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Let’s assume there is alien life on many planets beyond our solar system. Now what? What’s the practical benefit?
by andreygrehov 2y ago
Let’s assume there is alien life on many planets beyond our solar system. Now what? What’s the practical benefit?
- foxglacier 2y agoLet's assume I wake up tomorrow still alive. Then what? You're basically asking what's the meaning of life.
- andreygrehov 2y agoIf you wake up tomorrow still alive, you can visit HN and downvote my comments. That will impact my karma value. Not a big deal, but still. If there is alien life, you can’t do anything about it. Zero impact.
- kstrauser 2y agoSuppose it were somehow possible to prove that alien life exists. Like, we get a radio signal saying "hey, Earth! We see you looking at us!" that's conclusive and undeniable. That would upend a lot of religious teachings which say we're unique and that the world was given to us, as the unique creations of a creator, to consume for our own benefit. It seems like there could be many practical benefits to showing that's not true. Hey, maybe the concept of infinite exponential growth is a bad idea. Maybe we shouldn't burn the skies and boil the seas. Maybe we should be nice to other intelligent animals, at the very least.
- martopix 2y agoWhat's the practical benefit of Beethoven?
- andreygrehov 2y agoBeethoven’s music directly impacts human lives. It evokes emotion and inspires creativity. Its value lies in its immediate effect. In contrast, knowing that life exists millions of light-years away offers no such tangible impact. It’s a data point. An interesting one, sure, but it doesn’t feed the hungry, cure disease, change policy, or even affect your commute. So yea, Beethoven is a lived experience, whereas aliens in Andromeda are an abstract concept.
- martopix 1y agoNo, for me knowing certain mind-blowing scientific facts is, personally, as cool as listening to Beethoven.