Could we be the most intelligent life in the entire universe?

a reply to: Bedlam

On the looking like people thing....if the life has any basis in chemistry that is remotely like what we would call "organic life", then it would likely be somewhat similar in form to what we have on Earth. These forms are a result of the mathematics of biochemistry. Human shapes are not an anomaly on Earth. I doubt we would be a form that is anomalous to the universe.

Although DJ's point about life generated in the first couple of stellar cycles being wholly foreign is pretty astute. That aside, given the materials available, it seems that they will only fit together in so many ways, with only a few of them being life sustaining.

originally posted by: StratosFear
a reply to: Bedlam


Humans lifting other species to sentience, a philosophic idea that will consume my thoughts the rest of the day. May I ask where you came across this idea?

If that is indeed our purpose then something must have put us here intending we do our purpose, I`d be worried we are not fulfilling that purpose and either need to be fixed or replaced.

I wish I could say it was my idea, but boy, are YOU in for a nice read.

David Brin. There are at least six novels and a few other parts of novels he's done. Start with "Sundiver" and cruise through. It's hard sf, but it's almost more philosophy. Why are there so many near-sentient species here, but no obvious communications from off Earth? In Brin's universe, there are a lot of other sentient species, but all of them are products of 'uplift', and Earth is the only planet where it just 'happened', maybe. Oddly, we also look like the progenitors. Maybe.

originally posted by: ssenerawa
a reply to: Bedlam

Not sure telepathic communication would count as intelligence...

It's not the telepathy per se, the question is would you recognize an intelligent creature whose individual components were organisms instead of cells?

Sort of a bee colony where no one bee is intelligent, but the hive is. A flock of birds, all individually bird brained, but together, a genius. We don't do that here on Earth, but nothing says it can't happen.

originally posted by: bigfatfurrytexan
a reply to: Bedlam

On the looking like people thing....if the life has any basis in chemistry that is remotely like what we would call "organic life", then it would likely be somewhat similar in form to what we have on Earth.

There is a lot of life on Earth that is unearthly.

What if your alien species is a hydra? A slime mold? A horror from the pre-Cambrian explosion?

This should win the award for the Scariest Thread Title Ever.

Can you even imagine if we were? *gulp*

originally posted by: superman2012
This should win the award for the Scariest Thread Title Ever.

Can you even imagine if we were? *gulp*

I feel the same way. Although probably silly, it makes me feel lonely somehow.

a reply to: ladyinwaiting
“Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.”
― Arthur C. Clarke

I'm with you, if we are really alone then what's the point? So much space and nothing else?!? *forehead beads with sweat*

originally posted by: ssenerawa
Everything is vibrating frequency not spirit world in reality a reply to: intrptr

Of course it is, but for speaking terms have to make the distinction between realms. Even though technically they aren't on a graph but right here, all around us all the time.

a reply to: Bedlam

Things don't become invisible because they emit some non-visible color, either. You yourself are right now emitting microwaves and IR. Doesn't make you a ghost.

I presume you haven't seen one, so how would you even know? In fact I bet if you did get visited you'd attribute it to some chemical imbalance in your brain from a bit of moldy bread, passing it off as induced hallucination.

Way too science for me. You are spirit, but lets not put it into words, because the real you doesn't flap its lips pushing air over vocal chords, either.

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

That aside, given the materials available, it seems that they will only fit together in so many ways, with only a few of them being life sustaining.

Like some boats float and others don't? Construction of a sailing vessel is exacting and precise. It is designed and engineered to withstand the rigors of the sea. Basically the construction of any ocean going vessel begins with laying down the keel, or spine if you will, just like the first development that is recognizable in the womb is also the spine, backbone or keel…

Just projecting, I know.

I am here to argue that humans are not the most intelligent life on earth and that every other species is, in fact, more intelligent than humans.

What is my argument? I don't see any other species that sabotages it's own existence and believes it's saving it's species by doing so.

Most species? If they're about to be eaten by a lion or something, that's just what happens. They're not intelligent enough to save themselves but that comes with a silver lining. They're not smart enough to fight nature. And it's actually dumb to fight nature and believe you're going to win.

originally posted by: BrianFlanders
I am here to argue that humans are not the most intelligent life on earth and that every other species is, in fact, more intelligent than humans.

