Some aliens are pretty dumb

It's a guess, of course, without real evidence, but I am not seeng the logic that all aliens are super intelligent geniuses...

Often times on both sides of the belief aisle, yu see people saying something to the effect of "I'm pretty sure any aliens capable of travelling trillions of miles would be smart enough to...". My answer to that is Why?

To wit, would a truck driver necessarily be smart enough to repair the engine in the truck if it breaks? And would a crew of a naval vessel necessarily be able to repair their engine if the engineer were to be hurt or killed?

And sitting behind your comptuer there, if you connection to the internet were to break while you are replying to this, would you necessarily be able to fix it no matter what the cause?

That is an awesome point. I agree completely it makes perfect sense. But on the other hand.. if they do have the technology that advanced the must have incredible mental capacities. So I highly doubt they are going to be "dumb". But I'm sure they vary in intelligence just as humans do. (if they exist.. lol)

Originally posted by Rahjian
if they do have the technology that advanced the must have incredible metal capacities.

Not if they bought it. Course that is pretty speculative, as well.

Yes, that definitely is a possibility as well and can't be ruled out haha. My personal feeling is that if we are being visited, we are being visited by either A) Intelligent ET's equivalent to our astronauts or B) genetically modified drones that look like your classic "grey" with the big eyes and thin bodies that were made to keep an eye on us and report back to the real intelligent ones.

I've had a few abductions where they've forgotten to activate whatever it is that paralyses me and makes it possible for them to float me out the window, and produces all that bright light. They end up pulling at me for a while before they realise what's wrong and activate their whatever it is.
Maybe that shows there's some dumb ones at large, or maybe they were tired after a long shift and plain forgot.
I'm not sure whether this is a serious thread but that's a fair point you make. All the really smart ones are probably still on their home planet.

reply to post by ENGLISH BOB


It is as serious a thread as I can be about a subjet to which there is little concrete evidence. I am a believer in ETs and in visitations to the Earth, but I would be the first to say we have little proof and a lot of conjecture. Mainly, though, it was a rant about the particular logical fallicy which I think derails much of the debate.

I think your abduction allegory is a great example of a "mistake" that could have been made by a trainee or someone with malfunctioning equipment who didn't know how to fix it.

There is a correllating thread here: Are WE so different from ETs ?

I don't know how valid it is to personify ETs, but if it is valid, then mistakes and experience levels go hand in hand with all of that.

reply to post by rogerstigers

Often times on both sides of the belief aisle, yu see people saying something to the effect of "I'm pretty sure any aliens capable of travelling trillions of miles would be smart enough to...". My answer to that is Why?

Good point and of course there is that group out there who believe that they are here to save out planet, well if that is the case when are they going to start, today, tomorrow or never, my belief is never.

There is another group who think they are benevolent, yes even the ones who are so calling abducting us, seems strange to me, if I had your best interest at heart I wouldn't kidnap you and do medical experiments on you.

Good questions OP
S&F

To go back to your earlier point about how one doesn't need to be able to build or understand a piece of technology to operate it, it may be that their technology is advanced to the point that very little intelligence is needed at the operator level.
It could be that one of their pilots, able to work as a starship pilot using some very high tech fairly automatic craft, would struggle to drive the simplest car. Or use a vacuum cleaner!
That's an extreme example but I think I see the point you are trying to make.

Originally posted by ENGLISH BOB
To go back to your earlier point about how one doesn't need to be able to build or understand a piece of technology to operate it, it may be that their technology is advanced to the point that very little intelligence is needed at the operator level.
It could be that one of their pilots, able to work as a starship pilot using some very high tech fairly automatic craft, would struggle to drive the simplest car. Or use a vacuum cleaner!
That's an extreme example but I think I see the point you are trying to make.

edit on 23-10-2010 by ENGLISH BOB because: bad grammar (falling asleep)

Spot on. As technology becomes more advanced, the population capable of repairing or replacing said technology becomes smaller. But in order to make the technology user friendly, the user interface must remain the same or simpler than earlier tech.

I think a classic example of today is DVR recording vs programming your VCR..

Reply to post by ENGLISH BOB

I wonder about this myself. During one of my own experiences I woke up! Only reason I couldn't move is I was in restraints of some sort. I saw everything and remembered it too.What kind of rookie lets an abductee wake-up? When he realized I was not under and struggling it got back in my face,looked me in the eye with those soulless black pools, I felt extreme pain my head and was out. The next thing I knew was back in my bed with blood-tinged goo coming out of my ears and an oblivious,snoring husband.


