. . . discussion on Fermi’s paradox can be found here. I always love pondering this kind of stuff. And with the discovery and profusion of Kepler planets, of which several hundred have been discovered to date, the discussion may not be so ‘academic’ for much longer.
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That’s why we don’t see many ghosts either! They are hiding from us.
Brian Green’s ideas on the multi-verse have much more potential to shake up our view of the nature of reality. http://www.npr.org/2011/11/04/141931728/exploring-the-hidden-reality-of-parallel-worlds
Bad decisions make good stories.
But Greg Egan writes much better science fiction. Since string theory seems to be unfalsifiable, well, I’m going with Greg Egan!
for intelligent life to evolve there is also the issue of means of communication. Why bother sending out a one-way speed of light communication? It’s kind of pointless except from an ego point of view. Hey look what we were able to do a bunch of time ago.
So perhaps we have not evolved the requisite sensory capabilities to receive the instant universe-spanning communications that the more evolved life forms require for instant two way communication.
So besides needing another billion years of evolution (or maybe just a mere million more will suffice) we may also have to survive the extremely dangerous millennia of a little knowledge.
- Probably DNA based (those complex molecules are no earth-only evolution).
- Not here, because there is no ROI on interstellar travel. Profit (Or Greed) was the major reason for exploration of the earth.
- No interest in fighting interstellar wars (no resources to exploit).
All these discussion are from the unimaginative viewpoint of earth bound, country bound, thinking. Once out in space resources (minerals) are abundant. Countries are irrelevant, conquest probably necessary.
Profit (Or ROI)? Probably universal.
that the best proof of alien intelligence is that they have not contacted us.
Would you?
Libertarianism: MiracleGro for the feeble-minded.
Funny, I would say probably parochial.
The resources that we are fighting over now are ex-DNA ones not mineral. And space is not abundant in ex-DNA resources.
Profit (Or Greed) were drivers of the conquest of the Americas by the Europeans, but who knows what drove the original explorers of America, not to mention the original explorers of Asia, Europe and Australia.
But I agree; using money as a civilizing tool is of limited value.
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“space ecosystem” hypothesis before–the idea that there may be predator and prey species in some sense, and that those younger species that advertise their presence may be attacked in some way by more advanced predators. So, a strategy of non-communication and hiding would make the most sense for all involved. Both predators and prey try to avoid advertising their presence.
Greg Bear’s novels The Forge of God and also Anvil of Stars are somewhat along these lines, though they feature an alliance of “good” aliens that try to stop the predators.
Another, extremely pessimistic take on the Fermi paradox is Blindsight by Peter Watts. I’m going to give away the plot in the next paragraph, so stop reading here if you want to be surprised…
Basically, intelligent life is very common throughout space. What is uncommon is sentient intelligence. Sentience is the evolutionary equivalent of training wheels, and sentient beings are inevitably destroyed by vastly more intelligent species/creations with no self-awareness. Sentient beings are slower, more hesitant, put almost all of their functioning in one location (a dense brain), care about the concept of “I,” etc. The story itself deals with a near-future encounter with a non-sentient but deviously clever alien intelligence at the edge of our solar system.
…because of the sheer immensity of the known universe.
For my own opinion; I’m inclined along those ideas…
Without the ability to get around the limits of the speed-of-light; the distances alone are daunting if not insurmountable.
Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them,and these will continue till they are resisted with either words or blows,or with both~FDouglas