Why Are There no Aliens?

Started by Antonio Montagnha, Ed. D., May 03, 2022, 10:47:13 AM

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Antonio Montagnha, Ed. D.

There are several theoretical reasons for a "solution" to the supposed incongruity between the Drake equation, which conservatively predicts large numbers of lifeforms throughout the universe, despite no evidence of their existence. Which of the following make the most sense to you?

Dark Forest – The only civilizations that survive are those who realize that it is too dangerous to make their existence known. This theory implies the existence of "hunters," or civilizations who destroy other and less advanced civilizations before they can become a threat.

Quarantine – Humanity is either too violent, or in some other way too objectionable to be contacted.

Cultural Failure – Either due to the action of the species in question or their inaction in the face of existential threat, it is too rare for civilizations to exist to the point where they can make interstellar contact.

Rarity – The development of intelligent, self-aware life is far rarer than we realize.
We are not advanced enough – We are being contacted all the time, but our technology is not advanced enough to detect it.

It is scientifically impossible – The speed of light is insurmountable and radio signals degrade before they can reach anyone, etc. All living beings are physically locked into their local star systems and it will never change because it is impossible.   
Antonio Montagnha, Ed. D., MC
Deputy Minister of Culture Select, Member of the 57th Cosa
Member, Talossan Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Whisky Society

Carlüs Éovart Vilaçafat

Of the options given, I would side with Cultural Failure. We ourselves have barely skirted nuclear war this long only to survive long enough to put men on the moon and send 1 probe out of our own solar system.

Theoretically, if any other civilization has advanced far enough to be able to achieve interstellar travel, they would have to clear similar hurtles brought on by the advancement of technology and by extension weaponry.

I suppose this option would bleed into Rarity as well, assuming the human predisposition to tribalism and murdering his own kind over trivial affairs is a more general rather than local phenomenon. This would mean the number of civilizations that actually survive long enough to travel to other solar systems would be greatly reduced.
The Fulbright Fellow, Royal Talossan College of Arms
Member, Talossan Science Fiction, Fantasy & Whisky Society
Membreu dal Urderi dal Provinçù Soveran da Maricopa

Mic’haglh Autófil, SMC EiP

I think the "Cultural Failure", "Rarity", and "Not Advanced Enough" reasons all sort of blend together a bit -- to me it would seem that it's likely a combination of them.

We may not be advanced enough, but the rarity of species that achieve some sort of interstellar communication also makes it more likely that whatever alien life does exist is trapped in a similar isolating box due to their own insufficient advancement.

A Mixed-Member Proportional Cosa is the future!
The Long Fellow, Royal Talossan College of Arms
Specialist, Els Zuávs da l'Altahál Rexhitál
Cäps Naziunal, Parti da Reformaziun

þerxh Sant-Enogat

Quote from: Antonio Montagnha, Ed. D. on May 03, 2022, 10:47:13 AMThere are several theoretical reasons for a "solution" to the supposed incongruity between the Drake equation, which conservatively predicts large numbers of lifeforms throughout the universe, despite no evidence of their existence. Which of the following make the most sense to you?

Dark Forest – The only civilizations that survive are those who realize that it is too dangerous to make their existence known. This theory implies the existence of "hunters," or civilizations who destroy other and less advanced civilizations before they can become a threat.

Quarantine – Humanity is either too violent, or in some other way too objectionable to be contacted.

Cultural Failure – Either due to the action of the species in question or their inaction in the face of existential threat, it is too rare for civilizations to exist to the point where they can make interstellar contact.

Rarity – The development of intelligent, self-aware life is far rarer than we realize.
We are not advanced enough – We are being contacted all the time, but our technology is not advanced enough to detect it.

It is scientifically impossible – The speed of light is insurmountable and radio signals degrade before they can reach anyone, etc. All living beings are physically locked into their local star systems and it will never change because it is impossible.   


On the dark forest hypothesis, I can't but advise to read one of my favorite sci-fi masterpiece 'the 3-body problem' by Liu Cixin... dense intelligent and mind blowing
þerxh Sant-Enogat, SMC, MC
Seneschal, Minister of Immigration, Minister of STUFF,
Sénéchal de Cézembre,
Duceu del TNC / Congreßeu Naziunal da Talossa
Former Prospective Citizen

Ruban2023

I believe that there might be hundreds of earths like planet in this universe but as we have to agree the fact that our technologies are limited in order to search a large field for Earth like planet... I believe that there might be Aliens intelligent like us or may not be.
R-U-B-A-N

Baron Alexandreu Davinescu

I tend to rarity, but the Grabby Aliens hypothesis is also persuasive: https://grabbyaliens.com/
Alexandreu Davinescu, Baron Davinescu del Vilatx Freiric del Vilatx Freiric es Guaír del Sabor Talossan


Bitter struggles deform their participants in subtle, complicated ways. ― Zadie Smith
Revolution is an art that I pursue rather than a goal I expect to achieve. ― Robert Heinlein