Is it wrong to assume that some extraterrestrials that might

exist have developed culture, more specifically beliefs about the supernatural, the same way.

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Is it wrong to assume that some extraterrestrials that might

 
 

Is it wrong to assume that some extraterrestrials that might

#1  Postby MattHunX » Jan 31, 2011 5:36 pm

I think, it is quite easy to see how beliefs about the supernatural were conceived by our ancestors, considering their great lack of understanding about the world, that became tradition and developed into religion and an institution.

So, I wonder if other potential species out their, that might have evolved the same mental capacity, have religions, and if they are similar to ours (e.g.: ghosts, souls, afterlife, gods, crystals...etc.

Could other potential species out there be so hopelessly under-informed, ignorant and superstitious still, in their majority, as ours.

Could Extraterrestrial Intelligence Sway Religious Beliefs?
http://www.space.com/10670-extraterrest ... liefs.html

The discovery of extraterrestrial life might not shake people's faith in their religious beliefs, but it could lead them to wonder if Jesus Christ had incarnations on alien planets, scientists and theologians say.

These speculations and more arose from researchers presenting at a meeting of the Royal Society in London last year addressing the potentialimpacts of aliens on society, who detailed their analysis this month in the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A.

In one of the studies, which were released Jan. 10, astrobiologist Chris McKay at NASA Ames Research Center noted the consequences that aliens might have on society depend on whether humanity discovered only extraterrestrial life or also extraterrestrial intelligence.

[CONTINUES]


Let's just put aside the obvious difficulty of actually communicating with extraterrestrials on a level where we understand even one word, let alone their philosophies, and just consider if it would really have any impact on the religions. The first few lines of the article, where they talk about multiple appearances by jesus, should give the religious quite a huge pause, but apparently, it doesn't. However, I suspect this is because, they do not actually fully grasp the implications of such discoveries in regards to the teachings of their religions.
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Re: Is it wrong to assume that some extraterrestrials that m

#2  Postby Spearthrower » Feb 02, 2011 10:04 am

It's an interesting topic but a little diverse in scope. For the early part, I am just going to throw out one word for now and come back later: animism.

I expect that all 'intelligent' creatures engage in some level of animism, that is, positing and building a structure of intent and agency, and ranking one's own species within it.

I'll be back later when I have more time!
Science is the worst form of inquiry into reality, except all the others that have been tried.
Religion = Mass Stockholm Syndrome.
I'm not an atheist; I just don't believe in gods.
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Re: Is it wrong to assume that some extraterrestrials that m

 
 

Re: Is it wrong to assume that some extraterrestrials that m

#3  Postby virphen » Feb 02, 2011 10:22 am

It's hard to imagine any other way...

... which is a good reason NOT to assume it is so.
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