Are Aliens Already Among Us?

[Randall]

When and if we really get a chance to evolve and extend our thinking processes, so we can speak without words ( at the very least), the other species might stop playing cosmic jokes on us all the time.

So you're suggesting that it may not be the invention of warp drive that triggers the first real contact between humans and aliens, but the evolution of humans into telepathic beings. Interesting concept.

 

[Burnt State]

In the SI scenario, provided we create the product, it wont matter if we destroy ourselves and the planet at some stage afterwards.

You cant make an omelette without breaking some eggs

If the "project" is to create an SI, then the project managers only have to manage us with that goal in mind. Once its done we, and even the earth are expendable.

Once the product is delivered you throw away the box

In this scenario, the factory is perhaps a poor analogy, a mold ( A frame or model around or on which something is formed or shaped.)might be a better one

Well the futurists certainly believe that it is our destiny and reason for being to bring artificial life into the world. That's a really interesting perspective on Fort's "we are someone else's property" contention. I could see how in the great Galactic game of Sim-Earth (or Risk depending on the perspective) that the net aim of seeding life is to see what kind of new artificial/simulated life can be created: cross pollination of the stars. That's a plausible narrative for me. It answers a lot of elements of the human purpose question.

 

[Wee_Alien78]

I personally don't think aliens are among us, not on the planet anyway, certainly somewhere in the universe but not on earth. I agree with Carl Sagan, who said something like the universe is teeming with life but the vast distances between planets is so great that we will probably never meet each other, or something along those lines.

Where as I do believe in the UFO phenomenon, I am just not certain that they are extraterrestrial in origin, I mean if aliens where visiting earth surely they would not want to be found out, especially if they are studying us for some reason, so flying about in craft which can be seen does not make much sense, but you never know.

 

[Randall]

I personally don't think aliens are among us, not on the planet anyway, certainly somewhere in the universe but not on earth. I agree with Carl Sagan, who said something like the universe is teeming with life but the vast distances between planets is so great that we will probably never meet each other, or something along those lines.

Where as I do believe in the UFO phenomenon, I am just not certain that they are extraterrestrial in origin, I mean if aliens where visiting earth surely they would not want to be found out, especially if they are studying us for some reason, so flying about in craft which can be seen does not make much sense, but you never know.

Welcome to the Paracast forum!

True. We don't have sufficient evidence to conclude that UFOs are extraterrestrial, therefore we don't have sufficient cause to believe they are ET. However there is sufficient evidence to believe that the ETH is the most reasonable explanation. Also, interstellar distances aren't as big a deal as is often proclaimed by the skeptics. The universe is a big place and they always choose distances to suit their argument. However a little astronomy and math reveals that at velocities well under light speed ( only one-half or less ) there are about 15,000 stars within 200 years travel time. Of those there are over 1,500 within 100 years travel time, and over 100 within 50 years travel time, again all well under the speed of light, no warp drive or exotic sci-fi propulsion systems required. Any species with moderately longer lifespans and technology not far in advance of our own could accomplish it.

A lot of people mention Carl Sagan, but what fewer people are aware of is that Sagan wasn't always so hard line with respect to UFOs ( brief here ).

 

[Han]

I really have to get a copy of They Live fro my cult sci-fi collection. So what would be the point of reanimating in human form. I guess the first point is that lugging along thousands of tons of bio-matter that takes up a pile of cargo space and requires enormous amounts of energy to maintain and accelerate to an appreciable fraction of light speed is a really inefficient way of going about interstellar travel. However downloading consciousness into energy efficient, long life, lightweight memory modules, and using the physical materials and designs native to the destination makes a lot more sense. The second point would be that because we humans are the native design that is the most adapted and intelligent on this planet, we would make the best design template. Plus there are other advantages like blending in and avoiding all the problems associated with detection, segregation and outright xenophobic annihilation.

Plus there are many who would argue that the physical design of the body is largely irrelevant provided that consciousness is able to be transferred intact. This sort of challenges the rationale that genetic transference is required in order to perpetuate a species, but then again there are those among us who believe that a merging with machines is the next step in our own evolution. There is also the possibility that an alien design could utilize an appearance that is externally indistinguishable from the rest of us, but includes enhancements in perception, longevity, and brain power. Gene's suggestion is also not as off the wall as we might suspect either. Once a foothold is established, the process of terraforming to accommodate the aliens original design could be part of a longer term plan. Maybe that's where the chemtrails come into play . I'm not saying that all this is what's happening. That's the difference between responsible ufology and the fringe element. We're just having some fun here with some interesting possibilities.

 

[Ezechiel]

I personally don't think aliens are among us, not on the planet anyway, certainly somewhere in the universe but not on earth. I agree with Carl Sagan, who said something like the universe is teeming with life but the vast distances between planets is so great that we will probably never meet each other, or something along those lines.

Where as I do believe in the UFO phenomenon, I am just not certain that they are extraterrestrial in origin, I mean if aliens where visiting earth surely they would not want to be found out, especially if they are studying us for some reason, so flying about in craft which can be seen does not make much sense, but you never know.

I strongly disagree with Sagan and his static vision of things.

Near light speed travel is maybe 50 years away using some type of fusion propulsion. From that point on, stars within 5 to 10 light years away will be reachable.
Template:Star systems within 5 – 10 light-years - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Once we accomplish this, we'll all be forced to reflect on the possibility that some other race may have walked on the same technological pathway.
Within the next thousand years we'll find an exploit allowing us to counter Einsteinian limitations.. Quantum teleportation ? Who knows.
ITER fusion