What is my argument? I don't see any other species that sabotages it's own existence and believes it's saving it's species by doing so.

Most species? If they're about to be eaten by a lion or something, that's just what happens. They're not intelligent enough to save themselves but that comes with a silver lining. They're not smart enough to fight nature. And it's actually dumb to fight nature and believe you're going to win.

Thats a poor argument. We are the only species capable of doing the things you talk about. That is intelligence.

Which happens to be the subject. Not instinct. Human have terrible instincts, primarily because our mind is louder than our instincts, and we tend to ignore them.

originally posted by: bigfatfurrytexan


Thats a poor argument.

I don't see it that way. I think humans are comically overrated. By themselves....naturally.

originally posted by: Bedlam

originally posted by: StratosFear
Until we have our own "Enterprise" to explore we should be prepped, there could be Anything out there.

What if we had already started gingerly poking about the local few dozen light years and there wasn't anything much?

A few places with plant and lower animal analogs, some fishy things, a few lichens, some things that looked like cliff dwellings with nothing else to show, and which might be geology instead?

A few dozen light years, a tiny fraction of the galaxy, and there's already multiple systems with macroscopic multi-cellular life? That's adds data to the 'abundant' side in my opinion. Earth had 2/3rd or 3/4ths of its existence with bacteria and archaea only.

And no, we wouldn't be able to distinguish intelligent life easily---in a brief flyby, ET probably wouldn't recognize how much smarter dolphins are than sharks--- but we could recognize technology using life. A few dozen dead artificial satellites would clinch it.

"[I]f we succeed in destroying ourselves, it will be a tragedy not only for the human race but for the entire Galaxy, which will have lost the fruit of a 15-billion year experiment in the formation of sentient life."

i pray that we are not. and i'm not religious. if we are as intelligent as it gets, the universe is doomed.

we are clever, not intelligent

intelligent beings don't knowingly poison the air they breathe, water they drink and food they eat

originally posted by: Bedlam

originally posted by: StratosFear
Until we have our own "Enterprise" to explore we should be prepped, there could be Anything out there.

Or is it possible it's going to be a upscale Darmok and Jilad at Tenagra thing where we can't even be sure it's life, or intelligent life, or communicate with it ever? It's way unlikely to look like people and speak English.

It would be nice if there was a "pacard and darthon at el-adrel" situation. But its also possible that we're it for this sector of the galaxy and sentient technologically adept life is rare.

Would be bad ass if there was a planet we colonized with mutant sapient gorillas or something. Imagine that. Gorillas wearing pin striped suits, talking philosophy, wearing wigs to emulate their skinny hairless pink monkey gods (us) . Gorillas breakdancing and doing the windmill. Gorilla Jackson Pollack s splattering paint and calling it modern art. The first gorilla rockband singing "oh ee, oh-e oh-e oh-e oh-eeeee, oh oooooh oh. Oh, oh, oh-e oh-e oh-e oh-eeeeeee, oh ooooh oh!"



Anyhoo, "sails unfurled! With arms wide open!"
I say!

Better than "shaka, when the walls fell."

a reply to: ssenerawa

Imagine life on Jupiter swimming in a sea of metallic hydrogen. We just haven't the means to communicate with it yet...

Imagine you are not alone, in the solar system, just that other life has evolved differently.

We can also hack any computers and or biological life-forms. By directing the right energy, code, waves(electromagnetic etc..), frequencies or vibrations. Up to an elephant down to an individual particle.

"hacking biological life forms" What does that mean? Could you be more clearer.

defn
hack
hacking 1. cut with rough or heavy blows. "I watched them hack the branches" synonyms: cut, chop, hew, lop, saw; slash "Stuart hacked the padlock off"
2. gain unauthorized access to data in a system or computer. "they hacked into the bank's computer"

I see no evidence to indicate that we are not the smartest beings in the universe.

However, if I assume that I'm not all that smart, and certainly not smart enough to recognize a being that is a million times smarter than me, how would I even know?