"The whole issue of searching for life is shrouded by *metaphysical* issues. By 'metaphysics' I mean literally mean 'beyond' - physics. Persuasion, conviction, optimism and pessimism about the existence of self-identifying life are an important context in which we do objective science. All that is being said here is that science is not done in a metaphysical vacuum. We do science, give priorities to projects in science and spend resources on the basis of such metaphysics. But metaphysics is a broad area which involves lots of human traits.
Our belief systems - religious or otherwise, our assumptions, our desires and hopes. Perhaps in the case of SETI, our cosmic significance too. We live increasingly in a world looking for spiritual understanding of ourselves. The rejection of traditional religion has opened a way to new spiritual searches. These may be a Paul Davies' 'Mind of God' or new age crystal power or, indeed, spirituality in a quest for aliens. As such there are going to be naysayers and enthusiasts for all sorts of reasons. And equally, for all sorts of reasons, such parties are going to be against or for SETI.
So, we need to understand the issues at two levels. Firstly on the science side we need to strive for excellence at doing the best possible science, and, secondly, inextricably tied to the first, on the metaphysical side, we need to open up debate on the big issues which confront us as human beings. If we should find self-identifying life and it can be proven objectively that such exists then indeed we have found something absolutely astounding! Yet equally, if after many years of work we do not find evidence for artificial signals then we may lose interest or perhaps conclude that, for all intents and purposes, we are alone. Such a conclusion also has far reaching implications."
Our belief systems - religious or otherwise, our assumptions, our desires and hopes. Perhaps in the case of SETI, our cosmic significance too. We live increasingly in a world looking for spiritual understanding of ourselves. The rejection of traditional religion has opened a way to new spiritual searches. These may be a Paul Davies' 'Mind of God' or new age crystal power or, indeed, spirituality in a quest for aliens. As such there are going to be naysayers and enthusiasts for all sorts of reasons. And equally, for all sorts of reasons, such parties are going to be against or for SETI.So, we need to understand the issues at two levels. Firstly on the science side we need to strive for excellence at doing the best possible science, and, secondly, inextricably tied to the first, on the metaphysical side, we need to open up debate on the big issues which confront us as human beings. If we should find self-identifying life and it can be proven objectively that such exists then indeed we have found something absolutely astounding! Yet equally, if after many years of work we do not find evidence for artificial signals then we may lose interest or perhaps conclude that, for all intents and purposes, we are alone. Such a conclusion also has far reaching implications."
Dr Frank Stootman, Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
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1 comment:
As if we don't have enough problem already with terrestrial intelligence.
:P
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