Stephen Hawking warns against contacting aliens over invasion fears

[Cato]

By Jove we live in a rather large, underdeveloped universe.

[Svipdag]

Although I have often disagreed with Hawking's cosmological views which have an underlying assumption that just because a theoretical model is mathematically and physically valid, it MUST be true, this time, I tend to agree with him.

I do not accept the incredibly egocentric view, supported by some religions, that this whole, incredibly vast cosmos exists just for us, that we "naked apes" inhabiting one tiny planet of one mediocre star are the most important things in this vast cosmos. It certainly does not appear reasonable that the life-forms of this planet should be unique in the universe.

On the other hand, the statement made by some exobiologists that, given the necessary materials and conditions, life must inevitably arise is not a statement of fact, but of faith. [BTW, exobiology is the only science, the subject matter of which is not known to exist.]

However, though life may be fairly commonplace on planets having suitable conditions, there is no necessity whatsoever that it should be INTELLIGENT life. Intelligence does not necessarily have high survival value. For about
140,000,000 years, the dominant life forms of the fauna of this planet were of very low intelligence.

Organisms having claws, fangs, armour, and/or high speed of locomotion have no need of intelligence. The dinosaurs were magnificently well-adapted to the ecological niches which they occupied. The hubris and egotism of the human race never cease to amaze me. I have heard it said and seen it written that, because they became extinct, the dinosaurs were a failure ! THEY were dominant for 140,000,000 years; something at least remotely human-like has been here for 4,500,000 years, and THEY were a failure ? HAH !

Intelligence is of survival value only to relatively slow-moving, unarmoured organisms devoid of claws and carnivourous dentition. Such organisms are at a great disadvantage in competition with gigantic fast-moving carnivores.
Even given intelligence, they could not have competed with the dinosaurs.
The only mammals contemporary with the dinosaurs were the size of shrews and mice.

It was not until the dinosaurs became extinct that the mammals could dominate Earth's fauna, and not until some very large and dangerous mammals had failed to adapt to changing environmental conditions, that a versatile intelligent primate could emerge. Intelligent life can appear only on a planet where there is no competition from extremely large fast-moving carnivores.

The sequence of favourable events which permitted the emergence of intelligent life on this planet is not very probable and is unlikely to have been replicated on many, if any, other planets. Still, intelligent life-forms MAY have appeared on other planets elsewhere in this galaxy.

It is certainly possible that one or more such species might have developed space travel by now and also possible, though much less so, that they might have solved the problems of interstellar travel. There is no evidence that they even exist, much less that such aliens have visited or are likely to visit this planet.

IF they should, how would they behave ? We have no way whatsoever of knowing. It is useless to speculate about alien psychology and behaviour.
The only standard by which we speculate about alien behaviour is that of our own species. Applying that standard does not yield encouraging conclusions.
Technological superiority does NOT imply moral superiority. Indeed, our own experience implies quite the reverse.

Every instance of an encounter between a technologically advanced culture and a less technologically advanced one in OUR history has ended disastrously for the technologically inferior culture. It has almost always resulted in exploitation, enslavement, or extermination .

PERHAPS an alien culture would not behave as badly as we have, but there is absolutely NO reason to assume that it would be less malevolent than ours, much less benevolent. Should we detect an alien culture which might have developed interstellar travel, our wisest course would be to lie low and be as inconspicuous as possible. Were they to discover us, WE DO NOT KNOW HOW THEY WOULD BEHAVE and there is no point in trying to second-guess them.

I know, this is xenophobia. IMO, xenophobia is nothing but common sense.

[Jägerstaffel]

Although I have often disagreed with Hawking's cosmological views which have an underlying assumption that just because a theoretical model is mathematically and physically valid, it MUST be true, this time, I tend to agree with him.

I do not accept the incredibly egocentric view, supported by some religions, that this whole, incredibly vast cosmos exists just for us, that we "naked apes" inhabiting one tiny planet of one mediocre star are the most important things in this vast cosmos. It certainly does not appear reasonable that the life-forms of this planet should be unique in the universe.

On the other hand, the statement made by some exobiologists that, given the necessary materials and conditions, life must inevitably arise is not a statement of fact, but of faith. [BTW, exobiology is the only science, the subject matter of which is not known to exist.]

However, though life may be fairly commonplace on planets having suitable conditions, there is no necessity whatsoever that it should be INTELLIGENT life. Intelligence does not necessarily have high survival value. For about
140,000,000 years, the dominant life forms of the fauna of this planet were of very low intelligence.

Organisms having claws, fangs, armour, and/or high speed of locomotion have no need of intelligence. The dinosaurs were magnificently well-adapted to the ecological niches which they occupied. The hubris and egotism of the human race never cease to amaze me. I have heard it said and seen it written that, because they became extinct, the dinosaurs were a failure ! THEY were dominant for 140,000,000 years; something at least remotely human-like has been here for 4,500,000 years, and THEY were a failure ? HAH !

