Life Beyond III - Alien Worlds

The Off-Topic forum for anything non-LDS related. No insults or personal attacks allowed. Rated G.
Philo Sofee
God
Posts: 5015
Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2020 1:18 am

Re: Life Beyond III - Alien Worlds

Post by Philo Sofee »

doubtingthomas wrote:
Mon Jan 03, 2022 12:39 am
Gunnar wrote:
Wed Dec 29, 2021 7:55 am
This leads me to suspect that it is likely that on any planet suitable for life, evolution, given enough time, some kind of sentient species would eventually arise.
I hope intelligent life is common in the galaxy, but it is doubtful.
I suggest you watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFx3r32r-GU

If intelligent life is very rare in the galaxy, then it means there is no dark forest.
Considering there are now understood to be over a trillion galaxies, if each only had just one mere planet with life on it, that's astounding... Hopefully all the other don't have Trumps on them...
Gunnar
God
Posts: 2338
Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2020 6:32 pm
Location: California

Re: Life Beyond III - Alien Worlds

Post by Gunnar »

Philo Sofee wrote:
Tue Jan 04, 2022 5:19 am
doubtingthomas wrote:
Mon Jan 03, 2022 12:39 am


I hope intelligent life is common in the galaxy, but it is doubtful.
I suggest you watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFx3r32r-GU

If intelligent life is very rare in the galaxy, then it means there is no dark forest.
Considering there are now understood to be over a trillion galaxies, if each only had just one mere planet with life on it, that's astounding... Hopefully all the other don't have Trumps on them...
You're right, of course. Even if life is so rare that the average number of sentient species per galaxy is as little as one (which I think is overly pessimistic), there would still be trillions of sentient species in the universe. Of course, it still remains true that, given the size of the known universe, even trillions of sentient species is such a low number compared to size of the entire universe, the chances of us detecting or encountering any of them is vanishingly small.
No precept or claim is more suspect or more likely to be false than one that can only be supported by invoking the claim of Divine authority for it--no matter who or what claims such authority.
Philo Sofee
God
Posts: 5015
Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2020 1:18 am

Re: Life Beyond III - Alien Worlds

Post by Philo Sofee »

Gunnar wrote:
Wed Jan 05, 2022 4:36 am
Philo Sofee wrote:
Tue Jan 04, 2022 5:19 am

Considering there are now understood to be over a trillion galaxies, if each only had just one mere planet with life on it, that's astounding... Hopefully all the other don't have Trumps on them...
You're right, of course. Even if life is so rare that the average number of sentient species per galaxy is as little as one (which I think is overly pessimistic), there would still be trillions of sentient species in the universe. Of course, it still remains true that, given the size of the known universe, even trillions of sentient species is such a low number compared to size of the entire universe, the chances of us detecting or encountering any of them is vanishingly small.
Agreed, but the issue isn't contact, it is actual life, which, I suspect, is vastly more numerous than we could even suppose, even though, most unfortunately, we will probably never get to meet. Damn it man, the Mormon missionaries are chompin at the bit to get called to the galactic mission field too! :D
Gunnar
God
Posts: 2338
Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2020 6:32 pm
Location: California

Re: Life Beyond III - Alien Worlds

Post by Gunnar »

Philo Sofee wrote:
Wed Jan 05, 2022 11:55 pm

Agreed, but the issue isn't contact, it is actual life, which, I suspect, is vastly more numerous than we could even suppose, even though, most unfortunately, we will probably never get to meet. Damn it man, the Mormon missionaries are chompin at the bit to get called to the galactic mission field too! :D
Yeah, right! But you realize, I'm sure, that if Mormon doctrines are true, no LDS missionaries from this world will ever be called to proselyte to and convert sentient beings on any inhabited worlds other than their own earth on which they were conceived and raised, with the possible exception of worlds that have been colonized exclusively by humans from our own earth. Other worlds with sentient beings, according to LDS authorities, will worship and be subject to the same Heavenly Father that we worship, who will have established churches and ordained prophets, leaders and perhaps even a savior or Christ, uniquely responsible for the one particular world to which they were assigned to fulfil their mortal probation.
No precept or claim is more suspect or more likely to be false than one that can only be supported by invoking the claim of Divine authority for it--no matter who or what claims such authority.
Father Francis
Bishop
Posts: 492
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2021 12:59 pm

Re: Life Beyond III - Alien Worlds

Post by Father Francis »

Gunnar wrote:
Mon Jan 03, 2022 7:03 am
doubtingthomas wrote:
Mon Jan 03, 2022 12:39 am
I hope intelligent life is common in the galaxy, but it is doubtful.

