Do you believe we are alone in the universe?

The universe is far, far, far too big and ancient a place to reasonably rule out life elsewhere. Even if the galaxy is currently lacking intelligent life other than our own (and I'm not convinced it is - our expectations of what intelligent life should be doing with itself is, obviously, prejudiced toward our own ideals), I don't think it was nor will be. I'm also much more optimistic about FTL.

 

[Hussar]

Barring any evidence to the contrary, any theory is as good as another.

 

[Shiroiken]

This pretty much sums up my view:

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/oracle

 

[Yaarel]

[MENTION=19675]Dannyalcatraz[/MENTION]

The age of the Earth depends on conflicting dating methods. The 4.5 billion estimate depends on the analysis of meteorite rock. It seems to be a decent method, so I will be more cautious about arguing the antiquity of the earth.

 

[Umbran]

Language as mode of cognition, as well as math and technology, remain less than sufficient in the nonhuman species.

Yep. But any of the great apes are a small jump to these things. Several avians are in the neighborhood of a human child. Cetaceans, alas, are limited by their inability to create technology. But still, getting close seems pretty common on our world.

 

[Yaarel]

That presumes the technological challenges of spanning the gulf of light years is solvable. AND that they’re close enough that if they did, they would come here. If they’re not even in our galaxy, then fuggedaboutit.

I suspect, the human species will even be able to overcome the limitations of time − nevermind the limitations of space.

Even now, we have seen the limitations of gravity, observing the distortion of gravity waves from planetary objects. There is a relativistic nexus linking time and gravity.

In other words.

If technological communication is possible at all, then it would have already happened.

Especially if the hypothetical species is over a billion years older − with its own exponentially accelerating technology!

 

[Yaarel]

Yep. But any of the great apes are a small jump to these things. Several avians are in the neighborhood of a human child. Cetaceans, alas, are limited by their inability to create technology. But still, getting close seems pretty common on our world.

The other apes have been around as long as we have − and all of them failed to make the ‘jump’.

The human proves to be unique.

 

[Umbran]

The age of the Earth depends on conflicting dating methods. The 4.5 billion estimate depends on the analysis of meteorite rock.

No, the age of the Earth does not depend on conflicting dating methods - our *understanding* of it may.

But, let us be clear - there's not a lot of controversy here. The current age was established back in 1956, and while it has been refined over time, I don't think there have been any other serious contenders.

 

[Imaculata]

Language as mode of cognition, as well as math and technology, remain less than sufficient in the nonhuman species.

But I don't find any of those a requirement for intelligence. Not to mention that there are plenty of creatures on this planet that can communicate with each other quite well. Perhaps not in a language as we know it, but effective enough to communicate the things necessary for survival to one another.

[video=youtube;y1kXCh496U0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1kXCh496U0[/video]

Believing in aliens today is identical to believing in elves and trolls during medieval times.

It is a human thing to do, to project the archetypes of our own brain onto our interpretations of our experiences of the universe around us.

Elves and trolls are human fabrications, where as alien life is a concept that is entirely possible. I don't think this is a valid comparison. Life appeared on our planet because the conditions on our planet made it possible. So, given another planet with similar circumstances, it should be possible to happen again. All you need is enough time, and enough potential planets... and the universe is large enough and old enough for that.

That is not even getting into the possibilitity of other forms of life that are unknown to us. It is impossible to speculate on that.

However, if you are referring to the belief of aliens visiting our planet and kidnapping people, then your comparison makes more sense.

 

[Yaarel]

No, the age of the Earth does not depend on conflicting dating methods - our *understanding* of it may.

But, let us be clear - there's not a lot of controversy here. The current date was established back in 1956, and while it has been refined over time, I don't think there have been any other serious contenders.

‘Methods’ means methodologies. The results are as useful as the methods are. There are conflicting methods that scientists apply to estimating the age of the earth.

 

[Yaarel]

Elves and trolls are human fabrications, where as alien life is a concept that is entirely possible. I don't think this is a valid comparison.

However, if you are referring to the belief of aliens visiting our planet and kidnapping people, then your comparison makes more sense.

All ‘aliens’ are 100% human fabrications.

We never met any alien, there is zero evidence of any alien, and our discussing them results 100% from our active human imaginations.

People in our century speculate that aliens might be possible, based on our contemporary worldview mythology.

In the exact same way, one thousand years ago, people speculated that elves and trolls might be possible, based on their contemporary worldview mythology.