond Earth. We're all free to believe whatever we like. I have beliefs of my own, but I don't expect anyone to share them unless they happen to believe it too. I just hope people who are so sure of extraterrestrial life can comes to terms with the fact that they are making a leap of faith.

JoeAltmaier 9y ago
To nitpick: there is life on the International Space Station (beyond Earth). I don't mean 'in it'; I mean on it. Bacteria colonize some external surfaces. So life can apparently adapt to extra-Earth locations. The leap of faith is then, that it hasn't left Earth, or that life on Earth didn't come from somewhere else to begin with? Because either scenario becomes plausible. It'd be strange to believe it didn't happen.
- Pigo 9y ago
  So long as people acknowledge that what they think is a belief or hypothesis, I love to hear it. I guess everyone is forced to believe something un-provable about life. Looking at all of those galaxies forces you to come to terms with how little any of us really know for sure.
  - falsprofet 9y ago
    > I guess everyone is forced to believe something un-provable about life > Looking at all of those galaxies forces you to come to terms with how little any of us really know for sure. Only if you are forced to look at all that - in detail - and since that's not essential to a mundane life, there is no obligation to believe anything much. I mean, I'm trying to make a point about believe in distinction to knowledge. There is yet a weaker modus operandi, which I'd call awareness for now, but that's a loaded term, too. If you hold two thoughts about contradicting possibilities in mind at the same time, that's not believe. Believe happens when externalities force a decision, also called leap of faith. Then you choose to believe in one possibility. Knowledge on the other hand means the possibility of round about 1.
SubiculumCode 9y ago
If we ever create life from nothing, identify conditions where that would happen,estimate number of locations Galaxy that would have planets with said condition...surely that would provide scientifically informed estimation of extraterrestrial life.

by Pigo 9y ago

JoeAltmaier 9y ago

To nitpick: there is life on the International Space Station (beyond Earth). I don't mean 'in it'; I mean on it. Bacteria colonize some external surfaces. So life can apparently adapt to extra-Earth locations. The leap of faith is then, that it hasn't left Earth, or that life on Earth didn't come from somewhere else to begin with? Because either scenario becomes plausible. It'd be strange to believe it didn't happen.

Pigo 9y ago
So long as people acknowledge that what they think is a belief or hypothesis, I love to hear it. I guess everyone is forced to believe something un-provable about life. Looking at all of those galaxies forces you to come to terms with how little any of us really know for sure.
- falsprofet 9y ago
  > I guess everyone is forced to believe something un-provable about life > Looking at all of those galaxies forces you to come to terms with how little any of us really know for sure. Only if you are forced to look at all that - in detail - and since that's not essential to a mundane life, there is no obligation to believe anything much. I mean, I'm trying to make a point about believe in distinction to knowledge. There is yet a weaker modus operandi, which I'd call awareness for now, but that's a loaded term, too. If you hold two thoughts about contradicting possibilities in mind at the same time, that's not believe. Believe happens when externalities force a decision, also called leap of faith. Then you choose to believe in one possibility. Knowledge on the other hand means the possibility of round about 1.

SubiculumCode 9y ago

If we ever create life from nothing, identify conditions where that would happen,estimate number of locations Galaxy that would have planets with said condition...surely that would provide scientifically informed estimation of extraterrestrial life.