Altruism or cooperation appears to be a characteristic feature of mature and advanced societies, and is expected to be possessed by highly-advanced ETI societies. Such value could be of two basic types, viz., extrinsic or instrumental value, which derives from the use value of a given subject, and intrinsic or inherent value, which exists regardless of utility. Humans exhibit altruism towards others, including non-humans, because they assign some value to the receiver who may be a relative, a non-relative, a non-human plant or animal, or even a non-living river, mountain, or forest. We might, however, gain some clues to possible motivations for interstellar dialogues by considering altruism as revealed by human biophilia, or the affinity for other forms of life. Similarly, given the vast distances of interstellar space and the long durations of round-trip exchanges of information, notions of reciprocity might also be irrelevant-at least at the level of biological individuals. Because these beings have evolved independently, notions of kin selection would not guide their relations with humans. However, because ETIs belong to species different from humans, analysis of yet another dimension of human altruism, the one which encompasses not only the non-human living world, but also non-living components of nature such as rivers, forests, mountains, and the like, is essential in light of the concepts and theories of evolutionary sociobiology. In light of the prospect of discovering intelligent celestial neighbors.ĭiscussions to date about communicating concepts of altruism to extraterrestrial intelligence (ETI) have focused on examples of altruism between members of the same species. Question of de-centering both geocentrism and anthropocentrism is raised Turning to the new field of Astrotheology, the Respondents are the only ones who fear a religious crisis precipitatedīy contact with extraterrestrials, a crisis expected to happen to othersīut not to themselves. Surprisingly, the self-identified non-religious Protestants, Jews, Mormons, Buddhists, and to those who self-identify as Orthodox Christians, Roman Catholics, mainline Protestants, Evangelical Incorporating ETI into their respective worldviews. Religious belief have no difficulty affirming the existence of ETI and Religious Crisis Survey, we find evidence that those who affirm Of the existence of extraterrestrial intelligent beings, this chapter Traditions are vulnerable to challenge if not collapse upon confirmation Noting how some prophets of crisis forecast that traditional religious At a time when new planets are being discovered around other stars at an unprecedented rate, this collection provides a much needed guide to the human impact of discovering we are not alone in the universe. Scholars from such diverse disciplines as mathematics, chemistry, journalism, and religious studies offer innovative solutions for bridging the cultural gap between human and extraterrestrial civilizations, while recognizing the tremendous challenges of communicating at interstellar distances. Sociologists present the latest findings of novel surveys, tapping into the public's attitudes about life beyond Earth to show how religion and education influence beliefs about extraterrestrials. Archaeologists and astronomers explore the likelihood that extraterrestrial intelligence exists, using scientific insights to estimate such elusive factors as the longevity of technological societies. If they make contact with an advanced alien civilization, how will humankind respond? In thinking about first contact, the contributors to this volume present new empirical and theoretical research on the societal dimensions of the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI). Astronomers around the world are pointing their telescopes toward the heavens, searching for signs of intelligent life.
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