Aliens
Dread
Join Date: 2002-07-24 Member: 993Members
Join Date: 2002-07-24 Member: 993Members
in Discussions
<div class="IPBDescription">Yay or nay?</div>PROLOGUE(skip if you think reading is for geeks. But then, you shouldn't be in this part of forums anyway):
So, here I was, dissolving my tender taste buds in an exquisite vodka-pepsi mix and solving the mysteries of the universe, when it occurred to me. I should start a thread in discussions. About aliens. That's right. Also, I'd like to mention that there was a topic about this very subject, back in the prehistoric period, when Monses roamed the earth hunting puny Dreads, but seeing those days are WAAAY in the past, I thought it would be best to start a brand new shining topic.
So...
*dons tinfoil hat*
Aliens? Are they out there? Are they here? Why? There's a whole lot of evidence and since you are using internet, you have most likely been predisposed to images of flying saucers, cigars, triangles and whatnot. Is it all just imagination of a million fevered minds, or are they really here? The UFO apollo 11 crew saw, the pictures of alien bases in the dark side of the moon, the Belgian UFO's tracked by NATO fighters etc.
So I guess, it comes down to three choices:
a) The sightings are all hoaxes and paranoia
b) The saucers are from this planet, manufactured and secretly tested by some government
c) It's really extraterrestial activity
(You may call a friend or ask the audience, 50-50 is out)
So, it's time for all the wackos to come out and make a stand. Should we start gathering funds for the TSA/X-COM or what?
So, here I was, dissolving my tender taste buds in an exquisite vodka-pepsi mix and solving the mysteries of the universe, when it occurred to me. I should start a thread in discussions. About aliens. That's right. Also, I'd like to mention that there was a topic about this very subject, back in the prehistoric period, when Monses roamed the earth hunting puny Dreads, but seeing those days are WAAAY in the past, I thought it would be best to start a brand new shining topic.
So...
*dons tinfoil hat*
Aliens? Are they out there? Are they here? Why? There's a whole lot of evidence and since you are using internet, you have most likely been predisposed to images of flying saucers, cigars, triangles and whatnot. Is it all just imagination of a million fevered minds, or are they really here? The UFO apollo 11 crew saw, the pictures of alien bases in the dark side of the moon, the Belgian UFO's tracked by NATO fighters etc.
So I guess, it comes down to three choices:
a) The sightings are all hoaxes and paranoia
b) The saucers are from this planet, manufactured and secretly tested by some government
c) It's really extraterrestial activity
(You may call a friend or ask the audience, 50-50 is out)
So, it's time for all the wackos to come out and make a stand. Should we start gathering funds for the TSA/X-COM or what?
Comments
I would say that yes other life exists. Either once happened, be happening or will be going to be happening.
As for it interacting with us I would say that 99.9% of 'sightings' are just vivid imaginations but it doesn't rule out the possibility of other lifeforms being sophisticated enough to come visit.
However! I also think that we don't see, hear, feel, taste, and touch all of reality. We probably don't come close to experiencing 'reality'. So another intelligent lifeform might be nearby as I write this but I have no way of perceiving it. As he might not be able to perceive me!
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drake_equation" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drake_equation</a>
The drake equation was devised by Frank Drake, the father of SETI. He produced some techniques for analysing the statistical likelihood of our civilisation finding other civilisations.
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermi_Paradox" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermi_Paradox</a>
"The size and age of the universe suggest that many technologically advanced extraterrestrial civilizations ought to exist. However, this belief seems logically inconsistent with the lack of observational evidence to support it. Either the initial assumption is incorrect and technologically advanced intelligent life is much rarer than believed, current observations are incomplete and human beings have not detected other civilizations yet, or search methodologies are flawed and incorrect indicators are being sought."
A resolution this contradiction has led to what is called 'The Rare Earth Hypothesis', that basically uses the Drake equation to explain the Fermi Paradox. I.e. drakes set of factors are correct, but the abundance of said factors is very low.
