More Sciency Stuff..... Aliens Edition !

[Rotobeast]

Well, they seem to think Aliens are a possibility, albeit a last ditch explanation.
I can't wait to see more information released on this.

http://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2015/10/the-most-interesting-star-in-our-galaxy/410023/


What do you think the implication on religion would be with such a discovery ?
Heck, I'd venture to say the dynamic of world politics would change as well.
Do you think we'd start to form more alliances, just in case ?

I'm sure you guys have had a discussion of this type, at some time, but I missed it.

[Devils Advocate]

Is this about that odd star?

[InTheJungleNow9]

Interesting article. I have always been of the idea that alien civilization surely exists throughout the universe based on the sheer number of stars and the probabilities involved. I also think that we will never actually contact any of these civilizations since, even at the speed of light, it would take thousands, millions, or even billions of years for any of them to send messages or contact us or reach us. The star in this article is 1480 ly away and its closer than most, but I won't be getting my hopes up in the discovering aliens department just yet. Still, I will be interested to see what they find out, even if it is just a cloud of comets.

[Devils Advocate]

(10-14-2015, 12:56 AM)InTheJungleNow9 Wrote: Interesting article.  I have always been of the idea that alien civilization surely exists throughout the universe based on the sheer number of stars and the probabilities involved.  I also think that we will never actually contact any of these civilizations since, even at the speed of light, it would take thousands, millions, or even billions of years for any of them to send messages or contact us or reach us.  The star in this article is 1480 ly away and its closer than most, but I won't be getting my hopes up in the discovering aliens department just yet.  Still, I will be interested to see what they find out, even if it is just a cloud of comets.

Guess that answers my question

[Devils Advocate]

If anyone researched in depth the idea of aliens and alien visitation, they'd find ample evidence. With that said, I'm not suggesting I believe, just that the evidence is there for debate.

[Rotobeast]

(10-14-2015, 01:01 AM)Devils Advocate Wrote: If anyone researched in depth the idea of aliens and alien visitation, they'd find ample evidence. With that said, I'm not suggesting I believe, just that the evidence is there for debate.

I'll say it. 
I believe that there is other life out there.
Mathematically there has to be, right ?
It might be microscopic,  but there is some other life out there. 
I mean, for shit sake, we just found water on our nearest neighbor.
There is more.
And before it comes up, yes, I think God created it all.

[*PhilHos*]

(10-14-2015, 12:19 AM)Rotobeast Wrote: What do you think the implication on religion would be with such a discovery ?

This question is often asked whenever the topic of aliens come up. I don't think it will have much of an impact on religion, though possibly you could see a drop in those who just blindly believe/follow.

As you implied in a different post, it's just a matter of accepting that God didn't just create humans.

[Benton]

Hudson: Is this going to be a standup fight, sir, or another bughunt?
Gorman: All we know is that there is still is no contact with the colony, and that a xenomorph may be involved.
Frost: Excuse me sir, a what?
Gorman: A xenomorph.
Hicks: It’s a bughunt.

Like Beast said, given the numbers of stars and planets, there's a high probability there's some kind of life. It may not be walking around making shoes and flavored coffees, but there's a good chance life is out there in some form.

[Rotobeast]

(10-14-2015, 12:55 PM)PhilHos Wrote: This question is often asked whenever the topic of aliens come up. I don't think it will have much of an impact on religion, though possibly you could see a drop in those who just blindly believe/follow.

As you implied in a different post, it's just a matter of accepting that God didn't just create humans.

In the same sense however, I imagine many will "Find God" in an attempt to ground and calm themselves.
So, it will probably be a wash and end up with little change (as you previously stated) in the overall number of "believers".

I can only imagine the discussions that would take place here.

[Arturo Bandini]

There is life everywhere in every galaxy but we can't just physically go there. It's just too big. Not too big for now, too big at all.

[*PhilHos*]

(10-14-2015, 01:28 PM)Rotobeast Wrote: In the same sense however, I imagine many will "Find God" in an attempt to ground and calm themselves.
So, it will probably be a wash and end up with little change (as you previously stated) in the overall number of "believers".

I can only imagine the discussions that would take place here.

Would definitely make things more interesting around here.

[GodHatesBengals]

Meh. It wouldn't change anybody's thoughts on the god hypothesis, in my opinion.

[KingPoster]

It is my view that the two are intertwined, The problem comes when either science or theism attempt to exclude one another:

http://edge.org/documents/archive/edge68.html

Quote:Science and religion are two windows that people look through, trying to understand the big universe outside, trying to understand why we are here. The two windows give different views, but they look out at the same universe. Both views are one-sided, neither is complete. Both leave out essential features of the real world. And both are worthy of respect.

Trouble arises when either science or religion claims universal jurisdiction, when either religious dogma or scientific dogma claims to be infallible. Religious creationists and scientific materialists are equally dogmatic and insensitive. By their arrogance they bring both science and religion into disrepute.

This is why I have always considered atheists to be closed-minded. But that's just my opinion. 

[Devils Advocate]

(10-14-2015, 10:00 PM)KingPoster Wrote: It is my view that the two are intertwined, The problem comes when either science or theism attempt to exclude one another:

http://edge.org/documents/archive/edge68.html

This is why I have always considered atheists to be closed-minded. But that's just my opinion. 

What about that quote leaves you to consider atheists as closed minded but not thiests, as implied?

I'm no theist or atheist, but I'm definitely no Christian or believer in Abraham's God. 

[KingPoster]

(10-14-2015, 10:08 PM)Devils Advocate Wrote: What about that quote leaves you to consider atheists as closed minded but not thiests, as implied?

I'm no theist or atheist, but I'm definitely no Christian or believer in Abraham's God. 

My intention was not to make the theist appear more open-minded. A theist is closed-minded if they don't believe science may have a place in the grand design. 

[JustWinBaby]

So even if there is life, pretty much too far apart possible to even communicate, much less visit.

Separated, almost like cages...maybe the universe is some gigantic zoo!

[fredtoast]

(10-15-2015, 09:51 AM)JustWinBaby Wrote: So even if there is life, pretty much too far apart possible to even communicate, much less visit.

Separated, almost like cages...maybe the universe is some gigantic zoo!

Even over great distances we are all still connected through "The Force".

[*PhilHos*]

(10-15-2015, 02:40 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Even over great distances we are all still connected through "The Force".

Damn midichlorians.  :angry:

[CKwi88]

It would be almost arrogant to think that we're the only form of life in the universe.

It's unlikely we ever find said life, and nigh impossible we would encounter life of a similar sophistication to humans.

[Johnny Cupcakes]

(10-14-2015, 01:20 AM)Rotobeast Wrote: I'll say it. 
I believe that there is other life out there.
Mathematically there has to be, right ?
It might be microscopic,  but there is some other life out there. 
I mean, for shit sake, we just found water on our nearest neighbor.
There is more.
And before it comes up, yes, I think God created it all.

Ha...I was with you until that very last sentence.

yes...yes...yes...aww