On the Search for Extraterrestiral Intelligence: A Philosophical Overview

I got talking to a friend the other day whom told me that aliens don't exist, which I felt rather surprising as he is a rather intelligent individual. So we ending up discussing life and the cosmos for about 3 hours. I explained not only why the assumption that life exists off world is a reasonable one to make, but that finding it is could be the most important thing that man strive for.

The Scientific Community today are at a consensus on extraterrestiral life; It's out there, somewhere. And so one of the greatest treasure hunts in human history is taking place, the search for our cosmic siblings.

Here are what some of today's visionary scientists are saying about alien life and ourselves.

Is there life out there?

Are we alone?

Isaac Asimov, a popular and influential Science Fiction and popular science writer, published a book in 1979 called Extraterrestrial Civilizations. In it he discusses the probable number of civilizations within the Milkyway Galaxy. Going through all the factors needed for us to have flourished into our current civilization, he concludes that "the number of planets in our galaxy on which a technological civilization is now in being is roughly 530,000". That's more than half a million in our own galaxy.
ibdof.com...

What is life?

How do we find intelligent life?

What would happen if we found intelligent life?

One may point out that we may already have been visited by intelligent life, referring of course to the UFO/USO phenomenon, one that has stretched through history into antiquity and perhaps beyond. A scientist would be hesitant to ascribe the phenomena to a real extraterrestrial source. It's a convenient explanation but all we know about the universe suggests it is unlikely, so the science community will refuse to draw a conclusion at this time.

I think that we, not as a species but as a society, have a duty to dedicate much of our resources, time and attention to this search. Finding our little green brethren would be the greatest achievement of all history, and as such is our greatest pursuit. I don't see the world as a morally desolate, evil place as many see it, (although our international ego's do clash a lot) but if it were, nothing would bring man together and dissolve our borders like universal realisation that we are part of a much, much larger community of life than that on this little blue-green pebble we call a planet.

The wider cosmos must be teaming with life, it's only a matter of time before we happen across our neighbours out and about.... or if we are unlucky, their still-cindering prior residence.

I further explained that the opposite assumption, that we are alone, could be potentially dangerous. The idea that the incomprehensibly large expanding cosmos is empty and that we are pretty much confined to our little island of a solar system, waging petty little squabbles amongst our own kind is so very sad. We, with all that we have achieved, are now more than the sum of our biology. The next step in our evolution is going to be as much technological as it is biological - but only if we can find some form of unifying goal to strive for, something to give us a common sense of perspective.

Communion with people's from other worlds would probably the thing to help us be all that we can be. One quote I recently heard, which I find rather inspiring (so I put it in my signature) is;




"Homo sapiens, the first truly free species, is about to decommission natural selection, the force that made us.... Soon we must look deep within ourselves and decide what we wish to become."

-Edward O. Wilson

[edit on 14-4-2009 by Welfhard]

hey ho! not ho as in .o watever! hi

neways

Homo sapiens, the first truly free species, is about to decommission natural selection, the force that made us.... Soon we must look deep within ourselves and decide what we wish to become

do you know that means?

we neeeeeed to stop asking questions we need to UNDERSTAND the question we infact are asking!!!

i spoke with one of the people in the vid (i wont say wat one)

the question is indeed the answer

Very neat, I'm actually working on a research paper about this very thing right now. It focuses more on what would happen to society and human philosophy but I'm including SETI.

Originally posted by symmetricAvenger
i spoke with one of the people in the vid (i wont say wat one)

Incredimazing but you can't say something like that and not tell... C'mon man!

hmm. 110 more characters needed. Umm.

we neeeeeed to stop asking questions we need to UNDERSTAND the question we infact are asking!!!

What do you mean? What/which question(s) are you talking about?

[edit on 14-4-2009 by Welfhard]

ok ok i know my grammer is tosh ; D

but i do email this bunch of so called brains now n then.. i talked to the short bloke! ; D

ok the point is.. and il make this clear.. we as a race are well fubard why? well thats infact why

coz most if not all humans dont think what WHY means we have no clue we use it to ask why is the sky blue why is water wet.. u know silly things..

but then you get people like me and ( the short bloke ) who infact understand we are in a ver very bad way on our rock....

the reason for NWO power hungry "some think" is infact for the beinfit of our race "yes flame me for that comment"..

we dont get mathmatics we dont get WHY we are here..

