A new atheist's theories on meta-like physical existence

[vorlon13]

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So, are we all alone? Are there beings who have reached the singularity (in the Kurzweil sense of the term) and now can control life itself? Kurweil's projections are lofty, but who could argue that a civilization 1000 years beyond ours couldn't control life? Once you can control life,, i.e. eternal life, aren't you God-like?

A civilization 1000 years beyond our own 100 million years ago (in our 10+ billion year old galaxy) would be here!!

They've had ample, ample, ample time to completely fill the galaxy many, many, many times over.

Where are they ?

[freedeepthink]

In view of the Fermi paradox, I'm thinking the advanced civilization might be us.

Really.


Or, if I am feeling generous, we're first.


Think of the galaxy as a large petri dish. The first civilization that develops the technology and has the motivation to colonize the galaxy will. And even without faster than light capabilities, the galaxy has been around long enough for that to have occurred >1000 times, and yet, they are NOT here.

Helluva thing to contemplate.

Thanks for the Fermi Paradox reference. That was helpful. I have considered that maybe there are more advanced civilizations but perhaps not advanced enough to transcend the speed of light, distance, or time. Otherwise, it seems that at least one of these civiliations would have made their presence known. That is, unless of course, as I mentioned in my original post, they don't care to or don't believe in colonizing inhabited planets. No, I am not a Star Trek fan.

I sure hope we aren't all alone. Wouldn't it be nice to receive a message from SETI? My hope for a Metaphysical-like civilization is perhaps my last vestage of hope. Is it a normal stage for new atheists to have these hopes before letting go and accepting that we are hopelessly drifting through this vast universe? Where does this search end?

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. . .

So, are we all alone? Are there beings who have reached the singularity (in the Kurzweil sense of the term) and now can control life itself? Kurweil's projections are lofty, but who could argue that a civilization 1000 years beyond ours couldn't control life? Once you can control life,, i.e. eternal life, aren't you God-like?

A civilization 1000 years beyond our own 100 million years ago (in our 10+ billion year old galaxy) would be here!!

They've had ample, ample, ample time to completely fill the galaxy many, many, many times over.

Where are they ?

In that line of reasoning, the laws of physics would have limitations that can never be overcome that would explain why our cousins from Alpha Centauri or wherever can't reach us.

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If there are aliens out there, I always thought they would avoid us. And not because of some prime-directive BS, but because our society is full of stupid people who are very loud.

I imagine an alien race first receive our tv radio waves which might be from WW2. They would say, "they're a young civilization, so by the time we reach them they will be better." As they travel closer, they would receive more recent transmissions maybe from the 60s-90s. They'll say, "you see they are getting better. A little wierd but at least there not killing each other as much." Then they receive reality TV. Thats when the aliens panic and say "they're regressing. Lets get the fuck out of here."

Fantastic. Love your comments!

[Surgenator]

I sure hope we aren't all alone. Wouldn't it be nice to receive a message from SETI? My hope for a Metaphysical-like civilization is perhaps my last vestage of hope. Is it a normal stage for new atheists to have these hopes before letting go and accepting that we are hopelessly drifting through this vast universe? Where does this search end?

I don't think a metaphysical civilization would be interested in us at all. They'll be too advance to have anything to talk about. It would be like us trying to talk to an ant.

In that line of reasoning, the laws of physics would have limitations that can never be overcome that would explain why our cousins from Alpha Centauri or wherever can't reach us.

First off, alpha centauri is a binary star system which makes it hard for a planet to exist in its habital zone. Plus, our radio waves have already reached alpha centauri long ago. It only takes 4.37 years to get a signal there.

So we started transmission the radio waves into outer space in 1933. It's been 81 years. So an alien civilization would have to be within 81 light years to detect our radio waves. Which isn't very far considering the our galaxy is 100,000 light years wide. Of course, this logic can be reversed. If there is intelligent life out there, they are too far away from us to notice.

Fantastic. Love your comments!

Thanks

[vorlon13]

Speeds far slower than light are entirely adequate to colonize the galaxy, it just takes time. And realize, once a colony is up and running, it can launch colonizing ships of it's own, and those colonies can do the same. The galaxy can be explored and settled in far less time than it has existed.

The greater the number of advanced civilization one imagines as existing in our galaxy, the more likely it is at least one of them will have the technology and the will to colonize. But, then we should be even more likely to have encountered them, and we have not. It can't be both ways, many civilizations will make for many colonizers, not every advanced civilization will be content to stay home when they don't have to. And it only takes a SINGLE civilization to spread throughout the galaxy.

We already know our galaxy is EXTREMELY different from Star Trek, very, very different. It is not teeming with expansionist aliens of any stripe. And 'not teeming' might extend down to just a mere handful of civilizations, and maybe, just maybe, only us.

[freedeepthink]

Let's say it takes a considerable amount of time and energy, with the greatest technology of the most advanced civilizations to travel to different civilizations in the galaxy. No wormholes here. Now let's say that with their Super-Duper Telescope they can assess whether another civilization is worth traveling to based upon the what minerals and life forms exist on that planet. Wouldn't those advanced beings choose to travel to other advanced civilizations at their own intellectual level. Perhaps there is nothing worth traveling to on earth for an advanced civilization. Or perhaps we don't have the resource they are seeking in the galaxy.