Rethinking Galactic Empire
How much would an extraterrestrial civilization resemble our own? The question resonates because on the one hand, the signature of our activities is what we tend to translate into the SETI search. We look, for example, for the signs of civilizations that are like us but more advanced technologically, which means we apply human thinking and motivations to cultures that are by definition not human. This is natural enough, because we're the only technological civilization we know about, but it leads to results that may mislead us and obscure the actual situation.
This is natural enough, because we’re the only technological civilization we know about, but it leads to results that may mislead us and obscure the actual situation.
ReplyDeleteTo say the least! Heh.
I thought that was quite an understatement, too.
ReplyDelete