bradk
Level 3 Rank
Posts: 199
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Post by bradk on Mar 6, 2011 1:30:59 GMT
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N9AAT
Level 3 Rank
DON'T PANIC
Posts: 153
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Post by N9AAT on Mar 12, 2011 14:09:10 GMT
I like the part where someone says "Mostly, I hope the general public is able to learn more about the scientific process and the use of critical thinking skills to arrive at the truth and are not confused by an endless parade of silly articles that neither enlighten nor inform. Let the debate begin."
The movies, and even SETI, seem to have most people convinced that WHEN we discover life on other planets, it will be someone we can talk to. They don't stop to critically think that we could probably discover 10,000 planets with life of some sort before we come across anyone or anything that might be considered intelligent.
Bacteria has been on our planet a lot longer than we have. In fact, the dinosaurs were here a lot longer than we have been.
I personally don't doubt that someday we'll discover other planets hosting some for of life. But something at anywhere near the same level of development and intelligence that we are? I think those chances are pretty slim.
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Post by curiousgeorge on Mar 28, 2011 17:23:51 GMT
I like the part where someone says "Mostly, I hope the general public is able to learn more about the scientific process and the use of critical thinking skills to arrive at the truth and are not confused by an endless parade of silly articles that neither enlighten nor inform. Let the debate begin." The movies, and even SETI, seem to have most people convinced that WHEN we discover life on other planets, it will be someone we can talk to. They don't stop to critically think that we could probably discover 10,000 planets with life of some sort before we come across anyone or anything that might be considered intelligent. Bacteria has been on our planet a lot longer than we have. In fact, the dinosaurs were here a lot longer than we have been. I personally don't doubt that someday we'll discover other planets hosting some for of life. But something at anywhere near the same level of development and intelligence that we are? I think those chances are pretty slim. Until there is some indisputable evidence one way or the other, it's all merely imaginative speculation, Drake Equation and Hawking notwithstanding. Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence, nor is it evidence of existence. Why are people so afraid of saying; "I don't know" ? |
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Post by sigurdur on Mar 28, 2011 23:41:27 GMT
I don't know curiousgeorge.......I just don't know.
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Post by scpg02 on Mar 28, 2011 23:43:01 GMT
LOL
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Post by numerouno on Apr 2, 2011 12:22:09 GMT
In search for extraterrestial intelligence, people confuse "intelligent" with "technologically advanced". The Classic Greeks would not have emitted an iota on any radio frequency spectrum, and very little in terms of light, yet they were able to determine the circumference of the Earth, and lay the foundations of logic, problem-solving and formal Arts, among others.
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Post by justmeanu on Apr 2, 2011 12:31:22 GMT
hmmm, so we are intelligent, in whos opinion I wonder. Have you read the paper lately?
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Post by curiousgeorge on Apr 2, 2011 13:04:05 GMT
hmmm, so we are intelligent, in whos opinion I wonder. Have you read the paper lately? I seem to recall a statement to the effect that; "The jury is still out on whether intelligence is a desirable survival trait."  |
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