Prof. Stephen Hawking warns over alien beings

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Pannapetar
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Re: Prof. Stephen Hawking warns over alien beings

Post by Pannapetar »

OK, let me do some speculation.

What if there are intelligent life forms on other planets whose evolutionary development is simply incomparable to life on earth? After all, there exists little reason to assume that evolution must run along similar paths on other planets. One of the more fatuous visions of Star Trek is that the galaxy is full of hominids. That's even more unlikely than warp drive. Not that I dislike Star Trek, on the contrary, but given what we know about evolution - what are the odds? OK, let's suppose that there are certain givens, such as the development of cells, sense organs, metabolism, and nervous systems. All of these seem to make perfect sense on other planets, but each such system is likely to develop in a different way, because of the different environmental circumstances on other worlds and because of chance.

Let's assume further that -given enough time- complexity and eventually intelligence emerges. Such intelligent creatures are likely to be shaped by competition because of evolution itself and that property fosters greed and aggression. However, they are also likely to be shaped by cooperation and social properties, because of the emergence of sapience. The latter fosters altruism and mental capacities. Which side outweighs the other? Imagine a species that can hook up their nervous systems directly to the environment like in the "Avatar" movie. Such a race would exist on a level of interconnectedness that we can't even dream of. Or imagine a species that has mastered astral projection on account of their brain chemistry (if they do have brains at all). They would not even need star ships to visit us. Or imagine a species that has developed the technology to modify its own genome in controlled ways. The possibilities are endless.

Far out, I know, but this is "The Lounge".

Cheers, Thomas
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retrofuturist
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Re: Prof. Stephen Hawking warns over alien beings

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings Cooran,
cooran wrote:To think that beings on other worlds' capable of space travel will only have lovingkindness and no greed and hatred is an illusion - or more likely, a delusion.
The opposing view is that if an alien race were spiritually unenlightened, they would have already succeeded in destroying themselves prior to developing the means for interstellar travel and survival.

Admittedly this view was probably more popular in previous decades when the threat of nuclear holocaust was more imminent, but we can see even now that mankind is going to have to encounter many more challenges of its own making because interstellar travel becomes viable.

:alien:

Metta,
Retro. :)
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
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Annapurna
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Re: Prof. Stephen Hawking warns over alien beings

Post by Annapurna »

mikenz66 wrote: (Professor Hawkings)......perhaps he's watched Invasion of the Body Snatchers or Avatar too many times... :guns:
Mike
Now, that I've finally watched Avatar and found it great, and now that's I've watched "Signs" again last night, I thought of this thread again.

And it made me think of Jules Verne. He wrote science fiction- when? A long time ago.

But most of his fiction is already old snow now.

We've been there, done that.

Likewise, all sorts of other things, now only science fiction, could materialize, we simply don't know what's out there.

We're like little frogs happily croaking away on our waterlily leaves and with no idea what is happening in other ponds...

EVERYTHING is possible.

We only have to look at ourselves.

The same species that brought forth a Buddha has also brought forth a Hitler.

In one and the same Army can be rapists and those who keep others from raping.

An army could one day do interstellar traveling-missions- and contain morally base and morally superior beings, and the revelation who is who may come too late, just like Avatar had the good human with a holistic view, (and concerned about "savages") and the bad human, with a limited view and only thinking of the own gain.

To me, that makes the most sense.

A spaceship wouldn't be crowded with only wise, compassionate scientists.

There is also military staff on it and mechanics. And always weapons, which can be abused.

with metta,

Anna
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Prasadachitta
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Re: Prof. Stephen Hawking warns over alien beings

Post by Prasadachitta »

Even if Aliens were friendly we would likely expose each other to serious diseases.


:|

Gabe
"Beautifully taught is the Lord's Dhamma, immediately apparent, timeless, of the nature of a personal invitation, progressive, to be attained by the wise, each for himself." Anguttara Nikaya V.332
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