On 2/7/2018 4:38 AM, Telmo Menezes wrote:
To summarize the argument:
1. A sufficiently advanced civilization is bound to become a galactic
civilization;
2. We do not observe a galactic civilization;
3. If other instances of life are found, this means that life is not so rare;
4. So it is likely that there is a major obstacle that prevents a
civilization from becoming galactic, and this filter is likely to be
ahead of us.
It's an interesting argument but I think it is based on some rather
strong assumptions:
(a) That becoming a galactic civilization is possible;
(b) That becoming a galactic civilization is desirable;
(c) That galactic civilizations are observable by us.
Firstly we don't know if there's an upper limit for technological
progress, or where that limit could be. Maybe interstellar travel or
the colonization of other planets will never be feasible.
That would be my bet. Galaxies are big and light is slow, and we're a
lot slower.
Brent
Secondly, we
are assuming a lot about a civilization that would be dramatically
ahead of us both culturally and technologically. Maybe galactic
civilization is a silly goal, and we don't even have the mental
constructs to comprehend why or what the good goal would be. Finally,
maybe a galactic civilization does exist but does not wish to be
detected by the likes of us.
I would say that there are too many unknowns for which we don't know
how to assign probabilities.
Telmo.
On Sat, Feb 3, 2018 at 6:20 PM, John Clark <johnkcl...@gmail.com> wrote:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjtOGPJ0URM
John K Clark
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