Is humanity alone? No. Period. As Douglas Adams says, the universe is a really big place. The question is, why haven't we had contact? Well, you know, I actually don't think that's a hard question. First, how long have we been looking? 50 years, max? Second, how could aliens find us, out here on the edge of the galaxy, until we waved at them, which we've only been doing for about 100 years, a mere tick of the clock, using a method so primitive that even creatures with our minimal intelligence can employ it (i.e., radio)? Third, and most important, how have we been looking? We've been using telescopes, a ridiculous method, and lately, with SETI, some few radio frequencies. Not unreasonable, given that aliens are like us... but why should that be true?

Let's put this in perspective. Suppose that dogs were trying to signal another species of dog. How would they do it? By barking or howling, right? Would we notice that, as a signal of that type? Would we care? How much smarter, given some theoretical maximal potential for intelligence, are we than dogs? Infinitesimally, I would say. Our brains must fit, badly, inside our heads, folded up, in order to have expanded to the amount they have, which is about all our bodies will take, both in volume and metabolically.

Suppose we found out how to increase head size, or produce more efficient folding, or better, connect ourselves to our computers? Where would our intelligence go then? In the latter case, the practical limits would be... well, I certainly can't even begin to envision it. Now, given that we could be, let us conservatively say, 100 times more intelligent than now, how would we signal... what indeed would our picture of the universe be, our physics, our electronics? We are not now 100 times smarter than dogs. How would our physics compare with our present idea of physics? Etc. You see my point? To aliens, if they notice us at all, we are, until we can consciously increase our intelligence, merely another species of animal on this planet. So why should they want to contact us, any more than we would want to contact those dogs? And how would we notice or understand it, if they did, any more than dogs could conceive, build, and use a radio set?

That's one of my theories, I think the most likely one. The next most likely one is this: look at the way computers are going. What if we are able to "scan" our brains totally, convert our neural dynamics into another form, and embody ourselves within a computer (a very large one, of course, and a radically different type from present digital computers, but those are — for the purpose of this discussion — quibbles). I mean, totally move into the computer, as a dynamic pattern in it. And not just ourselves, but everyone and our civilization... living in a virtual world, having anything we want happen (virtually, of course, but we wouldn't see any difference), and being immortal (as long as the computer wasn't hit by a meteor, etc.). Now wouldn't that be wonderful? Think about it. Anything you wanted, any life, any environment, any physical laws, no risk, no death... as long as you want.

Now, if I were an alien civilization faced with that possibility, vs. living in the cold, hard, limited real universe, hey, why not? So the second theory is that we can't contact them because when a civilization gets advanced to that stage, they just all move into their computer(s) and live happily ever after, in a virtual heaven of their own design, with the computer protected behind layers of armor and powered by something reasonably perpetual. Sounds good to me, anyway. So that's my second theory as to why we haven't and won't contact them. They're out there, zillions of them. They're just living luxuriously in the basement, so to speak, hoping to go unnoticed for as long as possible.

Or it could be a combination of the two above, with extremely advanced virtual civilizations communicating with each other by means unavailable (and incomprehensible) to us, until we get to that point.


The first thing to say is that if the alien succeeded in making it understood that it wanted to know 'what it meant for human beings to have a mind', then you would presume that it had a mind. Of course, there's always the initial possibility that you are listening to a tape recording, but if you manage to continue an intelligent conversation, that can be ruled out. Then there's the possibility that your 'alien' is merely a mechanical probe responding to instructions from real aliens in their orbiting space ship or back on Mars, and relaying their questions to you. In that case, you are dealing with real minds, at one remove.

However, that misses the real point of the question. With an alien being, we lack all sorts of basic evidential cues. We can't tell the difference between a 'smile' and a 'frown', or between different tones of voice. There's little to empathize with. Or we might be faced with the more extreme Star Trek scenario of a being made of pulses of incandescent energy. Does that pose an insuperable problem?

The mathematician Alan Turing proposed a famous test which could be used to determine whether an individual at the other end of a computer terminal had a mind. The test is to see whether you can keep up an intelligent conversation. In other words, there's sufficient evidence going by speech alone to make a decision. Going by that test, it is irrelevant how physically different the alien is from us.

For anyone who has doubts about the sufficiency of the Turing test — as I have — the question remains open. Suppose that someone suggested that the aliens were intelligent, but unfeeling machines. So it was morally acceptable to use the aliens as tools, enslave them, put them to whatever purpose we liked. The question is whether there is a philosophical argument to show why that attitude would be wrong.

Source:
http://www.123infinity.com/extraterrestrial_life.html

the article touches on a very good point, one that I strongly agree on. The difference in species would be un-amountable...technology differs greatly.

For us to find each other in the void with differing communication techniques would be impossible. It would be like putting paper in a DVD player and expecting it to play an image. However, SETI uses a set of radio signals that broadcast noise the same way the stars and other celestial bodies generate noise. The difference is, our sets of beeps and dashes are more methodical...indicating a level of intelligence. The chances of picking it up would be similar to finding a needle in a giant stack of needles. It would only really be useful for localised recipients. SETI is now in the hands of scientists and the public, but it began as a govt funded project....maybe they knew something we didn't at the time?

