| |
Are we the only intelligent beings in the
Universe?
In our quest to discover intelligent E.T.'s, our concept of "intelligence" is based on a sample of one - our own. In the teeming myriad of lifeforms on our planet, only one single species has developed it's brain to the point where it is the singular asset which assures our survival. Where other creatures rely on speed, eyesight or hearing, we rely most greatly on our brain's unique thought processing ability.
So then, is it likely that intelligence is a guaranteed end product in the evolution of life, be it here, or on another planet elsewhere in the universe? Or are we the only ones in the universe thinking about where we came from, or whether there are others like use out there somewhere?
- Team 1 examines the possibility that intelligence is a niche in the evolutionary
scheme, and if humans were absent, then some other species would fill the
gap here on Earth, given enough time. It then follows that evolution on an
alien planet might also be likely to produce an intelligent species.
- Team 2 argues that human intelligence was a fluke, and it is highly improbably
that any other species would evolve to be intelligent here on earth, let alone
on another planet.
Resources:
Helpfull links and references- Start Here!
References
-
"What is life? The Next Fifty Years" M. Murphy, P. O'Neill (editors) 1995 Cambridge University Press
-
"The Non-prevalence of Humanoids" G.G. Simpson, in "The Quest for Extraterrestrial Life" D. Goldsmith (editor) 1980 University Science Books.
-
"Brain Size and the Evolution of the Mind" H. Jerison, 1991, American Museum of Natural History
-
Fifty Ninth James Arthur Lecture on The Evolution of the Human Brain
-
"Here Be Dragons: The Scientific Quest for Extraterrestrial Life" D. Koener, 2000, Oxford University Press
-
"The Anthropic Cosmological Principle" J.D. Barrow and F.J. Tipler, Section 3.2
Links
|
