4 ms·
> there are certain things we can still say about them with reasonable certainty. Topping the list: They evolved. This is far from certain. They can be designe
by petters 5y ago
> there are certain things we can still say about them with reasonable certainty. Topping the list: They evolved.
This is far from certain. They can be designed by someone who was designed by someone who evolved, for example. The evolved life forms may be extinct for millions of years.
Even simple life forms on other planets may be designed, e.g. for someones (analogous to) amusement.
- petters 5y agoFollow-up: Earth is at a tipping point right now. So far life has been governed by evolution. But within a short time (≤10,000 years, say) it will likely be possible to simulate a human brain quite cheaply. Then things will get weird quite quickly. See Robin Hanson's book about "Ems." For these reasons I think we can expect that aliens really will be quite alien to us.