Quote:
Originally Posted by nutella virus
I'd be more suprised if there aren't aliens
Yes i tip this way too. As a betting man, I would have to bet 'yes' to this question but how one defines 'Aliens' might change my odds a bit.
Does 'aliens' denote a sentient being who is similar in measurable ways to a human either in our past evolution or future? And i am not saying we have to have to have a similar body type. I am talking more about the type of 'sentience' tests Star Trek would apply.
For me it is kind of a decision tree thing.
- Can you accept that there may be microbiological and bacterial life thriving on some other planet?
if so
- Can you accept that there may then be some form of 'plant', 'algae' life thriving on the decay of the micro and bacterial life?
if so
- Can you accept that there may be some form of insect life thriving on that?
if so
- Can you accept that there may be some form rudimentary rodent, small animal and sea life thriving on that?
if so
- if you accept all the prior as plausible, can we deny the leap to advanced species we would identified as sentient given the age of the universe and that certainly, if this type of chain has evolved on many planets, that some of them would have millions of years of evolutionary advantage over humans