Do you think there are aliens?

[A Nerd]

To think that we are the best and brightest in the universe based on an opinion that scientific and statistical cirumstance are so slight is somewhat self-inflating in my opinion. It borders on certain religious superiority thinking in my opinion. Chances can be repeated, epecially when coupled with the time-line of infinity. To think that the occurances on Earth are completely unique to equate to thinking that every star, compositon, effects, life/death were completly unique as well. Appearances might vary, perhaps even intelligence and how its used, but the willingness to use it and it's application (especially at the top of the food chain) are not and will yeild a rather predictable result.
Parallel universers/dimensions may be possible if one considers the universe to be flat. What might lie above and below it? Surely that increases the slight chance of intelligence recognizable to our own to exist some where. Couple that with other above and belows to other universes on the same plane as our own to infinity, the chances are quite, well, infinate.
I don't know much about string theroy (other that what I saw on the discovery channel), but it does open up the possibilities if you believe it and it's true.

[LittleGrizzly]

It boils down to the ability of inteligent life to evolve, Earth has the best conditions of any planet we know and even if we only consider the timeframe there has been life on earth intelligent life has not been around for much of it. Even once it takes hold and starts to develop one big enough aestroid, a world war or any number of things can wipe it out completely before it can escape any planetry disasters. Even ignoring all those problems civilisations can hold themselves back for all kinds of political, religious, economic or any other number or reasons. I consider this combined with the rareness of Earth like planets to mean intelligent life is rare, though due to the huge amount of planets that are out there and the potential infinite number there could be I think there must be intelligent life just it is spread very thinly and reaching one another would require very advanced technology and willingness to use it to find intelligent life (going with my spread thinly theory I think accidently finding is unlikely, although not impossible)

[Scienter]

I think there are other forms of life out there. But, I don't have my tin foil hat ready. If there are "advanced" alien races out there, they aren't interested in us. I don't think that people on earth see UFOs. If an alien race is advanced enough to travel to earth, they're smart enough to observe us without being detected. I'd be happy if we meet an alien bacteria on Mars.

[A Nerd]

I don't have my tin foil hat ready

This might be the best way to meet and get to know them. Old fashioned mind wave transfer.

[Viking]

I consider this combined with the rareness of Earth like planets to mean intelligent life is rare, though due to the huge amount of planets that are out there and the potential infinite number there could be I think there must be intelligent life just it is spread very thinly and reaching one another would require very advanced technology and willingness to use it to find intelligent life (going with my spread thinly theory I think accidently finding is unlikely, although not impossible)

Some suggest that Earth-like planets are common. At this point we guess much and know little.

[Ja'chyra]

Thinking that we are the only intelligent, and that is debatable, life in the universe is only exceeded in it's ignorance and arrogance by thinking that because we don't know how to do something that it can't be done i.e. faster than light travel.

[Banquo's Ghost]

Thinking that we are the only intelligent, and that is debatable, life in the universe is only exceeded in it's ignorance and arrogance by thinking that because we don't know how to do something that it can't be done i.e. faster than light travel.

That position in itself, is pretty unbending.

It is not ignorant or arrogant to explore a hypothesis and consider what it might mean. Given that it's the hypothesis for which we have the most direct evidence to date, it's even more worthy of consideration.

[Ja'chyra]

That position in itself, is pretty unbending.

It is not ignorant or arrogant to explore a hypothesis and consider what it might mean. Given that it's the hypothesis for which we have the most direct evidence to date, it's even more worthy of consideration.

Very true, but a lot of people simply believe what we think we know as the truth, there's quite a bit of that in this thread already. Consideration and debate is a good thing, absolutes, especially in negatives, aren't.

That being said, I was being a bit too harsh when I shouldn't have been so I apologise.

[Moros]

I think yes.




Now tell me chances are slim extraterrestrial life doesn't exist.