Fermi Paradox, Omega Point and Superstrings

[Finnish(ed)]

What do you think about...

...the Fermi Paradox?

Are we alone in the Galaxy, or is it teeming with life? What forms could life take and could we ever have meaningful, peaceful interaction with a species from another world? Will species from different planets be so different psychologically, physiologically, ideologically and technologically, that there can be no common ground?

...the Omega Point?

Do you believe that mankind, or the entire universe, is developing towards the Omega Point? Will mankind evolve into a transhuman state and perhaps into true godhood? What are the fundamental tendencies of matter and life? Where could conscious evolution take us? How do you view genetic manipulation, nanotechnology and cybernetics?

...Superstrings?

Do superstrings exist and what difference would it make either way? Do you believe that a human being could someday uncover and understand every secret of the cosmos and create a functional theory of absolutely everything? Does technology have any boundaries if the underlying physical mechanics are understood?

Am I at work? Yes. Am I bored out of my skull? Definitely. Am I a raving lunatic? Absolutely.

 

[sammyfreak]

Life, alone. There might be some other form of inteligent being out there, but for carbon based life there has to be some very very precise parameters set right.

No, mankind will never achieve a superhuman state. And I strongly oppose any form of genetic manipulation.

And we will never fully understand the universe, only a arrogant fool would assume that.

 

[DeMorgan]

Fermi Paradox:

Based on the sheer mind-blowing size of the universe the odds are firmly on the side of some form of life existing somewhere else in the universe. A more important question is are we effectively alone; that is has life developed so far away that contact is not possible or effective. Identifying an alien signal coming to Earth is very different than the back and forth interaction required for true communication; the limited speed of light may set an outer limit on where we could communicate in a useful manner.

Assuming we can effectively interact we then have to find a way to communicate. This may be much more difficult than it seems. Assuming we can't go to where the aliens are, we are stuck sending signals. It would be very difficult to ensure the aliens understand what we are trying to convey, and identifying a signal as having a non-natural source is very different that trying to figure out what message was sent.

However, assuming we can effectively communicate we should have at least a small amount of common ground. Assuming that aliens come from a world without infinite resources needed for survival we can assume that they have a survival instinct developed over the course of their evolution. Even that small point could be the basis for developing further common ground.

Omega Point

While an individual life is a process that has a beginning and an end the body of human knowledge grows. The problem comes about when there is a massive social upheaval large amounts of this knowledge is lost. If human civilization could reach a point of stability we could have a chance to reach the maximum ability of human knowledge, but given some of the seemingly major restrictions in the physics we have seen ( limit on the speed of light, entropy ect.) it is doubtful this would give truly godlike powers.

As for genetic manipulation, nanotechnology and cybernetics, I suspect you will see a large contingent who oppose these on their face. Once these technologies start saving lives (like blood transfusions in the past) objections will melt away.

Superstring

I can't say whether superstring exist or not. From what I understand this concept resolves a lot of the problems in modern physics, but attachment to an idea can lead scientists down the garden path to dogmatic resistance to the evidence. As I understand the situation there are several assumptions for superstring that have not been demonstrated as true.

As for a theory of everything, science works by continuous self correction toward the actual answer. The problem is this does not lead to a final point of having the correct answer, just a bit closer every time. Science can bring us close, but we likely won?t see a final theory that explains everything.

 

[Anton P. Nym]

My favourite solution for the Fermi Paradox was written by Analog editor Stanley Schmidt; as civilisations get more complex and powerful, they will reach a point where one lone whacko can destroy enough in one single act to bring the whole civilisation down. If that technological point is below that of star travel, well, no one's going to live long enough to colonise other stars.

I'm not convinced that the Singularity/Omega Point/whatever is valid. Human capacity will be augmented by technology as it has in the past, but I personally think there'll be a slow-down in advancement at some point in my lifespan as the theoretical rate of discoveries exceeds our biological ability to make, absorb, and distribute them.

As yet string/M theory is untestable albeit very pretty; I'll reserve judgement on it, though I've stolen its concepts for a good many of my own projects. However I do think we'll make significant progress in understanding how the universe works and how fundamental processes operate... I'm even hopeful that the Grand Unified Theory of Everything (physics edition) might get solved before I shuffle off this mortal coil.

Yeah, stuck at work too. Man things are slow.

-- Steve

 

[Fire Daemon]

We are not alone, or if we are alone than that would be because what would stop us from being alone is either dead or not alive yet. Seeing as how the Universe stretchess on forever I find it unlikely nothing else is in it.

Will we become super heroes? We might. Little doubt that humans are taller then they once where. It is possible for us to be stronger. Although of course to be "Invincible" is impossibe. However if we do become "super heroes" than we would have stopped being human.

I'm for Genetic Manipulation untill it goes into "The Sci Fi zone". This is when things become all too similar to Sci Fi horror novels/movies.

Could we discover everything ever? No because new things are changing all the time and have changend. I suppose though if you do know everything than you would have become a living god, maybe these two answer each other?