Lets look at this in a logical way

If aliens "not us" are here do they ask questions? Yep they do..

what does that mean?? they are no smarter than humans it dont matter if we was made by aliens or god..

the fact is the "question" is relitive to us all "as living beings in the universe"

im not ment to be saying what i am but i dont care i have no reason to fear MIBs or any other so called goverment nitwits..

the QUESTION is the thing our goverments understand is key here

not the answers .. not yes not no but WHY whwy why why

dont you find it odd no one questions the very question???

why ask? why? why bother asking? this is the reason for life for our universe and for all the possible answers to what little questions we want to understand..

the universe itsself IS a physical QUESTION..

we can do eveything we think about EVERYTHING...

aliens are REAL they are not a fake they are LOOKING for the very same thing we are

GOD

god is the reason for the question... do u get it?

GOD is the guy asking YOU the question.. its the forumulation of creation

without the question there is infact NO answer

what came first? the question OR the answer??

what came first the chicken or the egg?

no no no what came first was the question befor the chicken and the egg

please understand that.

i was infact put here for a reason.. to give logic to the question.

its my job i didnt ask but well .. its my job

reply to post by Welfhard



Good thread. I agree with you the assumption that we are alone is dangerous, it is also arrogant, and it is illogical. It is illogical because we are dictating to the universe what it can and cannot do, when we've virtually just been born minutes ago in cosmic time. If life can happen on Earth, there is no reason to believe it cannot happen elsewhere. It is clearly a phenomenon which is a part of the universe and it does not take long to happen either. On earth it started within hours of earth time.

It is clearly a phenomenon which is a part of the universe and it does not take long to happen either. On earth it started within hours of earth time.


not a phenomenon..

not waht so evaaa

you may be a nice colour but infact your not special

sorry to burst that Buubles u live in>>

LIFE is not about humans .. thats your first mistake and you own agrogance ..

have a nice day

god is the reason for the question... do u get it?

GOD is the guy asking YOU the question.. its the forumulation of creation

without the question there is infact NO answer

So you think that since there is, there must be a reason and a purpose, and because there needs be a reason and a purpose, there needs be GOD?

I don't think there needs to be a reason or a purpose. Why must there be a reason?

the reason

the question

the ansswer>

the very question

its a riddle

what is the meaning of life

is tha not a question? is that not the reason for everything??? the very question we ask IS the answer

please understand the question IS the answer here its not a word its not meterphysical

its the same thing that made this "us and the univers and aliens and god"

the QUESTION

Originally posted by symmetricAvenger
the reason

the question

the ansswer>

the very question

its a riddle

what is the meaning of life

is tha not a question? is that not the reason for everything??? the very question we ask IS the answer

please understand the question IS the answer here its not a word its not meterphysical

its the same thing that made this "us and the univers and aliens and god"

the QUESTION

A yes the ol' ontological 'proof' for God, the existence of the term "meaning of life" proves the existence. Yep, and watch out for those unicorns on your way out tomorrow.

It's a logical falacy. There doesn't need be a "meaning of life." People think there is a meaning cos they would like one to exist. Using 'God' to fill in the holes in an explanation or using 'god' as an arbitrary answer to any ol' question just isn't sound reasoning.

[edit on 14-4-2009 by Welfhard]

hm...

please understand what is it infact im saying...

god is a question.. not a thing.. please dont put me in some box..

im teling you GOD is the question....

aliens humans cats dogs rats whatever i dont care.. we all ASK WHY and if you wish to put me in some box thats fine.. you know that guy who said the world i round.. i guess he got his ass kicked just like i do...

