We better figure out how to build battlestars and star destroyers soon

[BlackCat]

So we agree that Hawking is squawking over...sigh...nothing? I really wish I could force that to rhyme somehow.

Ehrmn, not quite true - if such a "scavenger" civ stumbled upon earth, they would probably consider us a nuisance that should be got rid of.

[a.kitman]

i think what hawkings is saying makes sense. we have no reason to belive the space aliens would be any more friendly then us. is there any point in our history where a technological supieror civ havent abused the hell out of the natives at there new found land?

[Elok]

Well, if you assume that an alien civ would not only have the technological wherewithal to find us and get to us in a reasonable time...and that this alien civ would require such similar resources as us that Earth was substantially more valuable than a planet like Mars...and they were so desperate for said resources that they'd engage in a war of conquest/extermination, which would certainly badly damage whatever unique resources Earth possesses anyway...well then, you're assuming a lot.

We abused the Natives whenever we could because they had things we value: arable land, gold or other treasures, a potential new market for shoddy or harmful goods. So you need to tack something on to that Drake equation about the probability of aliens being so similar to us that our ecosystem wouldn't be full of indigestible or poisonous crud for them, or the probability that they desire some commodity found in plenty on Earth to the extent that they will ferry it around in spacecraft for several hundreds of light years after fighting us for it.

[Dauphin]

This thread makes me think of this video:

[a.kitman]

its an equal amount of assuming going on regardles if you think the space aliens are here to eat us or make love to us. and thats kinda the point here, there are so many unkown things its best to try and avoid it if you can.

[Elok]

How 'bout assuming they're going to do neither, just sit on their asses in the planet they were born on and leave us alone? That's what we're doing and will do for the foreseeable future, just because moving isn't very practical.

[a.kitman]

and what good does that do? hawkings isnt proposing we start living in caves to hide from space monsters, just we probly shouldnt build a space lighthouse to guide them. his got a good point i dont know why you feel the need to call him senile.

[BeBMan]

He was in Star Trek TNG once so he's more qualified to babble about this than anybody amongst us

[Barnabas]

I think they will take the shape of hot humans and have sex with us, like in Emmanuelle in Space

[Elok]

and what good does that do? hawkings isnt proposing we start living in caves to hide from space monsters, just we probly shouldnt build a space lighthouse to guide them. his got a good point i dont know why you feel the need to call him senile.

Oh, I agree that we shouldn't bother with SETI, but just because it's a waste of time. What Hawking is saying is, in effect, "Don't tease the tigers at the zoo in their sunken, concrete-walled enclosure. They might jump up and kill you." No, they won't, dammit, because it's physically impossible for them to do so. The only reason not to tease the tigers is because it's a dick thing to do.

[DanS]

I'm not sure that I understand Hawkings' line of argument. Is he suggesting that the Native Americans are worse off now for having met Spaniards in the way that they did?

[a.kitman]

hawkings argument is that just because a civilizations got better tech doesnt mean they are gona throw cookies at us. or thats my take on it anyway.

[Dinner]

[Heraclitus]

Has anyone here considered that alines might consider our way of life or very existance unethical or immoral?

http://lesswrong.com/lw/y4/three_worlds_collide_08/


Or that parehaps by the very act of transmition we have already done damage or showed agression and bad intents?

http://www.rifters.com/real/Blindsight.htm



Also as to the line of argument that they should prefer Earth to lets say Mars... from whence the delusion a scavanger civ would just pick off one planet in a solar system? Traveling interstellar distances is hard.


If by chance or intention they come to Sol and they find humans on Earth then...

Well. If they find any value in the biosphere and they are still far enough away or discrete enough so we don't notice them or just perhaps advanced enough not to care a few discrete probes collecting DNA samples should be plenty.

This would then be probably followed by viral weapons intent on wiping out humans if they are weak. If they are God-like (most likley) they probably decide that the time spent eating up the other planets might give us enough time to get a human level AI elevating our civ (if not nesecarily humans) to God like levels in a matter of years, Its just common sense you'd eat up Earth first and then bother with the rest since these pathetic humans aren't really more than a nussiance. I mean by the Goddess the only credible threat in their arsenal to us are crude,inaccurate and easily counteracted balistic missiles.
(dangerus computer or bilogical viruses? By these apes? In a few months? LOL)

[Drake Tungsten]

Is he suggesting that the Native Americans are worse off now for having met Spaniards in the way that they did?

Are you suggesting that they aren't?