Why is it so difficult to Believe in Aliens?

originally posted by: Flesh699
The only proof a person needs of alien life is a mirror. It'd be too much of a waste if Earth is the sole planet of life, it'd go against the abundance rules of space. There's zero logic of an infinite "space" filled with an infinite number of orbs, and only one of those orbs has life.

So your argument is that there is no such thing as a singular or unique thing in the universe. Because the universe is so big, there must be at least two of everything in it. If you have a box with a balloon in it, without knowing how the balloon got in there, if you have an infinite number of boxes there must be another balloon in one of the boxes. That's silly, you know.

With all the infinities balancing out, can you just admit and embrace the possibility that in all the universe the Earth was the only place certain completely dead molecules managed (somehow) to form a complex string of DNA -- within a somehow-created structure that could utilize it -- and it "became" alive, with a point of view and desire to procreate, then avoiding all the potential dangers it managed to evolve into us?

Because if not, then you truly are just believing in hypotheticals, and you're not that much different than people who think there is a big Grandpa in the sky watching over us and manipulating the outcomes of football games.

originally posted by: Blue Shift
If you have a box with a balloon in it, without knowing how the balloon got in there, if you have an infinite number of boxes there must be another balloon in one of the boxes. That's silly, you know.

Don't tell Schrodinger that.

originally posted by: Blue Shift
With all the infinities balancing out, can you just admit and embrace the possibility that in all the universe the Earth was the only place certain completely dead molecules managed (somehow) to form a complex string of DNA -- within a somehow-created structure that could utilize it -- and it "became" alive, with a point of view and desire to procreate, then avoiding all the potential dangers it managed to evolve into us?

While I personally believe that there almost surely is other intelligent life out there in the universe, and intelligent life is relatively common (maybe a few examples existing in our galaxy at the present moment), Blue shift raises an interesting logical point...

There is a logical argument that could be made that life is such a very very very difficult think to just "happen", and the only reason we exist as an intelligent species is purely because the universe is so big that it was bound to happen somewhere.

That thought experiment satisfies BOTH the idea that life is so fantastically incredibly rare (almost to the point of being impossible) AND it satisfies the idea that the universe is so large that even the virtually impossible must happen somewhere.

...but like i said, it's just a logical thought experiment, and I truly think that there are other intelligent beings even within our galaxy.

To answer the questions in the OP:

My opinion is that many people need concrete proof to believe just about anything and everything. I never saw an "alien" therefore they do not exist. It's a personal thing I believe. I don't entirely disagree with that notion, but I tend to think more in terms that there is so much in the universe that mankind isn't even close to understanding and therefore, to me, it's possible. I never saw an alien, but Bob the ice cream guy says he did. (Side note: True story, he was on an episode of unsolved mysteries about abduction, he say's "sometimes I say to myself, why me?" in a what looked like a group discussion. I couldn't believe it, I was like "there's Bob the Ice Cream guy!". His ice cream truck even had flying saucers painted on it.) Anyway, there are a lot of people that say they saw aliens, but why should I believe them? The study's of John Mack is the closest thing to a legit look at alien abduction and he concluded they many are real and not a psychotic episode.

There are quite a few UFO/alien related incidents that are very intriguing to say the least. I have to consider that they might exist based on some of those. Is there concrete scientific proof? No, but scientists do say they will find life in the universe in our lifetimes and they are searching for intelligent life. To me it all points to there being life in the universe, whether is be an amoeba, a grey alien or a planet of dinosaurs. I think the fact that we exist, in context of the entire universe, should strengthen the possibilities of there being alien life elsewhere. Not that we are even close to discovering it in another solar system. They could already be visiting here. That's what keeps me interested in this topic from when I was a child to now.

