Search for signs of Intelligent ET's in the Solar System

[Ophiolite]

The idea that ETs could be in our solar system and not be aware of us is absurd. Planets like Earth are rare gems, they could not help but notice. And soon they would detect industrial chemicals in our atmosphere.

Scenario 1: The ETs have suffered the interstellar travel equivalent of a shipwreck and are currently ensconced on one of the moons of Saturn awaiting rescue. Their entire focus is on establishing contact with their fellows elsewhere and on surviving until rescue arrives.

Scenario 2: As creatures who evolved on an ice giant they are established on Saturn and have no interest in the goings on of a pathetic little rock and any ludicrous inhabitants it might possess.

Scenario 3: I refer you to Rendezvous with Rama. If you don't believe me, perhaps you can believe Clarke.

 

 

Interstellar travel is FAR beyond our own stealth technology, sorry I disagree they can do better cloaking than we can.

 

 

You do realise that there is a difference between "better than" and "FAR better than"?

 

 

How could they not be interested in another intelligent life form, such a rare thing?

 

1. You assume that all travelling ETs have the same level and type if curiosity as humans. Apparently you did not heed my advice to contemplate the meaning of alien. This assumption is not required to be valid.

2. Why are you assuming intelligent life is rare? They may have come to our system to get away from the galaxy wide infestation of intelligent beings, delighted that this system contains only one and it is has not yet managed to reach the pleasant climes of Venus.

 

I disagree, what would they have to gain by us knowing about them?

On the one hand you say they are bound to be interested in us, yet apparently this interest does not extend to actually communicating with us. The logic of that position escapes me.

 

 

Predation is the natural order. The strong or techno-advanced conquor and subjugate on this planet.

Predation is the natural order? So is cooperation. Can you explain in what way Medicins sans Frontieres conquers and subjugates the planet? Despite the horrors that occur on the planet daily, humans are gradually becoming "nicer". If the trend continues, by the time we reach another, less developed planet we will be jolly good neighbours.

 

There is a case for ETs to have evolved from predators, that I saw in a documentary with reputable scientists, like what happened on Earth. Predation takes more intelligence than mere grazing, or soaking up sun rays.

Of course there is a case for it. I've made it myself, but it is only a case. It is not an absolute certainty. Far from it.

 

I suspect the root of your error in all these faulty assumptions is that you are extrapolating from a single data point: life on Earth.

 

I really do urge you to contemplate alien, for at least 30 minutes.

[Airbrush]

I am not assuming, I only propose my assertions as higher probabilities.

 

Your criticisms are interesting but unrealistic, and low probability events, such as the shipwrecked aliens. Certainly, if they traveled to this region of the galaxy, they would already be aware of Earth because if they don't have telescopes they have something more sophisticated to enable interstellar travel. We suspect our kind of planet is a rare gem, among a multitude of hellish worlds we discover daily through Kepler.

 

"Scenario 2: As creatures who evolved on an ice giant they are established on Saturn and have no interest in the goings on of a pathetic little rock and any ludicrous inhabitants it might possess."

 

Low probability. Intelligent life is most likely rare, (Fermi Paradox), the Rare Earth Hypothesis is likely.

 

It is more probable that a predator animal will evolve more intelligence than a plant can ever evolve intelligence. I'm not suggesting a predator ET may come and eat us, only that they probably evolved on a planet where they used intelligence to obtain food.

 

Tell me what you think is probable.

Edited February 25, 2016 by Airbrush

[Endy0816]

Not a gem for anaerobic lifeforms.

 

These other worlds are hellish for us, but even on our own planet there are lifeforms with very different standards.

 

Some can shrug off lethal radiation. Some eat it for lunch. Still others exist simultaneously at two temperature extremes all while lacking mouths. Now imagine how alien a species we are not related to might be.

[Ophiolite]

I am not assuming, I only propose my assertions as higher probabilities.

Nonsense. You stated them as absolutes and dismissed alternatives absolutely. Now you are moving the goal posts, when the correct response is to accept that you misspoke.

 

 

Your criticisms are interesting but unrealistic, and low probability events, such as the shipwrecked aliens.

Please provide citations for studies of the incidence of shipwrecked aliens in our galaxy. In the absence of such citations stop declaring your wild-assed guesses are somehow superior to my alternative scenarios, for which I assert no probability factor.

 

 

Certainly, if they traveled to this region of the galaxy, they would already be aware of Earth because if they don't have telescopes they have something more sophisticated to enable interstellar travel.

Being aware of the Earth is not the same as being aware of us. You are moving goalposts again.

 

 

We suspect our kind of planet is a rare gem, among a multitude of hellish worlds we discover daily through Kepler.

No. That is what you suspect. That is what some people suspect, but the more thoughtful persons who suspect this are ready to admit that is no more than a suspicion and could be entirely wrong.

You also display a highly terracentric viewpoint, imagining intelligent life needs and Earth like environment to develop. That is not objective and quite possibly wrong.

 

 

"Scenario 2: As creatures who evolved on an ice giant they are established on Saturn and have no interest in the goings on of a pathetic little rock and any ludicrous inhabitants it might possess."

 

Low probability. Intelligent life is most likely rare, (Fermi Paradox), the Rare Earth Hypothesis is likely.

No. You are extrapolating from a sample size of one. That is plain silly. Neither you nor I have any serious idea of how likely it is that life could evolve to a human level intelligence on an ice giant.

 

The Fermi paradox does not imply rarity of intelligent life, it merely raises the question of why we have not encountered it. The Rare Earth hypothesis is only one hypothesis of many. I happen to "subscribe" to it, but I recognise there is just as much evidence for the contrary.

 

 

It is more probable that a predator animal will evolve more intelligence than a plant can ever evolve intelligence. I'm not suggesting a predator ET may come and eat us, only that they probably evolved on a planet where they used intelligence to obtain food.

And you know this from a study of 385 biospheres on planets in this galaxy? No? You are basing your assumptions on a sample size of one!

 

 

Tell me what you think is probable.

I think that assigning probabilities to the matter of intelligent life, other than as an amusing intellectual exercise, is - with our current knowledge - a truly dumb act.

 

I think it probable that you will disagree.

[Airbrush]

I think that assigning probabilities to the matter of intelligent life, other than as an amusing intellectual exercise, is - with our current knowledge - a truly dumb act.

 

I think it probable that you will disagree.

 

Yes