I personally hope there are other civilisations, but at the moment there is no evidence of it, so I'd probably come down on the side of the Fermi Paradox, albeit very reluctantly.
Regarding UFOs and alien visitations. I have zero time for such discussions. It belongs at a new age conference along with scientology and crystal healing.
- Lots of hoaxes and paranoia,
- Plenty of test flights with top secret aircraft,
- and of course there are real aliens, but maybe they haven't visited us, or have they? I don't see why it's not a possibility.
I don't see why it's not a possibility.
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There is no evidence to support the extraordinary claim that extra-terrestrials have visited earth.
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proofs.
... Anyway. My personal opinion is simply that discussions such as this are moot if we can't prove anything. Sure you can make up a mathematical equasion that suggests there are other intelligent species out there, but as long as we can't prove it for a fact, there's no point in arguing about wheter or not they exist.
This same question can be applied for many things. Is there a God? Did he steal it? Did she murder him? Are there aliens?
What I'm trying to say is, if there is no tangible facts to back something up, it does not exist. Sure, in theory it could exist, but if we can't sense it, it might aswell not. You could counter this argument by saying "Prove that there AREN'T aliens", but that's not really an argument, it's creating a loop.
Like a dog chasing it's tail, like a dog chasing it's tail...
<i>Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence!</i>
... Anyway. My personal opinion is simply that discussions such as this are moot if we can't prove anything. Sure you can make up a mathematical equasion that suggests there are other intelligent species out there, but as long as we can't prove it for a fact, there's no point in arguing about wheter or not they exist.
This same question can be applied for many things. Is there a God? Did he steal it? Did she murder him? Are there aliens?
What I'm trying to say is, if there is no tangible facts to back something up, it does not exist. Sure, in theory it could exist, but if we can't sense it, it might aswell not. You could counter this argument by saying "Prove that there AREN'T aliens", but that's not really an argument, it's creating a loop.
Like a dog chasing it's tail, like a dog chasing it's tail...
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Well, I guess that would be true, if there had not been, in the recorded history of mankind, one single sighting that had been suspected to be of an extraterretial source. That would be like discussing moles being the most intelligent race on this planet.
However! We do have those sightings. A _lot_ of pictures, videos, radar images and witnesses who seem to be credible. If you have a witness saying "that guy stole something from a store" we indeed can at the very least discuss the possibility of the witness being right. So discussing whether the facts are tangible or not, would be a good starting point <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
So it's likely that aliens exist, as every extraterrestrial lifeform - even such a small one - would be an alien.
I don't think that aliens are flying around with their spaceships in earth orbit though.
The distances in the universe are far to large even taken one could travel with the speed of light.
But they might fly around at the other end of the universe. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />
btw this is qft.
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence!<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
the other way round is something most people would take it for granted - they zero the possibility of existence when they cannot find any evidence.
Unfortunately, I don't feel we have enough evidence to say that there is even a possibility that the Earth is infiltrated by extra-terrestrial organisms.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Logic = broken. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":(" border="0" alt="sad-fix.gif" />
In order to say something cannot be true you need evidence.
In order to say something is true you need evidence.
In order to say something is possible you do not need evidence.
I meant that there is not enough evidence to suggest that aliens infiltrated the Earth.
Although, we could discuss some of the hoaxes and unknowns still out there. It's very
interesting how certain camera effects can be used to produce phenomenal images.
<i>Fake. We all know the Air Force is responsible & has a fleet of "UFO's" to distract us from discovering top secret planes in development flying overhead. i.e., the B2 Stealth Bomber & F117 Nighthawk. Ever heard of Area 51?</i>
also, on the topic of logical argument. there are four ways to look at this:
optimist: there is no evidence against it, therefore it is probable.
pessimist: there is no evidence for it, therefore it is improbable.
conspiracy theorist: the lack of evidence proves government control of the media.
mage: there is no evidence, therefore it really doesn't matter.