Everything is alien in some form or the other. You are an alien to some tribe that has never contacted the world outside their home, an undiscovered plant inside a deep cave is alien. Alien is not the word you are looking for. You are trying say why is it so hard to believe in other intelligent life forms outside of earth and the simple answer is because there is no proof to suggest so. Don't blame religion or the government. Simple fact is we have yet to come across a any sort of definitive evidence that could even begin to suggest intelligent life.

a reply to: Jinzetsu

Just a follow up to your post: Intelligent life, meaning extraterrestrial life capable of communication with humans? What if a planet of alien dinosaurs is discovered or some form of water based lifeform under a planet or moon covered with ice? I'd think that those would be just as groundbreaking. I always thought about how dinosaurs existed so long ago and what if they exist on one of those goldilocks planets, instead of intelligent human-like life forms.

a reply to: NYCUltra

I think those are more plausible outcomes. If indeed we do find life it wont be little green or grey men who fly at interstellar speed. While I am not ruling that out I truly believe out first contact with alien life, if at all, will be of something small, possibly bacterial in nature or plant like. What may lie beyond that, only time will tell.

originally posted by: Jinzetsu
a reply to: NYCUltra

I think those are more plausible outcomes. If indeed we do find life it wont be little green or grey men who fly at interstellar speed. While I am not ruling that out I truly believe out first contact with alien life, if at all, will be of something small, possibly bacterial in nature or plant like. What may lie beyond that, only time will tell.

The first good evidence of life elsewhere will probably be found by spectrographically analyzing the atmospheres of exoplanets and finding ratios of atmospheric gasses that are thought to only be possible through life processes. So it might be that when we find the first good evidence of life, we will have no idea what that life looks like...

...which may be a bit of a let down to some.

a reply to: Blue Shift

And let's not forget the other foundations of life which could be possible.
Silicon based aliens
To say weare the only inteligent life is just super unlikely.
But how likely it is we meet in this vast wideness of nothing directly depends on how many "others" there are. Like population per cubicmeter...

originally posted by: ISeekTruth101

originally posted by: andy06shake
a reply to: wmd_2008

Thats true but its also worth keeping in mind that today's science fiction in tomorrows science fact.

This has actually been proven to be true specifically with Star Trek: Next Generation

OT: You can Google it, but I think one of the technologies from star trek that possibly inspired a real-life, modern tech today is the Tablet

I was thinking of the bigger tasks, not shrinking computers or communication devices!

Think warp drive,sub space radio etc etc.

a reply to: Soylent Green Is People

Even if said scenario exists on some planet, given the vast size of the universe, the chances are still pretty slim. What guarantee is there that if other life exists it is in our galaxy? Us? Yes maybe so, seeing as how life developed in this galaxy i can understand the sentiment but what if that life is in a far away galaxy which we will never reach? Point is, it is like looking for a needle in the ocean. Almost an impossible task, given the fact the needle is there in the first place.

originally posted by: Expat888
Human arrogance .. theyre silly enough to think theyre the only intelligent lifeform in the universe while at same time worshipping a figment of the imagination from a book of fairytales ..

Complete bull#. It's due to the fact that the lack of aliens is all we've used to.

originally posted by: ziplock9000

originally posted by: Expat888
Human arrogance .. theyre silly enough to think theyre the only intelligent lifeform in the universe while at same time worshipping a figment of the imagination from a book of fairytales ..

Complete bull#. It's due to the fact that the lack of aliens is all we've used to.

But there is no lack of Aliens. They are everywhere, Everyday ,all over this Planet.They are just better at playing hide and seek than we are, is all

In truth, do you really want to hang out with these folks? there's enough prejudice in this world. I could just imagine the attitudes of man if they had to be tolerant of anything that was smarter than him

If you look at something like extremophiles, I think it's just a matter of time and technology before something is found in our solar system alone. It may be underwhelming to most, but it will prove a major point that life can exist outside of earth.

originally posted by: SPECULUM

But there is no lack of Aliens. They are everywhere, Everyday ,all over this Planet.They are just better at playing hide and seek than we are, is all

It's one thing to claim that statistically speaking it is unlikely there is not intelligent life elsewhere. And it is quite typical for threads like this to lament the idea that some people (always unnamed) believe this and aren't they stupid and aren't we smart for being so educated to realize aliens must exist? It's a straw man argument in essence. I know no one who believes we are unique. Even the Pope says there are likely aliens somewhere. So threads like that are naive and self-serving.

