Abandon Earth or Face Extinction, Stephen Hawking Warns -- Again

[SMR 368]

No, you didn't say stupid, you said he is conceited to call himself a scientist even though quite blatantly he is one, and one who has rightly been placed at the forefront of thinking in his areas of expertise at that. You also said that you could not see any evidence for his statements and that he could be wrong. His evidence is mathematical - and he isn't wrong - but statistical predictions are % liklihoods not statements of what will happen. It helps if you understand the concepts, just a little hint.

Math is used to interpret data and come to a conclusion. But you have to have some data to start with. Otherwise you're just making assumptions and then using math to interpret them.

For instance, no one has any data on the probability that an alien species would be harmful to humanity. That kind of data simply doesn't exist. I don't care how much statistical analysis you do or how much computing power you employ. In the end, you're making assumptions on some level. If I wanted someone to guess about what aliens might be out there, I could just watch Star Trek and have about the same success.

Similarly, nobody can calculate the probability that the earth will be destroyed in the next 100 years. Call it math or statistics or analysis or whatever. You have to have some numbers to start with. The reality is that those numbers, in this case, were not measured but simply made up by Steven Hawking. Are they right? Maybe. But they aren't supported.

[HAL 9000 96]

'Simply made up'

Yep... that sums science up real nice.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Stephen says you can kiss his scrawny #######.

[Captain Oates 911]

Stephen says you can kiss his scrawny #######.

pair of duff birds that - as if he hasn't got enough trouble..

one wurzel and one 19 year old with a 60 year old head

Edited August 16, 2010 by saywhat

[one...two...tree 2,762]

pair of duff birds that - as if he hasn't got enough trouble..

one wurzel and one 19 year old with a 60 year old head

Stephen says he'll pop a cap in yo lily-white ####### if you dis his beeyotches.

[Captain Oates 911]

Stephen says he'll pop a cap in yo lily-white ####### if you dis his beeyotches.

theys grade F perras are abusing that disabled guy...

he needs a new planet pronto

[Nik+Heather 122]

For instance, no one has any data on the probability that an alien species would be harmful to humanity. That kind of data simply doesn't exist.

I heard sort of an interesting comment along those lines. There's a lot of scifi out there about how cool it would be to have aliens come here to visit us, but there is some data in our own history about how the less advanced people fare when more advanced peoples come to their home. Usually it doesn't work out so well for those being visited...or the more appropriate word would be "colonized"

[Captain Oates 911]

I heard sort of an interesting comment along those lines. There's a lot of scifi out there about how cool it would be to have aliens come here to visit us, but there is some data in our own history about how the less advanced people fare when more advanced peoples come to their home. Usually it doesn't work out so well for those being visited...or the more appropriate word would be "colonized"

I know ! this ALIEN found that the natives went nuts about me coming here and spreading my European ideas !

I think they will survive but in a modified physical form where their life expectancy rises to European levels...

[HAL 9000 96]

I heard sort of an interesting comment along those lines. There's a lot of scifi out there about how cool it would be to have aliens come here to visit us, but there is some data in our own history about how the less advanced people fare when more advanced peoples come to their home. Usually it doesn't work out so well for those being visited...or the more appropriate word would be "colonized"

Just out today...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38727371?gt1=43001

Its not just Hawking, and no, its not likely someone at SETI saying this for more funding (the typical response from some people that can't quit the notion that science is a dynamic process).

[Peikko 1,575]

Hawking is not suggesting that alien life forms will behave in any way like 'people'. If anything the danger lies at the microbial level, as it always has.

[SMR 368]

Hawking is not suggesting that alien life forms will behave in any way like 'people'. If anything the danger lies at the microbial level, as it always has.

A reasonable postulate. But all the same, not supported by any actual observations or measurements.

[Captain Oates 911]

People always talk of aliens in the plural but I think there will only be one individual in each collection of galaxies. Being ultimately selfish and ultimately skilled in technology and all necessary abilities means you don't need other individuals and so others are not needed. They are a distraction and a danger.

I am already approaching this stage except I can't treat a mosquito bite between my shoulder blades. Imagine how far this principle can be taken given another 5 billion years when my progeny won't even have shoulder blades.

When contact comes it will be with THE alien and not the aliens. Divide and conquer, set one faction against another as practiced by the CIA, will be of no use.

This individual alien will be bored and probably he will want another civilisation to pray to him every night on their knees coz it's fun having people do that. Look at the Abu Ghraib photos if you doubt it. So we can predict his desires before we even make contact.

[HAL 9000 96]

You probably root for the aliens in ID4 and all those other invasion flicks.

[Captain Oates 911]

You probably root for the aliens in ID4 and all those other invasion flicks.

I don't like insect aliens. I would spray them. The ones that look like larry king (davros the darlek )should be shot in the face with a 16 gauge shotgun loaded with slugs (no not the slimy kind)

Spok was ok coz at least he was logical and didn't see the need for screaming and a hollerin' like on HLN TV, but his form was too reminiscent of humans. I would appear in the form of bugs bunny to lul them into a a false sense of security.

THEN I would get them to worship me. The final degradation - worshiping bugs bunny

[HAL 9000 96]

Just say it, don't spray it Daffy.