Do Aliens Visit? From a reverse perspective.

There are many of us that believe without a doubt that life exists elsewhere in the universe, myself included. The question I pose is that despite any 'proof' or lack thereof, have these lifeforms visited us? I propose we look at this from a reverse perspective. Lets say we (the human race) have developed the ability to either travel faster than light or some sort of space-time warp technology that allows us the travel across our galaxy. What would be OUR purpose for visiting other planets with 'intelligent' life?

I think there are many variables to consider.

If say, for instance, we figure out this technology tonight and tomorrow we have ships ready to go. I would have to say greed for resources would drive us to go forth. Of course there would still be people who would do it for scientific purposes but considering our recent global history, I think conflict is a high probability. If another inhabited planet harbours resources valued on Earth and the residents won't give it up then it seems to be our nature to simply take it.

... but of course that scenario won't happen. It will likely take quite a long time before we are able to create such a technology and in the meantime, plenty of other technologies will be created and/or understood. We would probably have a much higher understanding of space-time, maybe control gravity, create AI and be able to extend our own lifespan significantly. We may also be able to do things such as harness dark energy, communicate telepathically, contol weather/climate and teraform planets. We would also very likely have technologies that we can't even fathom today.

So how exactly would these technologies shape the human race? Will we continue to be a greedy, violent race that ultimately settles issues by conflict? Or, hopefully, evolve to a higher state where unity exists across the planet and our views about the universe are fundamentally different than they are now? What would our reasons for visiting other species be then? Simple curiosity? The desire to share/gain knowledge? Or will we still just want to plunder resources to expand ever further?

If we can answer these questions for ourselves, maybe we can understand reasons for other lifeforms to visit us - if at all. Or maybe the experiences that are required to become a space faring civilization, shed light on a reason that currently eludes us completely.

Do ants in remote areas wonder if humans exist? maybe theyve only ever seen one?
At the stage we are at, is it possible to advance in areas besides warfare before we wipe ourselves out?

I had a "dream" about this the other day. im not sure what to make of it yet, but i was on another planrt where i was the alien. The inhabitants of that planet were human, but....different from us. like another race. They gave me the craziest looks but didnt seem bothered by my presence. They really gave me odd looks when i spoke with my guide in english.

reply to post by phroziac


I don't think ants in remote areas wonder if human exist but they do think other ants exist. Most images we conjure up of aliens look kind of like us. Only the rare thinker and very imaginative seem to vary from the humanoid looking alien. Maybe ants are the same. I hope you get my point though I don't think I am explaining it very well.

reply to post by fenceSitter


It is alleady created think about it ....

reply to post by fenceSitter


If i time machine is created in the future then yes we could may of been visited
from us from the future maybe

reply to post by phroziac

There is no doubt that research into military projects have lead to some great advancements but great civilian discoveries have also been used in warfare. Can we develop advanced technologies without a military aspect? Most certainly. We will? Not anytime soon.

Your 'dream' brings up another thought of mine regarding evolution. If conditions on another planet are similar to Earth, I believe it's possible for another life form to end up similar to us.

reply to post by Ladysophiaofsandoz

I've always thought the form of life is dependent on the environment in which it evolves. If the conditions on another planet are similar to ours then it is plausible they would end up humanoid. I also believe that our concept of 'life' is limited. Just because we don't know of any life that is non carbon based and requires liquid water, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Maybe it can be silicon based and swim in mercury? Maybe it is hydrogen based and lives on the surface of distant stars? Or maybe they don't even require a 'body' made of matter.

reply to post by fenceSitter
It's just my opinion and subject to change, but we don't have a lot of context to base our speculations of the what, why and hows of visiting intelligences.

People like to point out that when our own advanced civilisations have met weaker ones, the weaker one has been overcome and defeated. Cultures have been devastated and reinvented in the image of the discoverers.

For all we know, this might well be the case if 'Folk from Elsewhere' became present.

On the other hand, we only have a historical record of several thousand years to base our ideas on.

It's all ifs and maybes. *If* the 'Folk from Elsewhere' have been around for a much longer time, who knows what motivations would dictate their activities?

I like your OP and gave it the S&F.

Yes I think that assuming aliens would be humanoid looking is pretty silly. I think it is how human think though. We tend to humanize lots of things.

The way i look at this scenario is slightly different.

Lets just say an alien race is out their in the Keppler area of the space. They have the capabilities to travel beyond the speed of light etc. Where would they go?

Yes at first it is logical to assume that they would attempt to colonise the planet Earth,

However my theory on this is that, if an alien civilisation is already that advanced to have developed this sort of technology, it would seem more logical to colonise a distant planet which is in its early life, one which can sustain life, but does not yet harbour a form of intelligent life. this way you are less likely to come up against obsticals and things that would cause harm to their own goals, and also minerals would be in a more purer, untouched form

Where as we may not have the technology to destroy an alien civilisation, we do have the technology to destroy our own planet and i think this is more of a detterant than anything else, We always assume that an alien civilisation would look to destroy us, but ask yourselfs this, travelling the outer reaches of the solar system have taken our voyager spacecraft how long?

