Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill14564
How long have we been looking for a cure for cancer? Should we declare that a failed attempt and stop spending money on it?
Absence of proof is not proof of absence. It's a big universe out there; it is very likely that we haven't looked in the right direction at the right time and in the right way to notice that we are not alone.
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"Absence of proof is not proof of absence. It's a big universe out there; it is very likely that we haven't looked in the right direction at the right time and in the right way to notice that we are not alone."
SETI is basically looking for life "as we know it". Beings with basically the senses and approximate level of intelligence (or higher) than we have. That makes sense. We don't have the capabilities to look elsewhere, yet.
But I've often wondered: what about "life as we DON'T know it"? We live on an insignificant rock in a narrow temperature range that averages about 15 degrees above zero Celsius, or about -283 degrees C. over absolute zero, zipping around an insignificant star in an obscure corner of a pretty mundane galaxy. Almost all of the real estate in that galaxy as far as we know is a lot hotter, colder and/or gassier than in the narrow envelope where we live. Taking that into consideration, it is pure hubris to think that humanity, or even carbon-based life as we know it on Earth, is the only game in town. We don't have the capability--yet--to ascertain if life exists on those other environments. We may possibly never know. But it is only our self-centered conceit to think, based on that, that it doesn't exist.
"Absence of proof is not proof of absence." I like that.