The Eerie Silence: Should We Be Sending Messages Into Space?

[Liffrea]

If we should pick up signals from alien civilizations, Stephen Hawking, our century's Einstein, warns: "we should have be wary of answering back, until we have evolved" a bit further. Meeting a more advanced civilization, at our present stage,' Hawking says "might be a bit like the original inhabitants of America meeting Columbus. I don't think they were better off for it."

http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog...to-space-.html

[Wulfhere]

It's a bit late to start worrying if we should be sending messages into space, since we've been doing it for the best part of a century already.

[Groenewolf]

It's a bit late to start worrying if we should be sending messages into space, since we've been doing it for the best part of a century already.

Indeed, we have been broadcasting our regular radio and tv signals in to space for quite some time.

[Liffrea]

Moot point for me.

Whilst I accept the possibility of extraterrestrial intelligence (on statistical probability it is probable) I believe it to be extremely rare and remote, I certainly don’t believe there is anyone remotely near us, I’m much further towards the “rare earth” philosophy than Drake’s equations.

Add to that I’m sceptical about the likelihood of a civilisation lasting long enough to support an inter-stellar colonisation venture. So if they are there and listening, I don’t expect them here, probably never.

[Svipdag]

NO. It may well be too late to worry about that, but, at least, if, as I consider MOST unlikely, we ever detect signals from space indicative of extraterrestrial intelligence, we ought to be very cautious about replying.

IF, and it is a HUGE if, an extraterrestrial race should have developed interstellar travel to the extent that they could travel to Earth in a short length of time, in human terms, this would imply great technologic superiority compared to the human race.

Technological superiority does NOT imply moral superiority. At least, in our own history it never has. On this planet, whenever a technologically superior culture has encountered a technologically inferior one, the result has been the subjugation and exploitation of the inferior one. MAYBE the aliens don't behave that way, but I wouldn't bet the farm, i.e. Planet Earth, on it.

So, how real is this risk ? Not very ! I doubt the existence of extraterrestrial intelligence because, intelligence is not necessarily of survival value.The dinosaurs, the dominant organisms of the terrestrial fauna for some 160,000,000 years, were dimwits. They had armour, claws, fangs, etc., or were capable of running at great velocities to evade predators. They were very successful without intelligence.

Only frail-bodied generalised organisms possessing neither offensive weapons of their own, nor armour, nor speed (like us) would benefit from intelligence, faute de mieux. Unless the history of life on another planet copied rather faithfully the events of the late Mesozoic and early Cenozoic ages on Earth, would an animal which had to depend on intelligence for survival arise. I don't think that that is very likely.

[Albion]

No!

1. We don't know what sort of beings would contact us back. What's to stop aggressive beings from invading or contacting earth? Do we really want to invite them? Its kid of like shouting something in a jail, some replies might be positive, but a lot might be you getting your arse kicked.
2. Can you imaging the impact contact with aliens would have on human cultures? It could destroy our civilizations and way of life simply through even peaceful contact.

[Eldritch]

Any civilization that has the capability of traversing interstellar space from where-ever it is that they live into our solar system, would have no need whatsoever of invading or attacking us.

The real fear would be something like this happening to us:

Ataiba, the tribal leader, seems to be setting the pace for his people. He has developed a taste for welfare and has given up hunting. He prefers to spend his days idly swinging in a hammock. Though he has made no attempt to learn the skills of Neanderthal Man, he has his eye on some of the fruits of modernity. In a hammock-side interview, he told the New York Times: “I want a big house like the missionaries. I want to eat that lovely food they eat. I don’t want to go back to the forest. The forest gives you great sadness.”

[Adalwolf]

If extraterrestrial life even exists, it is likely nothing like Hollyweird and other enthusiasts have made them out to be. Most likely, they're very basic organisms with nowhere near our intellectual capabilities. Another factor is that even traveling at the speed of light, it would take decades for them to even reach our solar system...

[poiuytrewq0987]