tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post4685165557095128512..comments2023-10-24T04:29:23.693-06:00Comments on Atheist Ethicist: E2.0: David Brin: The Great Silence and the EnlightenmentAlonzo Fyfehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05687777216426347054noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post-74550989921871392008-04-20T23:07:00.000-06:002008-04-20T23:07:00.000-06:00I posted a link to this post on David Brin's blog....I posted a link to this post on <A HREF="http://davidbrin.blogspot.com/" REL="nofollow">David Brin's blog.</A>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post-38450042746837523012008-04-19T10:41:00.000-06:002008-04-19T10:41:00.000-06:00'acknowledge that we are limited by our ability to...'acknowledge that we are limited by our ability to measure only to the limits of our ability to perceive'<BR/><BR/>One of the most frustrating aspects of modern theology is the celebration of mystery. Well, that and that their mysteries are all rubbish and science solved most of them years ago.<BR/><BR/>If we're limited by our ability to perceive, we should expand our abilities. That what quantum physicists do - literally they see things so small that *protons* overlook them.<BR/><BR/>If we can't see stuff or think in a certain way, it's our job to build machines that see and think better, not sit in a corner of a cave in awe.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post-33224395241854212402008-04-19T07:23:00.000-06:002008-04-19T07:23:00.000-06:00Perhaps this is a test of the ability to tolerate ...Perhaps this is a test of the ability to tolerate ambiguity, to express humility and remain humble, and to acknowledge that we are limited by our ability to measure only to the limits of our ability to perceive.<BR/><BR/>One other possibility is that we have or are being contacted, but that the visitors choose to remain hidden.<BR/><BR/>I enjoy this series, and I will be revisiting this post many times.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post-29419273541366289852008-04-19T03:36:00.000-06:002008-04-19T03:36:00.000-06:00'When it comes to explaining why we have not heard...'When it comes to explaining why we have not heard from other civilizations, I am at a loss.'<BR/><BR/>The Fermi Paradox. I think the explanation has to be we're looking for something small in something big, we don't really know what to look for, haven't been looking for it very long and probably wouldn't understand it if we saw it. <BR/><BR/>I suspect when we work it out, it'll just snap into place. 'Oh, the *stars* are intelligent lifeforms and we've been staring at a million aliens every night' or 'stars don't just go bang, someone's got to blow them up ... what, you think black holes just make themselves' or something seemingly insane like that. <BR/><BR/>I think there is a parallel with religion here - I'm an atheist. I can, though, accept the idea that God might exist in such a way that we mere humans just can't see. Like the atoms in Uma Thurman's body don't know they're in Uma Thurman ... and couldn't do very much with the knowledge if they did.<BR/><BR/>That is, of course, the exact opposite of what all human religions have ever taught. <BR/><BR/>Isn't the 'problem' that we're basically monkeys who think a hundred miles is a long distance and a hundred years is a lot of time, dealing with units of time and distance where 'a million' is represented by a single pixel on the screen?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com