quatrotritikali

Mankind may yet find intelligent life outside our solar system. Assumptions should not be made that any intelligent life that is found will be friendly. However, at the same time, Earth should not appear aggressive or paranoid towards advanced species, until we know what their intentions are towards Earth and it's citizens.

The Star Trek Prime Directive is actually a quite handy regulation. It is Star Fleet's Highest Directive...that humans should not interfere in the lives or alien species, advanced or not. Doing so could destabilize their entire culture or religious system.

Any "first contact" with another advanced species should be done so with caution and respect for the other species.

Us Earthlings will be very busy studying each and every star system in our Milky Way Galaxy...attempting to locate life beyond our star system. Forget other galaxies such as Andromeda...we should focus primarily on our own vast galaxy in the search for life.

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RightOfCenter

It would depend on our situation at the time. If a species is less technologically advanced than us and the human race has polluted the earth to uselessness then they should be wiped out for the good of humanity.

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conquer

I wonder why people think that UFO's are coming grom another far away planet. I think that such "alliens" have lived on earth before us (humans) or together with us for long time.

A space travel is not like going from New York to Canada in a train. Space traveling implies several consequences which will hurt the travelers. For example, staying in outer space for about a year distorts the human body, diminishes its inmune system to dangerous levels, it causes in it a faster osteoporosis, it leads to disorientation and other mental troubles, and more. If a human wants to go to a planet in another solar system with the current consequences of space traveling, what it will land in such another planet is a vehicle with a mass of flesh drop on the floor of it as jello.

So, we cannot expect that people from other planets won't have similar consequences in their traveling. Of course they will have such a problem which is matter suffering changes by the changes in their environment. The laws of physics rule over that foolish imaginations of many.

Unless you think that such alliens are not made of matter.

Star Trek is a fantasy like Relativity theory or Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs story, you just cannot lean on such fantasies to discuss the possibilities of alliens coming to earth from other galaxies.

Regardless of speed, the travelers and their machines will be indeed affected by the traveling, and we are talking of trillions of miles of traveling taking years of motion through space.

You can believe in Star Trek fantasies if that is your desire, but such fantasies won't justify at all the idea that such UFO's come from other solar systems or similar ideas.

Put your feet on earth...

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Knowledge is more important than imagination.
Conquer.

Korimyr the Rat

Sure. Ain't no different than any kind of terrestrial animal-- except that they would be of far great scientific interest than the majority of terrestrial animals.

I'd say that the best course of action is to make contact. Observe enough to try to make First Contact, then open diplomatic and trade channels immediately.

Worst case scenario, they turn out to be xenophobic and hostile and we have to apply a little good old Terran boot leather to unsuspecting alien ass. Best case, we have a willing-- if not awestruck-- trade partner (and potential ally, should there be other ET intelligences around) and a partner in our further scientific research and exploration.

Not to mention, of course, a demonstrable history of acting in good faith, should it ever become an issue.

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quatrotritikali

Wow...did that make any sense? I think not. First of, you cannot apply standards of physics, as we know it, to extraterrestrials. Certainly, if there are beings capable of traveling through the vastness of space...their knowledge of what humans call physics goes far beyond our comprehension at this time. Alien space travelers may not be bound by the normal laws of physics.

Space travel does not impy any consequences. What consequences? We do not know how traveling through space at high speeds will affect the human body. Sure, we can conduct tests and such here on Earth...but once again, it really proves nothing except for our limited knowledge of space travel. It will take high speeds to move us through space in a timely matter. However, at this time, we are unable to accomplish this feat. The first two probes launched from Earth in the 1970s (Voyager One and Voyager Two), were sent on courses that would eventually take them out of our solar system. And these two probes have only now reached the outer edge of our solar system, ready to punch through into the vastness of the Milky Way Galaxy around us.

Alien travelers from space may not be restricted by human frailties of space flight. All life as we know it (from amoebas, flowers, bugs, monkeys, humans, etc) is carbon-based. Alien beings may not be carbon-based, but perhaps sulphur-based or silica-based life forms. These type of life forms may have certain protections from any of the rigors of space travel.

Do you actually believe that the Theory of Relativity is a fantasy? Geez...you really need to go back to school.

WI Crippler

I;m not quite sure what you are trying to accomplish here, as its slightly off topic even though its related.

Sure, as it stands right now, space travel is very harmful to the human body. The best we can do, is probably make it to Mars. I'm not talking about right now. I am talking down the road, when hopefully we have developed the technolgy and the know-how to travel through space at tremendous speeds, or maybe alternative methods we are currently unaware of. What will or should be our moral or ethical code for making contact with life elsewhere?

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"Fatigue makes cowards of us all" - Vincent T. Lombardi.

DivineComedy

Do not let liberals make the trip:

Section 4. The United Federation of Planets shall guarantee to every Planet in this union a republican form of government, and shall protect each of them against invasion; and on application of the Federation Council, or of the Federation President (when the legislature cannot be convened) against domestic violence. And based upon that principle of planetary rights is the Prime Directive that "liberals" shall not interfere in the development of other planets.

And do not take the common cold, potatoes, kudzu, African bees, Japanese Beatles, or blankets with small pox...

The liberals will talk a good game, but if on the other planet Buffalo roam and they want cheap Buffalo they will contain the other planet's progress with Buffalo for Chicken Nuggets and call it "peace."

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“[59.14] They will not fight against you in a body save in fortified towns or from behind walls; their fighting between them is severe, you may think them as one body, and their hearts are disunited; that is because they are a people who have no sense.”

Yeah, a wall and a border patrol will protect us. {sound of laughter}

Lachean

Wow... I can't believe people like you still exist...

Tell me, is the earth flat where you live? Do you still burn witches?

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"Truth, in the matters of religion, is simply the opinion that has survived." - Oscar Wilde