I suggest you watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFx3r32r-GU

If intelligent life is very rare in the galaxy, then it means there is no dark forest.
Yes, I understand what they are saying and the sound logic of their conclusions, but all I am really contending is that if intelligent life in the universe is exceedingly rare, it is only because life is itself exceedingly rare. If any planet exists on which life has appeared and has existed for billions of years under conditions anywhere similar to earthlike conditions, I think it highly probable that at least one sentient species will eventually emerge on such a planet.
I always liked Arthur C Clarke's take on it. It was something like "for nature's problem, nature finds a similar solution."
doubtingthomas
God
Posts: 2769
Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2021 6:04 pm

Re: Life Beyond III - Alien Worlds

Post by doubtingthomas »

Gunnar wrote:
Wed Jan 05, 2022 4:36 am
You're right, of course. Even if life is so rare that the average number of sentient species per galaxy is as little as one (which I think is overly pessimistic).
I guess we will soon find out how common life is in the universe.
"I have the type of (REAL) job where I can choose how to spend my time," says Marcus. :roll:
Gunnar
God
Posts: 2338
Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2020 6:32 pm
Location: California

Re: Life Beyond III - Alien Worlds

Post by Gunnar »

doubtingthomas wrote:
Sat Jan 08, 2022 10:03 pm
I guess we will soon find out how common life is in the universe.
Will we though? Unless and until we actually find really credible evidence of extra-terrestrial life, I doubt we can estimate with any degree of certainty how common life actually is in the universe. I do think it likely that life exists elsewhere, but I can't honestly say that this is any more than a gut feeling until such life is actually discovered. Unfortunately. my strongest gut feeling is that few things are more unreliable than gut feelings. ;)
No precept or claim is more suspect or more likely to be false than one that can only be supported by invoking the claim of Divine authority for it--no matter who or what claims such authority.
doubtingthomas
God
Posts: 2769
Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2021 6:04 pm

Re: Life Beyond III - Alien Worlds

Post by doubtingthomas »

Gunnar wrote:
Sun Jan 09, 2022 11:47 pm
doubtingthomas wrote:
Sat Jan 08, 2022 10:03 pm
I guess we will soon find out how common life is in the universe.
Will we though? Unless and until we actually find really credible evidence of extra-terrestrial life, I doubt we can estimate with any degree of certainty how common life actually is in the universe. I do think it likely that life exists elsewhere, but I can't honestly say that this is any more than a gut feeling until such life is actually discovered. Unfortunately. my strongest gut feeling is that few things are more unreliable than gut feelings. ;)
I was hoping the JWT would provide some answers.
"I have the type of (REAL) job where I can choose how to spend my time," says Marcus. :roll:
Gunnar
God
Posts: 2338
Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2020 6:32 pm
Location: California

Re: Life Beyond III - Alien Worlds

Post by Gunnar »

doubtingthomas wrote:
Mon Jan 10, 2022 12:48 am
I was hoping the JWT would provide some answers.
I hope that as well.
No precept or claim is more suspect or more likely to be false than one that can only be supported by invoking the claim of Divine authority for it--no matter who or what claims such authority.
User avatar
Res Ipsa
God
Posts: 9568
Joined: Mon Oct 26, 2020 6:44 pm
Location: Playing Rabbits

Re: Life Beyond III - Alien Worlds

Post by Res Ipsa »

Gunnar wrote:
Mon Jan 10, 2022 4:39 am
doubtingthomas wrote:
Mon Jan 10, 2022 12:48 am
I was hoping the JWT would provide some answers.
I hope that as well.
It can examine the composition of atmospheres of so-called super earths: planets larger than earth but smaller than Neptune. It might give us some more evidence, but I don’t expect answers.
he/him
When I go to sea, don’t fear for me. Fear for the storm.

Jessica Best, Fear for the Storm. From The Strange Case of the Starship Iris.
Post Reply