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One more thing, I think the viability of communicating with an intelligence of a different kind is still an open question. It's speculated that intelligences th

One more thing, I think the viability of communicating with an intelligence of a different kind is still an open question. It's speculated that intelligences that are too different in form or quantity might not be able to communicate with each other at all. Likely the most probable scenario of our contact with extraterrestrial intelligence is they will completely ignore us, and will not attempt to communicate, or even if they attempt to, we will not perceive it as communication.

6510 6y ago
Communication needs to have purpose. Negotiating some kind of trade seems the way to go. We can provide ants with unimaginable "wealth" and they have unique skills that could be useful to us. Just not useful enough for us to make the effort?
- wintorez 6y ago
  What I wanted to suggest is even if this communication is possible. This question has been the main theme of two of Stanisław Lem's books, "His Master's Voice" and "Solaris". Essentially, an intelligence can be so alien that the concept of communicating with it would be impossible.
  - 6510 6y ago
    You could get to that point if we inflate the value of our communication. This chat here might have (imaginary?) value to its participants but its absolute value is in application, if we are not going to do anything with it and the result is similar enough to not having the communication then we might as well [say] dance around the camp fire? You could stretch the definition in the other direction too: if you crush an ant with your finger or put a spoon of honey next to their city you've communicated something. If you crush enough of them and they attack you we got ourselves an exchange in a language both parties understand. I wouldn't attribute to much value to any definition that desires to define communication as an impossibility. Sure it could be done but such sour mind is best avoided.

6510 6y ago

Communication needs to have purpose. Negotiating some kind of trade seems the way to go. We can provide ants with unimaginable "wealth" and they have unique skills that could be useful to us. Just not useful enough for us to make the effort?

wintorez 6y ago
What I wanted to suggest is even if this communication is possible. This question has been the main theme of two of Stanisław Lem's books, "His Master's Voice" and "Solaris". Essentially, an intelligence can be so alien that the concept of communicating with it would be impossible.
- 6510 6y ago
  You could get to that point if we inflate the value of our communication. This chat here might have (imaginary?) value to its participants but its absolute value is in application, if we are not going to do anything with it and the result is similar enough to not having the communication then we might as well [say] dance around the camp fire? You could stretch the definition in the other direction too: if you crush an ant with your finger or put a spoon of honey next to their city you've communicated something. If you crush enough of them and they attack you we got ourselves an exchange in a language both parties understand. I wouldn't attribute to much value to any definition that desires to define communication as an impossibility. Sure it could be done but such sour mind is best avoided.