Dozens of new planets in our galaxy have been discovered in recent weeks, increasing the odds, people say, that intelligent life exists on some of them. For a long time, I agreed with scientists in speculating that the possibility of intelligent life on some planets in the entire universe, if not merely in our galaxy, was strong. Yet in the past few years, after more reading in the most up-to-date facts and theories of scientific cosmology, I think I'm reaching the opposite scientific conclusion, namely, that intelligent life exists only on Earth. Religious fundamentalists and conservatives, with whom I generally disagree, tend to agree with my preliminary conclusion on this matter, but for theological, not scientific, reasons.
-Old Gargoyle
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5 comments:
Kindly tell us more about what you've been reading/hearing/seeing that leads you to believe that intelligent life does not likely exist elsewhere. And are you really convinced that it exists on Earth? I'm not. To wit, the stimulus package.
Love,
Jennifer
Ha! Add to your preliminary list with the stimulus package such reality-tv shows as "Wife Swap" and "The Biggest Loser."
"Add to your preliminary list with the stimulus package such reality-tv shows as "Wife Swap" and "The Biggest Loser."
No kidding!
But seriously, what has made you change your mind? I'm curious about this one.
My religious beliefs have not informed my belief that intelligent life does not exist elsewhere. I attribute my disbelief to a lack of imagination. I was shocked to find that my very logical, left-brained mother does believe in aliens.
Jennifer
Jennifer, I guess it's a twofold influence: my disappointment in discovering what I thought was my encounter with aliens on October 31, 1997 to have been simply an encounter with a few of my disguised students; and my current reading in the difficult scientific thought of scientist Frank Tipler.
Not to worry. Some of your 1999 students were, in fact, extraterrestrials.
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