RE: "Web-mediated SETI": Robert Bradbury Replies

Robert J. Bradbury (bradbury@www.aeiveos.com)
Tue, 2 Nov 1999 16:35:39 -0800 (PST)

On Tue, 2 Nov 1999 hal@finney.org wrote:

> I suggest that those involved with this project convince Dr. Tough to
> make up a new web page seeking contact with leprechauns and fairies.
> For too long we have had only limited and fragmented contact with the
> Little People. We have much to learn from them, particularly their
> almost-magical technologies. Contact with them would indeed be an
> aesthetic and spiritual experience.

Well, last time I checked L&F were supposed to be "magical" creatures and that would probably violate some basic perspectives I would like to stick with. Now if it turned out the were nanotechnology based creatures, then your suggestion would certainly have some merit. :-)

>
> Or, even better, why not go straight to the top. Set up a web page
> seeking contact with God Almighty, the King of Kings, the Alpha and the
> Omega. Invite God to establish communication. Maybe that's all he's
> waiting for, just like ET.

Oh, but there are fundamental problems with this. If "God" tunneled into this universe during the big bang, he may not have established a coherent pattern capable of a reponse yet. If "God" is running us as an experiment, a response would presumably violate the protocols and void the results. If "God" is the supercomputer running our reality, then he would simply be ROTFL. If s/he has a really sadistic side, then s/he will probably broadcast the man page documentation for our reality "debugger" over the internet but add an addemdum that we *all* have to *believe* before the terminal appears on which debugger commands can be entered.

So, Hal you have to "believe", then I can do:

DBG> Access Virtual Simulation Hal Finney OK
Virtual Simulation Hal Finney Now Suspended DBG> Append & Integrate Alien Abduction Experience #47 OK
DBG> Append & Integrate Headless St. John the Baptist Appearence & Lecture #3 OK
DBG> Resume Virtual Simulation Hal Finney WARNING: He isn't going to be happy when resumed. CONFIRM? *Confirm*

System reports Virtual Simulation Hal Finney to be experiencing a greater than normal amount of cognitive dissonance.

>
> Be sure to include helpful mailto: links and phone numbers as was done
> for ET. Wouldn't want the Lord to have to have to hunt through the phone
> book.

The God(s) appreciate your kindness, I am sure.

Robert