The point I was making is that the modern assumption is that simply based on the odds and the number of stars there must be other intelligent life at there but since we have no idea what the odds of intelligent life developing are we really don't know how likely it is. If look at our planets we have had life here for about 3.8 billion years and it took most of that just to get beyond the single cell. Even after we developed multi cellular life it took another billion years to get us.
I agree with all of that. The biggest point that I totally agree with is on a universe scale, the window for civilization is less than a blink. Like you said, on a planet capable of sustaining life and all the stars are aligned (HA!) and all that, it took billions of years to get to human, and the extremely brief "blaze of glory" window is practically nothing compared to the time it took to get there.
If we look at all the tens of millions of species that did develop and the fact that only three developed real intelligence and two of those went extinct I think the evidence points intelligence being a very occurrence.
We like to assume others are there because it makes us feel better but I think that until proven otherwise we should assume we are alone and truly rare and unique occurrence. We shouldn't waste what could be the universes only shot at sentience.
We like to assume others are there because it makes us feel better but I think that until proven otherwise we should assume we are alone and truly rare and unique occurrence. We shouldn't waste what could be the universes only shot at sentience.
Somewhat agree with some of it. I definitely wouldn't say that we are the universe's only shot at sentience. It happened in the solar system, it can happen somewhere else someday. It would be safer to say that humanity will not encounter intelligent aliens.
An interesting thought I had that may be worth discussion.
- 29/09/2011 07:22:01 PM
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I definitely agree with the first part.
- 29/09/2011 08:32:33 PM
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why do you think only those options would be available?
- 29/09/2011 08:35:53 PM
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Well just look at the history of Earth. And the cultural/advancement disparity would be FAR greater. *NM*
- 29/09/2011 08:58:52 PM
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Could be cultural domination.
- 29/09/2011 09:32:18 PM
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In one particular space opera, it's a mix and probably the best situation possible for humans.
- 29/09/2011 10:21:42 PM
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Unless their advancement is so great they are VERY ethically enlightened, her fears seem valid.
- 30/09/2011 03:04:40 AM
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I think I've met a few aliens...
- 30/09/2011 01:31:55 AM
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Those know it all holier than thou all powerful vegan aliens are SO annoying.
- 30/09/2011 06:40:30 AM
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The big issue is energy density, IMHO.
- 30/09/2011 02:53:39 AM
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That's so perfect. 
- 30/09/2011 06:43:31 AM
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- 30/09/2011 06:43:31 AM
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I still agree with the view they are unlikley to intentionally punish us.
- 30/09/2011 09:35:13 AM
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We really have no idea how rare advance technologies societies are
- 30/09/2011 02:00:56 PM
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That's a really good point.
- 30/09/2011 04:34:28 PM
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The doomsdays options don't really hold up well though
- 30/09/2011 05:22:57 PM
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hmmm
- 30/09/2011 07:51:42 PM
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Yeah but that's just a variant of "Highly advanced aliens who for some reason are totally stupid"
- 30/09/2011 10:21:34 PM
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I didn't mean to imply that were not talking to us because they looked down on us
- 01/10/2011 01:07:02 AM
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Re: I didn't mean to imply that were not talking to us because they looked down on us
- 01/10/2011 02:50:42 AM
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of course I can't say, that was my point
- 30/09/2011 07:42:55 PM
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I was totally agreeing with you until I wasn't.
- 30/09/2011 08:09:08 PM
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Re: If life formed, why might there not be fossil fuels equivalent to, or greater than, our own? *NM*
- 01/10/2011 03:16:23 AM
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