24 Sep 04
1. A fraction of planets must support (and have supported) alien life in this enormous galaxy of ours.
2. A fraction of 1. must be (or have been) intelligent.
3. A fraction of 2. must have developed star flight.
4. A fraction of 3. must have colonised the home star system.
5. A fraction of 4. must have developed engineering on a stellar scale.
Why have we not discovered any evidence of the above?
24 Sep 04
Originally posted by ivangriceThe only way the 'must's hold is if the fraction can be 0 at some step, I'm fear.
1. A fraction of planets must support (and have supported) alien life in this enormous galaxy of ours.
2. A fraction of 1. must be (or have been) intelligent.
3. A fraction of 2. must have developed star flight.
4. A fraction of 3. must have colonised the home star system.
5. A fraction of 4. must have developed engineering on a stellar scale.
Why have we not discovered any evidence of the above?
Also, it would be very hard to determine whether most kinds of evidence (radiation, mostly) originates from some living creator.
I swear the vacation icon is warranted.
24 Sep 04
Originally posted by royalchickenWhy do you feel some of the probabilities = 0?
The only way the 'must's hold is if the fraction can be 0 at some step, I'm fear.
Also, it would be very hard to determine whether most kinds of evidence (radiation, mostly) originates from some living creator.
I swear the vacation icon is warranted.
I don't understand what you mean by your comment about "...some living creator." Evidence would come fro Dyson spheres, stellar farming etc. No need for a sky pixie.
Enjoy your holiday :-)
24 Sep 04
Originally posted by ivangriceI think the first point is that while we are arguably intelligent, we haven't yet developed 'star flight', so there is no reason to assume that a hypothetical intelligent species in another part of the galaxy has already done so.
Why do you feel some of the probabilities = 0?
I don't understand what you mean by your comment about "...some living creator." Evidence would come fro Dyson spheres, stellar farming etc. No need for a sky pixie.
Enjoy your holiday :-)
With respect to the second point, the question is whether we would be able to understand such evidence if it were present. There's lots of electromagnetic signals flying around in space, but as far as we can tell these all have natural sources. Maybe the aliens have developed some sort of interstellar DMCA that requires them to encrypt any outgoing signals so we dont steal their cable...
25 Sep 04
Originally posted by richjohnsonWhy shouldn't an intelligent species with *millions* of years of evolution behind it develop star flight? Even if it didn't, *millions* of years is a long time even going at 40 mph...
I think the first point is that while we are arguably intelligent, we haven't yet developed 'star flight', so there is no reason to assume that a hypothetical intelligent species in another part of the galaxy has already done so.
With respect to the second point, the question is whether we would be able to understand such evidence if it were presen ...[text shortened]... rstellar DMCA that requires them to encrypt any outgoing signals so we dont steal their cable...
I'm not so naive as to think advanced civilisations would advertise their existence via radio waves :-). That's why I mentioned stellar engineering and Dyson spheres...
25 Sep 04
Originally posted by ivangriceLook, 'must' implies certainty, and that is only achievable in the above context from one or more of those probabilities possibly (but not certainly, or even likely) being 0.
Why do you feel some of the probabilities = 0?
I don't understand what you mean by your comment about "...some living creator." Evidence would come fro Dyson spheres, stellar farming etc. No need for a sky pixie.
Enjoy your holiday :-)
Evidence of intelligent life is stuff that would likely not be there unless there was life, so I was pretty unclear; sorry.