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You mean dumb about traveling to Earth.
Why would they do that.
We can't do it (travel very far from Earth) so why should they
travel far to find one spot among billions and billions of planets.

Originally posted by Rahjian
That is an awesome point. I agree completely it makes perfect sense. But on the other hand.. if they do have the technology that advanced the must have incredible mental capacities.

Why? Nicola Tesla had the technology 100 years ago. Why do people assume that a simple space craft drive is so far advanced? We are very close... our scifi shows are full of the concepts and many believe black ops already has the tech so WHY?

All they needed to do was not put all their resources into a war machine. Had we not wasted time with WWII and put all that money into space exploration instead of bombs we might be out there right now.

The only difference need for them to come here is one piece of technology that we have already portrayed in our movies... it doesn't require super intellect, merely a different avenue of research

Not really sure what the ability to fix some mechanical object has to do with intelligence. I doubt Michio Kaku spends much time rebuilding engines in his garage....

Originally posted by ATC_GOD
Not really sure what the ability to fix some mechanical object has to do with intelligence. I doubt Michio Kaku spends much time rebuilding engines in his garage....

Touché. But then again, he could probably figure it out. He is the sort of guy (based on his show where he tries to build theoretical sci-fi stuff) who can take theory and turn it into a practical application.

However, you are correct. Not all smart folks are "hardware inclined". It was mainly to illustrate a point. Many doctors I have met are smart within their range of expertise, but cannot use a computer to save their lives.

reply to post by rogerstigers


I do agree with you here. Just because a civilization has advanced to a type 2 or even type 3 does not mean that any one of them has superior intelligence. They just have a few billion years of research and development on us.

I have alot of faith in us as a species. We will get rid of these silly selfish habits of war and capitalism and one day focus more on advancement instead of self destruction...

One awesome thing about humans is that if we can think of it...we can do it. We will get our warp-drive....I just hope i am around to see it!

Good thread. Thanks!

Originally posted by ATC_GOD
reply to post by rogerstigers

 

One awesome thing about humans is that if we can think of it...we can do it. We will get our warp-drive....I just hope i am around to see it!

Indeed, as Nerformore mentioned yesterday during the ATS Live show, our technology is not a preogressive development all the time. A lot of times it is simply an accident. His example was the Microwave oven, which was an accidental development as a by product of RADAR development. I also think of the allegories of the Chinese having a functional printing press 1000 years before the west -- in their case it did not take off because the socio-economic conditions weren't there.

I very much agree with you about the need to change culturally. Our current economic structure paints us into a corner where the only technological progress that can be made is glamour products that make oodles of money. Great technology that cannot be marketed or threatens an existing product is suppressed.

This kinda crosses over the to other thread I mentioned a few posts back... are humans and ETs that much differant? I would have to say that, unless the ETs have *bought* their tech, they would have eventually had to overcome the tech for profit hurdle. In that way, I would suggest they would all be a bit more advanced than us.

reply to post by rogerstigers


I like your OP!

Having just got back from vacation I'm personally amazed that the same species that can build and fly a Boing 737 doesn't have the tech to make a seat that someone over 6 foot can sit in without suffering severe pain or know how to cook scrambled eggs

I guess you have to know the "why" of the aliens before you could work out what level of Intelligence / expertise the aliens in UFO's would have, If they are visiting for highly important experiments that are vital to them as a species then you would guess that they would send the best people they have in order for things not to go wrong, if they are just using us as meat then they might send a pilot and a butcher.

Even with the most brilliant minds on board things would still go wrong anyway, they had to fix bits of Apollo 13 with duct tape and paper for gods sake

reply to post by davespanners


LOL.. indeed. I think the airlines are a great example. The profit margin drives the tech, not the other way round. And, yeah some of those planes should be listed as a form of torture.

Great point about the "pilot and a butcher".

Originally posted by rogerstigers I would have to say that, unless the ETs have *bought* their tech, they would have eventually had to overcome the tech for profit hurdle. In that way, I would suggest they would all be a bit more advanced than us.

Ah yes kinda like the Ferengi in Star Trek, a truly advanced profiteering example

I hear that we 'bought' some old used saucers in return for allowing a few abductions some time back.

I wonder if they sold us lemons?