Your missin the point here,, THE QUESTION is the answer... GOD is a question ALIENS ask the same thing

what is god? please understan it quantify it? look at it logicaly.. what is god? a dudde in a toga? some shape? some hologrpahical u/me???

no

its a bloody question we all ask... ITS COZ LIFE IS MENT TO DO IT

now pay attention here

YOU asked the question YOU sir asked WHY correct? do aliens ask WHY? they are here?

understand GOD or alteast the understandin of god is on the bloody questiuon

thats why WE DONT GET IT we DONT understand THE QUESTION


get it?

good

please please the next time you post THINK about the question AND wtf a question IS..

and use that to forumulate what GOD is?

what is god?

there u go... a stupid question... when infact the question is the stupid answer>>

did u think of that? did u think a question could BE the answer?

i guess not but then well.. the world is flat and im just a nut on ats spouting compleate crap...

funny part is.. im right and you will read my posts and comment when im proved right.

ironic to say the least..

Originally posted by symmetricAvenger
god is a question..

No, god is a concept.

please dont put me in some box..

Box? Whaa?

aliens humans cats dogs rats whatever i dont care.. we all ASK WHY

Hardly. Only a few of us are going to have capabilities to contemplate god, or the question of whether it exists or not.

ITS COZ LIFE IS MENT TO DO IT

Again, this assumption of meaning. There doesn't need to be a meaning.

please please the next time you post THINK about the question AND wtf a question IS.. and use that to forumulate what GOD is?

This thread hasn't anything to do with god.

i guess not but then well.. the world is flat and im just a nut on ats spouting compleate crap...

Well I don't know about complete crap. You were right about the crap part.

funny part is.. im right and you will read my posts and comment when im proved right.

Yes, these false assumptions are HILARIOUS I must say.


[edit on 14-4-2009 by Welfhard]

gah!

Hardly. Only a few of us are going to have capabilities to contemplate god, or the question of whether it exists or not.

read it again.. read your own post..

do u question IT?

i wont bother trying to win this argument you make as its pointless...

look at ur words look at what you infact say.. you infact make my argument for me...

god is just a question... you assume i think its a person?

sorry no.. the reason why you ask = god

why do i say that?

well why do you ask questions? can you tell me why u ask?

no you cant so pelase... dont be smart or funny its not fitting and it infat makes you look ____

keep asking by al means but dont please dont put me in the same "box"

who your responding to on this subject has been through alot more than you

no aliens NO god.. just me being me and ill be honest ill tell you HOW it is and i dont care how much i insult ur ego..

you ask questions for a reason "you are clueless"

get it?

feel free to quote me and ill be happy to do the same but ! ill use the question not the answers

understand that bit

its the question... not the answer

and u wonder why u ask :/

reply to post by symmetricAvenger


..... So you're saying that god isn't a concept?

But still, demonstrate how things "HAVE" to have meaning. Go on, try.

god is a concept? is that your question???

look

god is a question not a thing not a bieng its the question so yes in some eyes its a concept i guess.. to people who aint got a clue.. but thats not my point...

my point is why you ask?

dont u see the fundermetla flaw here???

You are asking... does that not prove nothing? or something does a question not make sens?

look at ur thread?

waht is life? aliens? my cat? a dog an ant? what infact is life?? what do humans do??

we ask questions WE "life" my cat a dog everything askes questions..

God is the very question.. some people use god or like to use it as shapes.. budda whatever

all the same thing A QUESTION

i dont mean to burst ur bubble.. but yes infact the very question we all ask "as living things" = god

and no its not a guy in toga.. its just you needing to understand why u and l;aiens are here

answer me this


do aliens ask questions>

now u undestand it i hope

Originally posted by symmetricAvenger
god is a concept? is that your question???

look

god is a question not a thing not a bieng its the question so yes in some eyes its a concept i guess.. to people who aint got a clue.. but thats not my point...

But questions ARE concepts.

You are asking... does that not prove nothing? or something does a question not make sens?

No, not at all. It demonstrates that when a person wants or needs some information about a specific subject, they ask a question to further understand the concept. The motivation to understand is part of evolutionary psychology, those that know more tend to be more prolific.

Also for the definition of "life". Effectively life is defined most simply as organic chemistry. More specifically, it's a form organic chemistry that has the following properties/behaviours:

Movement
Respiration
Sensitivity
Growth
Reproduction
Excretion
Nutrition