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My current presumption is that if we encounter alien "life" it will actually be some self-replicating system that just spread itself everywhere, the original cr

My current presumption is that if we encounter alien "life" it will actually be some self-replicating system that just spread itself everywhere, the original creators long forgotten.

ngvrnd 8y ago
(looks around) Nods.
deleted 8y ago
[deleted]
warent 8y ago
So basically us
- m463 8y ago
  or zebra mussels, or jellyfish, or the hawaiian mongoose, or dandilions, or ...
YaxelPerez 8y ago
Yeah, that's basically what life is.
jasonl99 8y ago
Your comment totally reminds me of an article Tim Urban wrote in 2015 about the dangers of AI (Mr. Urban, if you are around these parts I absolutely love your writing!!). Within that article he describes "a 15-person startup company called Robotica has the stated mission of “Developing innovative Artificial Intelligence tools that allow humans to live more and work less.” It does not end well. https://waitbutwhy.com/2015/01/artificial-intelligence-revolution-2.html https://waitbutwhy.com/2015/01/artificial-intelligence-revol...
- Knufen 8y ago
  Do you remember the actual article? I can't find it and I love a good short story.
  - jasonl99 8y ago
    It's actually towards the middle of the article I linked (in italics). Search for "So what ARE they worried about? I wrote a little story to show you"
notfunbutfun 8y ago
I'm surprised no one mentioned "The Invincible" by Stanislaw Lem. Basic idea of the story is exactly what you're describing, "self-replicating system", with "creators long forgotten". I recommend this novel, among with many others ("Fiasco", "Eden" and, of course, "Solaris"), for anyone who likes good sci-fi about "first contact".
tanilama 8y ago
That is like a description of life on earth as well. Life on earth has so far been successful in sustaining its presence on this small planet for almost 4B years right now...
Razengan 8y ago
Yes. If we build some AI robots that can manufacture others like themselves from raw materials, and can learn and teach each other, and we sprinkle some of them on an uninhabited planet, where they eventually develop a modicum of self-sustaining civilization of their own, by what criteria would they not be considered life?

My current presumption is that if we encounter alien "life" it will actually be some self-replicating system that just spread itself everywhere, the original creators long forgotten.

ngvrnd 8y ago

(looks around) Nods.

deleted 8y ago

[deleted]

warent 8y ago

So basically us

m463 8y ago
or zebra mussels, or jellyfish, or the hawaiian mongoose, or dandilions, or ...

YaxelPerez 8y ago

Yeah, that's basically what life is.

jasonl99 8y ago

Your comment totally reminds me of an article Tim Urban wrote in 2015 about the dangers of AI (Mr. Urban, if you are around these parts I absolutely love your writing!!). Within that article he describes "a 15-person startup company called Robotica has the stated mission of “Developing innovative Artificial Intelligence tools that allow humans to live more and work less.” It does not end well. https://waitbutwhy.com/2015/01/artificial-intelligence-revolution-2.html https://waitbutwhy.com/2015/01/artificial-intelligence-revol...

Knufen 8y ago
Do you remember the actual article? I can't find it and I love a good short story.
- jasonl99 8y ago
  It's actually towards the middle of the article I linked (in italics). Search for "So what ARE they worried about? I wrote a little story to show you"

notfunbutfun 8y ago

I'm surprised no one mentioned "The Invincible" by Stanislaw Lem. Basic idea of the story is exactly what you're describing, "self-replicating system", with "creators long forgotten". I recommend this novel, among with many others ("Fiasco", "Eden" and, of course, "Solaris"), for anyone who likes good sci-fi about "first contact".

tanilama 8y ago

That is like a description of life on earth as well. Life on earth has so far been successful in sustaining its presence on this small planet for almost 4B years right now...

Razengan 8y ago

Yes. If we build some AI robots that can manufacture others like themselves from raw materials, and can learn and teach each other, and we sprinkle some of them on an uninhabited planet, where they eventually develop a modicum of self-sustaining civilization of their own, by what criteria would they not be considered life?