But you aren't really saying that. You believe "they are everywhere, all over this planet." That's an entirely different sort of claim, for which you offer zero proof, claiming only that they are hiding as the reason we can't see them.

Uh huh. And you have the nerve to

originally posted by: Peeple
And let's not forget the other foundations of life which could be possible.
Silicon based aliens

I suppose it might be possible. But we don't see any of it on Earth. At least on Earth we have evidence that carbon-based life exists. Silicon-based life is the purest conjecture.

a reply to: schuyler

I do have the nerve, along with over 40 years of experience witnessing them flying around, Hovering Around, Chasing around, being chased around. The only thing i haven't witnessed as of yet, is landed, walking around and bothering me...that i can remember? Living in the Ozarks they aren't much of an enigma, kinda like Missouri weather..Lol

I have no reason not to believe in them, because they are gracious enough to allow me the pleasure of seeing them.

I recently bought a nice canon DSLR in 18mp and am currently looking for appropriate glass, 600-800mm L, So i can shoot some stills and possibly even some Video when they Fly over the Farm. Not to prove anything to anyone, just for my personal Collection.

In truth, it really doesn't matter whether anyone believes in Aliens or not, its always interesting to hear who's having similar experiences,and who's got the best images, that's all i really have interest in.

The only thing i Debunk, is bad CG and nut ball stories

originally posted by: SPECULUM
a reply to: schuyler

I do have the nerve, along with over 40 years of experience witnessing them flying around, Hovering Around, Chasing around, being chased around. The only thing i haven't witnessed as of yet, is landed, walking around and bothering me...that i can remember? Living in the Ozarks they aren't much of an enigma, kinda like Missouri weather..Lol

originally posted by: SPECULUM
a reply to: schuyler

I recently bought a nice canon DSLR in 18mp and am currently looking for appropriate glass, 600-800mm L, So i can shoot some stills and possibly even some Video when they Fly over the Farm. Not to prove anything to anyone, just for my personal Collection.

Of course, if you really were seeing what you say are seeing, you could document it all very well and make millions and prove that we are not alone...but you wont do that will you? Gee....wonder why. Ah yes, the ufo believers mantra "i dont care if anyone believes me" "I dont have to prove it to anyone"

And yet...you have argued non stop for days in this thread, so you clearly care about the subject matter...so heres my challenge to you. Show us. I know you wont though...and i know why.

Considering they are (according to you) so common in the Ozarks that they are like the weather...you get not a single pic when you google "Ozarks ufo"...not one. SO COMMON!

a reply to: 3danimator2014
Apparently you have no clue how difficult it is to take good pictures and video. just try taking sharp close up images of the moon sometime with a 300mm lens un-stabilized...Hell stabilized..Lol

its not that easy, ive tried time after time after time.

They always show up at the most inopportune times, even when you have your camera.

But i will get up and close distinguishable photos, all the odds are in my favor..with no manipulated Cg affect either..I assure you

you'll be the first one i'll charge a hefty fee to see

originally posted by: SPECULUM
a reply to: 3danimator2014
Apparently you have no clue how difficult it is to take good pictures and video. just try taking sharp close up images of the moon sometime with a 300mm lens un-stabilized...Hell stabilized..Lol

its not that easy, ive tried time after time after time.

They always show up at the most inopportune times, even when you have your camera.

But i will get up and close distinguishable photos, all the odds are in my favor..with no manipulated Cg affect either..I assure you

you'll be the first one i'll charge a hefty fee to see

Sorry bud, but im willing to bet a lot of money that we will never see anythign from you. Another ardent beliver in UFOs who cant be bothered to document their multiple sightings properly and make millions from disclosing it to the rest of the world.

Fail.