We consider this a long journey, Aliens would more than likely be able to make this trip in a very short space of time, if not instantaneous. So why would they need to harm us when they could easily just skip right over us to the next free planet / moon

My two cent

Originally posted by Kandinsky
reply to post by fenceSitter

 

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People like to point out that when our own advanced civilisations have met weaker ones, the weaker one has been overcome and defeated. Cultures have been devastated and reinvented in the image of the discoverers.

I tend to disagree with this theory on this basis,

Yes this used to be the way world works, however we are beginning to move past this.

What happens now when a civilisation is starting to perish?

Compare this to wildlife, we see numbers of an animal e.g. Tiger / Panda diminishing, what do we do?
we create nature reserves, zoo;s, we protect and cherish these species and try to give them the possible chance of survival.

An alien civilisation you would assume will have most past this stage too, and may well work like we do, im not saying that they would stick us in a zoo, however i do find it hard to beleive that they would destroy us based on my above reasons.

To advance from your own planet takes alot of trust in ourselfs, trusting that your colleagues are all working towards the same goal, trusting they are doing a job correctly (building a spacecraft etc) Could you really trust someone who's only goal is violence and colonisation? i dont see how this can succeed

Originally posted by Ladysophiaofsandoz
Yes I think that assuming aliens would be humanoid looking is pretty silly. I think it is how human think though. We tend to humanize lots of things.

Not that silly, as it is not necessarily the aliens that are Human looking but the Humans that looks like the ET's, which could also be the very reason for why "they" are, supposedly, here, as Humans may simply be their "divine" offspring, as ancient Myhology would have put it, and also do, although the arriving beings in the ancient myths were called "Angels"and "gods" in those days.

reply to post by Nightchild


Point taken. Indeed it is a possibility and could explain the similarities. I tend to think IF there are aliens and they look like us it might be that very well be us from a future date.

I think it may be a question of energy resources

Superluminal space travel may require extensive energy therefore any civilisation with such capabilities may well have developed a virtually unlimited source of energy

With unlimited energy the production costs of food and other essentials would fall and become available to a greater proportion of people globally

We could desalinate seawater to irrigate crops and provide drinking water in arid regions perhaps ameliorating some of the regional conflicts in developing countries

And unlimited energy would obviate the need for regime change in oil-rich countries

Perhaps with unlimited energy we would indeed become largely pacifist notwithstanding a few rogue factions

First we must learn to get along here on Earth before we will be welcomed to the galactic community. Plain and simple.

-SAP-

Originally posted by kevbrownuk
The way i look at this scenario is slightly different.

Lets just say an alien race is out their in the Keppler area of the space. They have the capabilities to travel beyond the speed of light etc. Where would they go?

Yes at first it is logical to assume that they would attempt to colonise the planet Earth,

However my theory on this is that, if an alien civilisation is already that advanced to have developed this sort of technology, it would seem more logical to colonise a distant planet which is in its early life, one which can sustain life, but does not yet harbour a form of intelligent life. this way you are less likely to come up against obsticals and things that would cause harm to their own goals, and also minerals would be in a more purer, untouched form

Where as we may not have the technology to destroy an alien civilisation, we do have the technology to destroy our own planet and i think this is more of a detterant than anything else, We always assume that an alien civilisation would look to destroy us, but ask yourselfs this, travelling the outer reaches of the solar system have taken our voyager spacecraft how long?

We consider this a long journey, Aliens would more than likely be able to make this trip in a very short space of time, if not instantaneous. So why would they need to harm us when they could easily just skip right over us to the next free planet / moon

My two cent

There appears to be many aliens in our galaxy. It appears that one group, out of the many aliens, chose to experiment with earth more than the others. You had police forces who believed in aliens, abducting cattle.

Another thing to consider. If a civilization was able to achieve superluminal travel, would it be a stretch to assume they have the capabilities to 'manufacture' resources from pure energy? Basically converting energy to matter and vice versa. If that was the case then travelling all the way to Earth for resources would be pointless. I tend to believe that if an alien race is already that advanced, there is nothing here on Earth that would interest them.

So how exactly would these technologies shape the human race? Will we continue to be a greedy, violent race that ultimately settles issues by conflict? Or, hopefully, evolve to a higher state where unity exists across the planet and our views about the universe are fundamentally different than they are now? What would our reasons for visiting other species be then? Simple curiosity? The desire to share/gain knowledge? Or will we still just want to plunder resources to expand ever further?

reply to post by fenceSitter


Unfortunately based on the human race the way we currently are. If we were to develop the tech to reach other stars/planets. I can't help thinking that the first thing that would happen is they'd me militarized and stripped bare of their resources just like home. Then perhaps we'd get to a point where the elite and super rich would benefit and the rest of us left to rot. I truly hope one day we do evolve to the point of unity where we unite for the greater good instead of for war. All evidence to the contrary though