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I think you just insulted me and my pet turtle!
I'm sure your turtle is very nice.
I think you just insulted me and my pet turtle!
I'm sure your turtle is very nice.
We should stop looking for them because if we found them very very bad things would likely happen to us.
You're rolling your eyes at me? Apdst, don't take this the wrong way, and I genuinely, truly respect what you have to say on the topic of alien life, their possible behavior and anything else science related, and it's not the fact that I would sooner take Stephen Hawking's opinion over yours, but that I would sooner heed the opinion of a vacuum cleaner over yours.
Nothing personal.
Everything about the development of civilization tells us that rights become more and more respected with time. An advanced civilization, maintaining a realistic trajectory of development, would be far more decent than we are. This assessment is based on reality.
Your "aliens are probably evil" is based on nothing except Chicken Little 'sky falling' hysteria. There's no reason to believe an advanced civilization has regressed as opposed to advanced in regard to civility.
Your assessment is counter to all known evidence.
ps. Hawking was not a sociologist. His "assessment" of aliens is meaningless. He was just complaining about the world being crappy, and that's all you're doing.
Cardinal, don't take this the wrong way, but I could care less about your opinion of me, or my opinion.
When the aliens show up, be sure and let me know. Until then...they don't exist.
And I think you should totally explore the possibility of your being right. Far away. Without us. Preferably on a moon on the other side of the galaxy, and with a cyanide tablet under your tongue so that if/when everything goes terribly, terribly wrong you'll die before giving away our location.
Well, that's a little uncalled for. I just said I respect what you have to say on all things related to science.
Nonsense. Be real.
All evidence demonstrates a more advanced civilization will be more decent than us. Just as we are more decent than those before us.
No, you're flamebaiting me...lol!
And I think it's absolutely fantastic you feel that way. If there's one thing the world needs more of, it's optimists. Now, if you should ever meet with aliens, please make sure you're far away and practice the following line: "Why no, there are no others like me. I am the last of my species. Why do you ask?"
I'm not an optimist. I'm basing my assessment on reality, while you are basing your assessment on nothing. I'm a realist (making assessments based upon actual evidence) and you're just making up fantasy.
All the evidence is on my side. Making up labels for me is not going to change that. Spew your fantasy all you want, but know that it's counter to all evidence.
Pretending that your assessment is equal to mine is intellectually dishonest. Concede the debate, join us in reality. Give up the Chicken Little costume, enough scaring ignorant children.
Ruh roh, Ecofarm is pissed now -- he's pulling out the "my intellect is greater than yours" card!
If we did meet aliens, what do you think they would call us? My vote goes to "Shell-less Meat Sponge."
Cardinal, don't take this the wrong way, but I could care less about your opinion of me, or my opinion.
When the aliens show up, be sure and let me know. Until then...they don't exist.
BS. Spare us the false accusations. My POSITION is better than yours - because it's based on evidence and not merely fantasy. I provide facts, evidence, logic and reason; you provide nothing.
You're not gonna stop, are you?
Haha, ok, you win.
A vastly more advanced civilization will be less socially developed than we are. We're all gonna die! :scared:
A lot!
Good book, too.
You know what? Maybe you're right. Maybe they would be more advanced and would recognize us not just as some crude source of nutrition but as a sentient species in our own right. In that case, their name for us wouldn't be "Shell-less Meat Sponge," but something more dignified. Something like "The Prior Inhabitants of Our New Blue Green Planet."
Everything about the development of civilization tells us that rights become more and more respected with time. An advanced civilization, maintaining a realistic trajectory of development, would be far more decent than we are. This assessment is based on reality.
Your "aliens are probably evil" is based on nothing except Chicken Little 'sky falling' hysteria. There's no reason to believe an advanced civilization has regressed as opposed to advanced in regard to civility.
Your assessment is counter to all known evidence.
ps. Hawking was not a sociologist. His "assessment" of aliens is meaningless. He was just complaining about the world being crappy, and that's all you're doing.
Um, dude.... that is based on observing only ONE intelligent species, and any generalizations based on a sample of ONE are very suspect. Indeed, to assume respect for rights increases with time you have to focus mainly on the West and ignore about half the world.
Aliens, on the other hand, could be very different from us; so different we may not be able to imagine or comprehend how much so. They might be extremely cooperative and respectful of each other within their own species.... and at the same time have decided it is in their best interest to exterminate all sapients not of their kind. We have no way of knowing.
So you are disregarding the evidence we do have, ignoring logic and reason, and substituting random ideas? That's quite an assessment.
Hardly random. A subject I've been contemplating and intermittently studying for about forty years.
My point is that assuming the aliens would have a societal development that looks like human Western civilization is as big of an assumption, as assuming they'd literally LOOK like humans.
And you totally lack evidence. Man, I came up with some off the top of my head. It only took me a minute.
See if you can come up with any evidence, logic or reason why aliens would be evil. I'll give you another 40 years.
Nonsense. Social development is presumably a part of any intelligent species. Do you have evidence otherwise? Because I DO have evidence that this is the case.