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This is about as scientific as the Drake equation. Invading across terrestrial or maritime borders != invading across light years of space. Invading a fellow h
by haltingproblem 4y ago
This is about as scientific as the Drake equation.
Invading across terrestrial or maritime borders != invading across light years of space. Invading a fellow homo-sapiens nation whose infrastructure, natural and human resources are perfectly compatible with your own is not the same as invading an alien species on an exo-planet across the galaxy.
- ncmncm 4y agoIt would be overwhelmingly cheaper to enslave each other.
- haltingproblem 4y agoSadly that has been the norm for most of recorded history. Slavery and human trading has been practiced by cultures and codified in cultures i.e. religions. Most religions [implicitly] sanction slavery and human trading.
- ChikkaChiChi 4y agoI have always felt like the enslavement concern of extraterrestrial contact is somewhat disingenuous because it stems from our historic treatment of one another due to resource scarcity. In my humble and unscientific opinion, a race capable of creating ships big enough for intergenerational travel or capable of speeds that would make such travel feasible would have command over technology that would make scarcity a thing of the past. The universe is full of stuff (atoms) we can use to make other stuff, so why would we want to travel so far just to subjugate another species?
- Ekaros 4y agoI think enslaving people is unlikely as well... We have stepped beyond that for more stable and effective methods of exploiting others like capitalism and globalism. Where we pay people just enough for them not to starve to produce economic output for others. Lesser civilizations would be like new third world countries, exploited for their labour.
- ncmncm 4y agoAgreed, there is no objective benefit to an (otherwise) advanced society in keeping slaves. But it is easy to imagine one that does because they like to. When the Maori in New Zealand heard from the English about a peaceful society on Chatham Island, 800 miles east, before two weeks had passed they set out on an expedition to exterminate all the men and enslave all the women there.
- ASalazarMX 4y ago> command over technology that would make scarcity a thing of the past For everyone? Humanity today produces more than enough food to fatten everyone, yet we still have regions which suffer famine and lack basic services and education. On a interstellar scale, if aliens are like us, they will have outcasts who wouldn't hesitate to conquer a planet if their technology is advanced enough. If post-scarcity can't produce enough rare or expensive materials, slave labor could do it almost free.