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I have to say it, but I am quite disappointed it's not intergalactic weapons fire. Or rather, I am quite disappointed that if there is anyone out there, they a
by lifeisstillgood 8y ago
I have to say it, but I am quite disappointed it's not intergalactic weapons fire.
Or rather, I am quite disappointed that if there is anyone out there, they are not leaving big enough forensics.
(but well done to Occam's razor and the hard working scientists who support it)
- antinatal 8y agoThe history of life on this planet is a story of immense and intense suffering. Are you sure you want life to be such a common phenomenon in the universe? Do you think the sense of wonder attached to zipping about in spaceships firing weapons at each other somehow redeems all that suffering?
- hacker_9 8y agoYou are disappointed there isn't an alien race that can shoot us from space with advanced weapons?
- wallace_f 8y agoAn earth could a few hundred LY from us we might not be able to detect it(1). I guess maybe the silence is because of such threats out there. 1-https://www.centauri-dreams.org/2012/05/31/is-our-civilization-detectable/ https://www.centauri-dreams.org/2012/05/31/is-our-civilizati...
- sbmthakur 8y agoI haven't read the linked article completely. But I think unless we're able to manipulate our Sun's mass or luminosity, it will be extremely difficult to make our civilization difficult.
- wallace_f 8y agoI dont know why people are downvoting this. Virtually every single creature on earth has defense mechanisms against others. Stealth, evasion are very common among the life we know--why would that be so likely to be different for alien life?
- AnIdiotOnTheNet 8y agoYeah, actually. Alien sapience would (almost) undoubtedly have a fascinatingly different perspective than our own, and learning about it could better inform our model of reality. So what if they're more advanced? We will have to come to terms with our collective delusion that humanity is divinely exceptional? Worst case we get wiped out, which is going to happen at some point anyway, but it is more likely that any species with the technology to survive in space long enough to make interstellar travel feasible has little use for our world or its resources and therefore little reason to be overly aggressive. There are those who would argue that math says they should wipe us out because we might one day be a threat to them, but that's a clearly bankrupt philosophy. If that's really how things worked, then every nation, tribe, family, and individual on earth should be doing their best to wipe out every other on the same reasoning.
- praptak 8y agoWe sort of assume without proof that every civilization optimizes for continuation of its own existence. What if it's false and civilizations just detach from the utility function of evolution and choose not to exist anymore?
- TeMPOraL 8y agoCivilizations that choose not to exist will stop existing, thus stop being civilizations, thus stop being in scope for discussions about threats and promises of alien civilizations.
- taneq 8y agoIn the long-enough run, evolution will select for civilizations that don't get bored and opt out.
- krapp 8y agoWhat we seem to assume is that every civilization optimizes for technological progress and territorial expansion. That a species would be capable of interstellar travel and not spend millions of years aggressively exploring and colonizing the galaxy as a first priority just seems too alien.
- freedomben 8y agoBased on the excellent documentary series "Star Trek" I think it's safe to assume there are species that would colonize the galaxy. But on a more serious note. You make an interesting point. Our entire history has been a fight for survival against a merciless environment (and other species). It's a core part of our DNA to colonize, grow, and thrive. But assuming that is representative of what all life would go through may not be safe. It's hard for me to imagine how evolution would create life without the threat of killing off bad mutations, but that doesn't make it impossible. Definitely good to keep an open mind.
- krapp 8y ago
- jniedrauer 8y agoDiscovering type II+ civilizations at this stage in our own civilization would indicate our almost certain impending doom. That would be very sad news for us.
- r00fus 8y agoAs opposed to the almost certain impending doom of human-created origin?
- exit 8y agothe history of life on this planet is a story of immense and intense suffering. are you sure you want life to be such a common phenomenon in the universe? do you think the sense of wonder attached to zipping about in spaceships firing weapons at each other somehow redeems all that suffering?
- wongarsu 8y agoIf given the choice, would you end the human race to stop their suffering? Is life not worth some pain and suffering?
- exit 8y agoi would absolutely do so. no, no amount of "good life" is worth the lives that experience: - burning to death in a fire - dying slowly of cancer - being a transatlantic slave - dying in a concentration camp - slipping into schizophrenia in a medieval society to name a very very few compelling examples. no future can redeem our past. and how can you imagine these things happening many many times over through countless civilisations across the universe, but then regard it all as some delightful space opera? well of course, those who shrug and carry on breeding, or those who manage to rationalise it all to themselves, they populate the future. my sincere hope is that if a super intelligence emerges, it regards this world with a mind free from the survival desperation which being the product of an evolutionary process has imbued us with, and that it then rapidly sets about sterilising as much of its light cone as possible.