Re:Four Earth-sized planets detected orbiting the nearest su...
by 2845197541 on Thursday August 10, 2017 @05:33PM
(#14984520)
I apologize for being semantic, but I think that would answer the 'how' rather than the 'why.' I understand what you're saying though. As for the religious, well... I believe they will absolutely find a way for there not to be any major implications. New findings will be absorbed into the obfuscatory practice of apologetics.
Re:Four Earth-sized planets detected orbiting the nearest su...
by ExactoKnight on Thursday August 10, 2017 @06:21PM
(#14984898)
Yeah, I really used the first questions as a way to give importance to how big the "Are we alone?" question is on the scale of humanity.
That is to say, that arguably "Why are we here" is the only question of more significance than "Are we alone?"
If this telescope can answer the second most important question to humanity, that's pretty good.
Re:Four Earth-sized planets detected orbiting the nearest su...
by throwawayjaja1 on Friday August 11, 2017 @05:27PM
(#14994463)
Already been done, see CS Lewis
Re:Four Earth-sized planets detected orbiting the nearest su...
by meric on Thursday August 10, 2017 @06:05PM
(#14984778)
I can't believe you like the idea of discovering alien life so you can use the discovery to troll religions. Surely there's other reasons why this is exciting?!
Re:Four Earth-sized planets detected orbiting the nearest su...
by JCharante on Thursday August 10, 2017 @06:27PM
(#14984936)
I always thought the big deal of finding life on other planets would be to deal a major blow to creationism.
Re:Four Earth-sized planets detected orbiting the nearest su...
by ExactoKnight on Thursday August 10, 2017 @07:28PM
(#14985324)
Even a negative finding holds important implications: if we successfully survey all of the exoplanets within 100 to 1000 light years and find no life or anything even close being habitable for humans, then it would gravely inform us of the ways in which we must preserve the Earth that we have.
Re:Four Earth-sized planets detected orbiting the nearest su...
by jessaustin on Thursday August 10, 2017 @11:03PM
(#14986287)
...and also it would be cited by creationists as proof that they're right.
So while discovering life on another planet wouldn't answer exactly "why we are here", it would go a hell of a long way in shaping our answers to that question.