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What Happens If China Makes First Contact?

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Re: What Happens If China Makes First Contact?

#31

Post by seanmcdirmid »

zamalek wrote: post #14

First contact is a species event, I really don't think it matters who makes it first. My reasoning is derived from a though experiment (happy to explain, but it should be obvious), which is all we have to go on this stuff. Long story short: it's highly probable that a species wouldn't care about our primitive political systems when engaging with us. It would most likely be a philanthropic event - which is a strong in…

Why do we assume the aliens would even recognize humans as a species worth talking to? They could be so far beyond us, that (a) they would have no idea how to talk to us (like we have no idea how to talk to ants) and (b) they wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between us and other species in terms of intelligence (like we can’t tell the difference between a fish and a crab).

We humanize aliens because otherwise movies would be boring, but more likely they would be very different from us, heck, we might not even recognize them ourselves.

Re: What Happens If China Makes First Contact?

#32

Post by remarkEon »

c_shu wrote: post #15

If the aliens are strong enough to land their spaceship on earth, investigating all countries is probably a piece of cake for them. There is no reason for them to tie themselves to a certain country or area. In another case, if they establish communication with a certain country/organization, but they cannot arrive, and somehow can only communicate with that certain country/organization, then it could be a different…

These thought experiments are always a little strange to me. If an alien race has the technology for interstellar travel I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to assume they’d also be able to do whatever they want to observe us (i.e. stay hidden if they like).

I think a much more interesting thought experiment is this: if an alien race chooses to make First Contact with us, what’s the likelihood we’re actually the first for them? Being a student of history, it’s a stretch for me to think they wouldn’t know these sorts of events trigger drastic changes in the native populations (usually resulting in death) when encountering a more developed civilization. So, I’m forced to conclude that if they do make First Contact with us we’re either the first for them and we’re doomed, or we’re not and they have some sufficient protocol for First Contact that’s “good enough” that they benefit in the exchange. Either way I don’t think Humanity makes out well unless we get lucky with some really benevolent explorers.

Re: What Happens If China Makes First Contact?

#34

Post by 0xBA5ED »

Do we really think they'll be using radio communication? We're already dabbling with quantum comm ourselves. And if they can travel the stars, they'd have been incentivized to develop something better long ago. One would think...

Hell, maybe the whole galaxy has quantum wifi.

Re: What Happens If China Makes First Contact?

#35

Post by nitwit005 »

Nothing? Even ignoring the fact that humans can't generate a powerful enough signal to respond, it's probably going to be several thousand years for them to get the response. They'll likely be far more interested in claiming the achievement of discovering the signal, than concocting a response.

Re: What Happens If China Makes First Contact?

#37

Post by learc83 »

0xBA5ED wrote: post #34

Do we really think they'll be using radio communication? We're already dabbling with quantum comm ourselves. And if they can travel the stars, they'd have been incentivized to develop something better long ago. One would think... Hell, maybe the whole galaxy has quantum wifi.

What is quantum comm? Quantum entanglement doesn't allow for a conceivable way to transmit information.

Is there something else you're thinking of other than entanglement?

Re: What Happens If China Makes First Contact?

#38

Post by zamalek »

stewbrew wrote: post #23
zamalek wrote: post #14

First contact is a species event, I really don't think it matters who makes it first. My reasoning is derived from a though experiment (happy to explain, but it should be obvious), which is all we have to go on this stuff. Long story short: it's highly probable that a species wouldn't care about our primitive political systems when engaging with us. It would most likely be a philanthropic event - which is a strong in…

You and most other people here assume it would be a planned, organized event. Maybe it's rather one weirdo talking to another weirdo.

Yes, a more enlightened weirdo talking to an ignorant weirdo.

Re: What Happens If China Makes First Contact?

#39

Post by aaavl2821 »

cryoshon wrote: post #5

why is china so frightening to the west as a representative of humankind? they are imperfect, sure-- their abysmal human rights record will soon be matched by a collapsing xenophobic West. but they are evidence that humanity can produce contiguous government without overt destruction of rivals even when capable of doing so. they are evidence that humanity can persist in peaceful trade with other civilizations, even i…

Governments that do not destroy rivals even if capable of doing so and civilizations that can peacefully trade with other civilizations have existed as long as governments and civilizations have existed. China is certainly not the first nor only country to refrain from wanton destruction of other nations or to engage in mutually beneficial trade...

Re: What Happens If China Makes First Contact?

#40

Post by Joeri »

seanmcdirmid wrote: post #31
zamalek wrote: post #14

First contact is a species event, I really don't think it matters who makes it first. My reasoning is derived from a though experiment (happy to explain, but it should be obvious), which is all we have to go on this stuff. Long story short: it's highly probable that a species wouldn't care about our primitive political systems when engaging with us. It would most likely be a philanthropic event - which is a strong in…

Why do we assume the aliens would even recognize humans as a species worth talking to? They could be so far beyond us, that (a) they would have no idea how to talk to us (like we have no idea how to talk to ants) and (b) they wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between us and other species in terms of intelligence (like we can’t tell the difference between a fish and a crab). We humanize aliens because otherwise…

They may just consider us very young. You only tell a child things it is ready to handle. Arguably we’re not ready to make first contact. It has a high risk of leading us to war, the equivalent of a child throwing a tantrum.
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