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| Personal background |
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| I spent 12 years in the United States Navy, in the submarine service, learning about communications. Since then, I've rejoined civilian life (and loving it, thank you), and taken a job in processor manufacturing for the Intel corporation. I'm pleased to say that it's enabled me to obtain a mighty fine computer system, and so I'm applying it to Seti@Home. |
| Thoughts about SETI and SETI@home |
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I think humans would be pretty vain and egotistical to assume that, in a potentially infinite, and definitely vast, universe, we'd be the only intelligent life. We'll probably discover it in one of two ways: either we'll hear their radio emissions, or they'll hear ours and make first contact with us. The cultural and technological exchanges of such a meeting would be a marvellous boon to both societies, but potentially dangerous ones too. Culture shock, runaway technology, and religious clashes would be just a few potential hazards. Disease cures, fuel alternatives, and philosophical learnings would be some of the benefits.
Sending a beacon would be a double edged sword... it would let races find us, but suppose we don't want them to? We don't know anything about the races out there, and we won't know if they're peaceful until they get here (or we get there). Xenophobia is a survival trait on Earth... what if it's a survival trait out there too? The ability to travel interstellar distances doesn't mean they're open minded. I think a beacon should include a basic description of the race, an overture to peaceful relations, and an example of some of our culture (similar to the disc on Voyager). Too much weakness shown would be risky; too much aggression would be equally risky.
I run SETI@Home because I feel that finding intelligence outside our own world is a potentially great thing. There are risks, but the possible benefits far outweigh them. I think it's a noble effort, and I want to be a part of it. |
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