From: Robert J. Bradbury (bradbury@aeiveos.com)
Date: Mon Aug 04 2003 - 17:38:07 MDT
On Mon, 4 Aug 2003, Rafal Smigrodzki wrote:
> ### But if they are so mean, why wouldn't they kill us just so, because they
> can, instead of waiting until we step over a line we can't see?
Because, *if* the Galactic Club is "extropic" (and I really really
hope that they are because if they aren't, most of the discussions
on this list are pointless) -- then a developing civilization *may*
be very useful for the initiation of a unique evolutionary vector
in the phase space of ideas (be them anything from nanotech part
designs to principles of physics). [Perhaps related to the ideas
that it is the "young people" that make the really significant
contributions to science.]
So long as we don't misbehave we are more valuable (from an extropic
standpoint) alive than dead. If we behave properly (not sending
self-replicating probes out to "rape" the galaxy) then humanity can be
viewed as a positive asset rather than a negative asset.
And we *will* be able to "see the line". Due to the observational
capabilities of any advanced civilization we will know what is
out there (with the limits of the time delays imposed by the
speed-of-light). If there *is* a "Galactic Club" (and Steven
Dick has recently argued it may be billions of years old) then
unless their science allows them to escape from the universe
it is highly probable we will be able to see them.
Would you (as a pilgrim for example) have attempted to colonize
the United States if you knew the native american population
were armed with nuclear weapons to defend themselves?
The space beyond 50 AU from the sun could have thousands of weapons
primed and ready to bomb the solar system with small black holes
generated "on demand"; or hurl neutronium into the sun to
turn it into a supernova; or make up your favorite sci-fi
destruction scenario. If there is even a *remote* possibility
that there are civilizations out there billions of years older
than we are it makes sense to make sure whatever we intend to
do is ok with them before we engage in activity that might even
slightly piss them off. To not do so, I believe as the British
might put it, would make you a "bloody fool".
Robert
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