I think the aim of SETI will never be reached in our lifetime or our great grandchildrens lifetime....however the foundation has been built. We are putting ourselves among the stars.

The section on digital lifeforms is very interesting. The concept is very understandable.....we are limited by the physical three dimensions of our universe. A digital, or Macro-Universe is defined by the size limit we choose to give it. Never ending space and freedom.

An interesting read to say the least.

we already have been contacted.. message

another nice link

and many more cool analysis

but i guess the people who tell us what to believe havnt told us to believe it yet
looking up,
clem

I think you give your forebearers far too little credit. I'd place that figure in the tens of thousands of years. Not fifty.

I never thought of decoding crop circles before, that's gotta be entertaining

so...we've been looking since before the advent of civilization.

Can you please elaborate?

Sure.

You are 'looking' for intelligent life in the Universe anytime you tilt your head at an upward angle towards the sky and ask yourself if there is anything besides you and your fellow Homo Sapiens in the void above. Whether the mechanical process is with telescopes, space probes, or mere musings and asking questions, the underlying drive and philosophical process is unchanged: one is still 'looking'.

Capisco?

I can agree with that.

The search for ET intelligence is just an extension of mankinds fascination with speaking with 'god' (or gods) everytime they look to the heavens.

I've always thought of it that way too.

You make some good logical points. Assuming you are correct I would think they only way they might make contact in the near future would be if they crashed on our planet and needed help. But that would never happen...oh wait! I think I read something about that happening before. It's probably not true though (sarcasm). I do agree that they would have to initiate contact as we might be too stupid to understand any signals we might receive presently.

We understand mathematics and we communicate with a written and verbal language. Even a highly advanced race could recognize these as basic non-animal intelligence. That is why we have sent out prime numbers and our language in attempts to communicate. We have also sent music as the people at NASA believe that music may be unique to our planet. I think you give too little credit to the the super smart aliens. They may find our intelligence to be rudimentary but I am sure they would recognize that we can communicate and are the intelligent species of this planet and will evolve.

""How much smarter, given some theoretical maximal potential for intelligence, are we than dogs? Infinitesimally, I would say. Our brains must fit, badly, inside our heads, folded up, in order to have expanded to the amount they have, which is about all our bodies will take, both in volume and metabolically.""

My dog plays chess and is able to beat me from time to time. Don't underestimate dogs...hehe

I agree that an alien race finding us out here in the middle of nowhere is very unlikely. It makes more sense that "aliens" created and/or modifed life on this planet. Like diging a hole and throwing a bunch of seeds together in a sense and letting it be for however long. This would explain how "they" know we are here and the humanoid description of "aliens".

As with the whole computer life thing. Sounds like the matrix to me

I'd say humans are a fairly intelligent species and look at the hard time they are having attempting to find people hiding on this planet. The world "intelligence" communities can't even find a human who they know is hiding in a rather small portion of the earth....how could they possibly find anything in the vastness of space?

Indeed we have trouble finding those on this planet let alone space.

I could plant a garden in the middle of the Amazonian jungle and as long as I have the coordinates it doesn't matter how long I'm gone. I could zero back in to an exact fix years after - no problem - with the right technology assisting me. I think it'd be the same for them.

Some very good points were raised her, I think.

One question: If you have ancient, cosmically intelligent vast powers out there, should we not see the evidence of their industry across the sky? Where are the Dyson spheres, Ringwords, and altered stars? Even a computer civilization is going to have a use for matter.

Some of these wonders may be too close to us to recognize. After all, even in 2007, we still cannot arrive to a unanimously agreed upon consensus of the Great Pyramid's purpose, for instance. Or the story behind the Sphinx and why it appears to be many thousands of years older than previously thought..

Come on in 2012. Lotsa room on this little rock...

Actually it has been done before! They decoded a few of them sand saw a model of a beamship, or the ufos that look exactly like the ones the nordic aliens fly around in. I read this in a Crop Circles: Signs of Contact by Colin Andrews.

DOH.....(smacks forehead)

double DOH ....(smacks forehead twice)

Why do we assume they are super intelligent? ..

They ( The closest ones to us, say ) could be a primitive species ..

Though I wouldn't doubt for a second that there is a planet(s) with more intelligent beings ..

After all -- The universe is a big place

In which case we still couldn't make contact with them.

I think it is fairly reasonable to assume that if or when contact does occur, it will be them visiting us rather than vice versa. And in those circumstances, it may also be quite easy to assume that it would be they rather than us that are the more intellectual and advanced species.

i agree . unless..
they contact us by accident (inventing a 'radio-ish thing' for instance- and we recieve the signals).
traveling through space/time is as easily learned for them as ..say- fire was for us.
(im sure theres other examples but im a lil hurried)

or say on mars theres primitive beings hangin out wondering what this "demon bug' thing is doin rollin around (mars rovers).
and im sure we would be the less intelligent of the beings- because we are (and keep..) getting messages and have for years- but cant even get past the ' cant be true- and dont talk about it cause you'll sound like a loon' part of our existance. its a shame really- cause i have this crazy feeling the next step of our evolution will be pretty neat-o

clem