Intelligence is of survival value only to relatively slow-moving, unarmoured organisms devoid of claws and carnivourous dentition. Such organisms are at a great disadvantage in competition with gigantic fast-moving carnivores.
Even given intelligence, they could not have competed with the dinosaurs.
The only mammals contemporary with the dinosaurs were the size of shrews and mice.

It was not until the dinosaurs became extinct that the mammals could dominate Earth's fauna, and not until some very large and dangerous mammals had failed to adapt to changing environmental conditions, that a versatile intelligent primate could emerge. Intelligent life can appear only on a planet where there is no competition from extremely large fast-moving carnivores.

The sequence of favourable events which permitted the emergence of intelligent life on this planet is not very probable and is unlikely to have been replicated on many, if any, other planets. Still, intelligent life-forms MAY have appeared on other planets elsewhere in this galaxy.

It is certainly possible that one or more such species might have developed space travel by now and also possible, though much less so, that they might have solved the problems of interstellar travel. There is no evidence that they even exist, much less that such aliens have visited or are likely to visit this planet.

IF they should, how would they behave ? We have no way whatsoever of knowing. It is useless to speculate about alien psychology and behaviour.
The only standard by which we speculate about alien behaviour is that of our own species. Applying that standard does not yield encouraging conclusions.
Technological superiority does NOT imply moral superiority. Indeed, our own experience implies quite the reverse.

Every instance of an encounter between a technologically advanced culture and a less technologically advanced one in OUR history has ended disastrously for the technologically inferior culture. It has almost always resulted in exploitation, enslavement, or extermination .

PERHAPS an alien culture would not behave as badly as we have, but there is absolutely NO reason to assume that it would be less malevolent than ours, much less benevolent. Should we detect an alien culture which might have developed interstellar travel, our wisest course would be to lie low and be as inconspicuous as possible. Were they to discover us, WE DO NOT KNOW HOW THEY WOULD BEHAVE and there is no point in trying to second-guess them.

I know, this is xenophobia. IMO, xenophobia is nothing but common sense.

This is all well and good, but I feel Hawking's argument that alien life forms would need our resources is weak and an assumption on their behavior as well. That being said, I don't think attracting their attention would be smart - if they do exist - but I'm inclined to believe our insignificance would keep us from being first on the list of targets for an intergalactic armada bent on taking our meager resources.



But then again, maybe Galactus would just devour us.

[Cato]

[Cato]

This is all well and good, but I feel Hawking's argument that alien life forms would need our resources is weak and an assumption on their behavior as well. That being said, I don't think attracting their attention would be smart - if they do exist - but I'm inclined to believe our insignificance would keep us from being first on the list of targets for an intergalactic armada bent on taking our meager resources.



But then again, maybe Galactus would just devour us.

Or this guy.

[Óttar]

Looked at from the perspective of the universe, our planet is nothing in the scheme of things. Jupiter pwns us hard size wise and our entire solar system really has nothing unique about it. It is just one among a vast number. Why would aliens even bother in the first place?

[Liffrea]

Originally Posted by Svipdag
WE DO NOT KNOW HOW THEY WOULD BEHAVE and there is no point in trying to second-guess them.

It would be ill advised to apply subjective and often irrational human morality to extraterrestrial beings.

I know, this is xenophobia. IMO, xenophobia is nothing but common sense.

[SuuT]

There are apparently no avid hunters on the Apricity.

[Radojica]

I have to say Hawking is going out on a limb here. There is little reason to believe that anything we're doing in the insurmountable vastness of space would even be noticed (puny radio wave signals) by a more advanced species or that any species with the ability to reach our planet would 1.) need the type of resources that we have or 2.) be unable to find our resources elsewhere in the universe.

Besides, think about how insignificant we are in comparison.

I am rather to believe that all other planets are quite insignificant comparing to our beloved planet Earth . EARTH has something what other planets don't, Earth has life

There is more than 200 planets discovered around various stars, yet, none of them is like Earth, more like Jupiter

About aliens, well, let them come, I have great rakija just for that. We are known in the world as hospitable nation anyway

p.s. Pluto is not consider a planet anymore, btw

[Saruman]

I am rather to believe that all other planets are quite insignificant comparing to our beloved planet Earth . EARTH have something what other planets don't, Earth has life

There is more than 200 planets discovered around various stars, yet, none of them is like Earth, more like Jupiter

About aliens, well, let them come, I have great rakija just for that. We are known in the world as hospitable nation anyway

p.s. Pluto is not consider a planet anymore, btw

That's because smaller planets like Earth can't be detected by the means that were used to detect gas giants. So surely there are planets like ours possibly even in those systems where large gas giants were discovered, and there is life somewhere, surely, there has to be.
So, I don't consider our planet that special. In fact if I could I would perhaps move to some other planet and form a colony.
If I met some friendly advanced aliens I would ask hem to help me in improving humans.