The problem of active SETI: An overview |
| |
| Institution: | 1. SETI Permanent Study Group of IAA;2. University of Insubria, Varese, Italy;3. Universidad Católica Sedes Sapientiae, Lima, Perú;1. Division of Genetic Medicine, The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA;2. ARUP Laboratories, Salt Lake City, UT, USA;3. Department of Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA;4. Pediatric Genetics, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA;1. Departments of Philosophy & Religion and Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, 29634, USA;2. Departments of Anthropology and Religious Studies, University of Texas, Austin, TX, 78705, USA;1. European Space Agency, Paris, France;2. PhD University of Cologne, Institute of Air and Space Law, Germany;3. International Academy of Astronautics, France;4. International Institute of Space Law, France;5. European Centre for Space Law, France;6. Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich, Department of Communication Science and Media Research, Germany;7. Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Institute of Political Science, Germany |
| |
| Abstract: | In the present paper (originally presented at the First IAA Symposium on Searching for Life Signatures hold at the UNESCO on 22–26 September 2008) I try to summarize the results of all my previous studies on active SETI and its possible dangers for us, also considering some new topics, in order to provide a possibly complete overview of the whole matter. First, I try to evaluate the possible risks of an indirect contact with aliens, from the social, cultural, and religious point of view; then, the possible risks related with receiving information about alien science and technology; finally, the risk that active SETI could increase the probability of a physical contact with hostile aliens. My conclusion is that active SETI is very unlikely to be dangerous for us, but, at present, such a possibility cannot be completely excluded. Surprisingly, it turns out that a very important point to be assessed in order to improve our evaluation of active SETI is the pace of our technological progress. Some suggestions about the policy that international community should adopt towards active SETI are also included. |
| |
| Keywords: | |
| 本文献已被 ScienceDirect 等数据库收录！ |
|
