Ask HN: Is there any credible evidence for ET intelligent life?

Re:Ask HN: Is there any credible evidence for ET intelligent... by ndethore on Wednesday July 04, 2018 @01:03PM (#17458279)

It depends on your definition of "intelligent life", but if you're talking about a life form that we, humans could observe and interact with using our few senses then I'm afraid that the answer is "no". Anders Sandberg, Eric Drexler and Toby Ord recently published a paper that demonstrate a substantial probability that we're alone our galaxy and perhaps observable universe: https://arxiv.org/abs/1806.02404

Can you guys hear the cosmic crickets too? lol

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Re:Ask HN: Is there any credible evidence for ET intelligent... by dosy on Thursday July 05, 2018 @08:21AM (#17462646)

If we're really alone, does what we do / not do, have any real value? More anecdotal evidence for them could be said to exist than for God and if there are no ETs/God/higher powers, and we're just alone does any of it really matter? Isn't all morality / law just whatever elites/leaders have determined is the best way to control us / let them maintain their power? If there is no karma (bad people prosper, while the meek/good often perish) why not just go full-Machiavellian? Is the only meaning in this world the pursuit of biological urges / or money-status? If we're alone, what's the point?

By the same logic that priests having the power to channel / control the believers access to God have wielded tremendous power, the State would probably love if ETs were real, since it could then co-opt ETs into a mechanism for control. Or maybe the ETs can't be co-opted...

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Re:Ask HN: Is there any credible evidence for ET intelligent... by BerislavLopac on Wednesday July 04, 2018 @04:38PM (#17459334)

And the HN discussion is here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17302924

BTW, "Cosmic Crickets" is the name of my next rockabilly revival band. ;-)

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