Do you think humans should actively seek out aliens?

1. 74

   Shil1978posted 15 years ago

   Do you think humans should actively seek out aliens?

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2. 59

   ohfudgeposted 15 years ago

   On earth? Sure, why not? Outside of earth is a very dangerous idea.

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3. 60

   dabeanerposted 15 years ago

   Yes, and deport them .... and their "anchor babies" .... .... .......

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4. 61

   thoughtgrazerposted 15 years ago

   I see no reason why humans should not seek out aliens.  We spend our time consumed by far more trivial activities.  I believe that the search is futile, but it would give the non-intellectuals a distracting mission to occupy their attention, an alien Easter egg hunt created to free the rest of us from the reaches of stupidity.  I would gladly tithe my wages to fund their research.

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5. 75

   wildernessposted 15 years ago

   Certainly not!  In our experience species visit new places for one of two things - information and/or resources.  Any race able to come to earth may take all the resources (including living space) they want whether we agree or not.  Not a nice thought.  Nor does the concept of probing for information appeal to me.  Keep quiet and leave 'em out there!

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6. 74

   Shil1978posted 15 years ago

   Couldn't agree more with you, wilderness. One of the reasons I asked this question was because of the same apprehensions you have. Why do we expect any alients out there to be calm, benevolent beings. If aliens do exist, they are more likely to be just as competitive and brutal as we are - for resources and what have you.
   
   That being the case, an encounter with an alien species is more likely to be devastating for humans than being beneficial in any sense. There's also the biological risk of contracting any alien diseases, etc. So, it does seem to be a risky proposition to seek them out!!

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7. 70

   Arthur Windermereposted 15 years ago

   Do you ask this question because of Stephen Hawking's recent comments? I think Hawking is wrong. There are certainly risks in seeking out extraterrestrial life. But there are risks in crossing a street too. You could get hit any time you cross a street. The Large Hadron Collider could have created a black hole. Aliens could be dangerous. We just have to ask ourselves if the benefits outweigh the risks. If we practice an Emersonian self-reliance and try to do everything on our own in the universe, we may not get very far. Cooperation on earth, amongst distinct human races, has proven to be superior to non-cooperation. There's no reason to assume that wouldn't be the case in the broader universe.
   Obviously any species capable of space-travel, as we are, will be intelligent enough to observe all precautions in making contact, just as our own scientists will be. The aliens don't want diseases any more than we do. Being open to contact with alien species doesn't mean being naive and stupid.
   
   The fear of the Other is an insular attitude that has never served the greater good.

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8. 59

   peterxdunnposted 14 years ago

   Too late folks. We've been advertising our presence to the entire Cosmos for about a century now. The first radio transmissions by Marconi, et al, didn't just travel around Planet Earth - but also out into space. They've been propagating outward (imagine an expanding sphere that - by now - contains quite a few stars: some of which will have planetary systems) at the speed of light (186,000 miles per second) and will continue to do so for eternity.
   
   As for ET coming here to nick our resources; I wouldn't worry about it, he probably mastered the trick of transmutating one element into another a long time ago. Once we have mastered 'cold fusion' we will have done the same.
   
   Then there is the 'lebensraum' argument, I wouldn't worry about that either, with his technology ET can probably pitch his tent anywhere in the Cosmos he cares to.
   
   I'm not quite sure why a luminary like professor Steven Hawking should wade into the argument. Perhaps it has something to do with with his recent tv documentory and the fact that he knows that ET knows more than he does. He 's maybe anticipating bad peer reviews.

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