I disagree with Hightower.

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Wednesday, June 2, 2010

I am not alone.

There is someone else who thinks that perhaps it is not a good idea to be broadcasting into space that we are here – that we are throwing note bottles into the ocean of space – because we are unable to leave this planet – because we are helpless and an easy target for a more advanced civilization. Do a thought experiment. Imagine an American Indian on the east coast in 1400. He has a small light log with some carvings on it. Should he throw it into the Atlantic hoping some friendly European will find it? The superstar scientist Stephen Hawking also thinks that this attempt to tell others that we are here is not such a good idea . http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/science/space/article7107207.ece .
Posted by Unknown at 2:54 PM

1 comment:

  1. TomJune 17, 2010 at 6:56 AM

    It’s a risk. And as far as I can determine there is no way to rate the risk. For example we could not say that the principles of human nature would guide the alien’s actions. The safe play (and risk averse play) would be not to broadcast. With human curiosity balanced against an indefinable risk I think curiosity will win.

    As for Hawking – I am not sure his superstar status in theoretical physics applies to alien social issue.

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