When British cosmologist Stephen Hawking warned against contact with extraterrestrials in a new Discovery Channel documentary, he was repeating a well-worn argument. “If aliens ever visit us, I think the outcome would be much as when Christopher Columbus first landed in America, which didn’t turn out very well for the Native Americans.”
But Hawking’s reasoning is flawed on a number of counts. First, we can ask why the aliens would come here with guns blazing. What could they possibly want? Hawking suggests that Earth’s resources might be a reason. “I imagine they might exist in massive ships, having used up all the resources from their home planet. Such advanced aliens would perhaps become nomads, looking to conquer and colonize whatever planets they can reach.”-Alien Invasion: Why Stephen Hawking is Wrong
Monday, May 3, 2010
Are Aliens Evil?
Stephen Hawking vs Paul Davies and Neil deGrasse Tyson:
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ReplyDeleteThursday, April 29, 2010
Don't talk to the aliens
I heard the news on the radio and Steve Hawkins said don't talk to the aliens. I can see why, since that human curiosity may kill us like the proverbial cat.
Mars Attacks, the finest Sci-Fi movie ever, showed that arrogant earthly personality types can be their own worst enemy.
However,
This is a Travelogue for the Universe. At least my goal is to reach across the the galaxy and see what is possible.
When I was quite young, nearly 45 Earth years ago, As I shone my flashlight to the sky I was beaconing a sign, is it too late to retract my signal?
Or could the aliens now intercept our blogosphere, curious about our personalities, bad habits, indulgences, gripes and wishes?
Will they see through the words, misinterpret and be offended, or embrace us as their own alien family?
All I know, is when they land, if they want to destroy me, it is no more than others that have come before them.
If they extend their hand, Mr. Hawkins, respectfully, it would have been a long trip and I probably would offer them a sparkling ethanol beverage.
Mary Gerdt, Monkton, Vermont 2010 AD earth. Martian name Aryanna.