Objections and Counterarguments to the Search for Extraterrestrial Life
Humanity has no official evidence of the existence of extraterrestrial life, but the thought of the possibility of making contact with intelligent aliens definitely excites the mind.
However, in parallel, our archaic fear of the dark, of something unknown, is awakening. Therefore, we have objections when we hear that scientists are engaged in a targeted search for “brothers in mind.”
Here are four of the most common objections to finding aliens and valid counterarguments to them.
It’s insanely expensive
This statement is completely untrue. The annual maintenance of a small radio telescope equipped with the latest technology will cost less than the creation of an average attack helicopter.
What is the most expensive attack helicopter? Similar to what you have read earlier, the most expensive attack helicopter is the Boeing AH-64 Apache. It carries a price tag of $52 million.
Of course, for an ordinary person, such an amount is large, but large countries are engaged in the search for aliens and for them such an amount is not cosmic.
Aliens don’t use radio communications, and if they do, we still won’t understand them
If the aliens are intelligent and are studying the universe, then they have discovered many natural radio sources, which led to the emergence of radio physics, radio astronomy and radio transmission technologies.
Yes, brothers in mind can be incredibly progressive, but it is unlikely that this will cause a complete rejection of convenient and cheap radio communications.
The universe is miraculously homogeneous, the laws of nature are the same everywhere, so science will become the natural language of communication.
One and zero will always be one and zero, even if they have some strange names. In other words, it will be easier to decipher an alien message than to receive it.
If we find very advanced aliens, it will be humiliating to know that we are primitive
Undoubtedly, pride will suffer, but it has suffered before, when it was proved that the Earth revolves around the Sun, and not vice versa, and indeed the solar system is not the center of the universe.
In a few centuries, all our achievements and inventions will be considered, to put it mildly, primitive, but do not forget that the goal of modern science is to surpass itself.
Acquaintance with progressive aliens can give a powerful impetus to the development of mankind, which will leave behind racial, religious, political, economic and other conflicts. We can become much better.
They will destroy us or devour us!
We think aliens will be belligerent and violent because we think they are like us. Therefore, guided by the subconscious fear of the majority, scientists are trying to receive signals, and not transmit them into space.
Even if we assume that aliens are the same as us, then making an incredibly expensive, long and dangerous flight to start a war is the height of madness.
For example, Seth Shostak , an American astronomer and employee of the SETI Institute (search for extraterrestrial life), is sure that if aliens decide to fly to us, then only with good intentions.
