GV
Great Vengeance
Senior Member
Advanced alien species and compassion
Hypothetical question, suppose in our explorations of space we encountered an advanced alien race. They would have the capacity to end all our problems, all our suffering, but do you think they would also have the compassion to do so? Keep in mind that there are many peoples in South America, Africa etc. that go on living a primitive way of life while we bask in the comfort of our superior technology. Discuss.
MIN
Re: Advanced alien species and compassion
Originally posted by Great Vengeance
Hypothetical question, suppose in our explorations of space we encountered an advanced alien race. They would have the capacity to end all our problems, all our suffering, but do you think they would also have the compassion to do so? Keep in mind that there are many peoples in South America, Africa etc. that go on living a primitive way of life while we bask in the comfort of our superior technology. Discuss.
IMO, depends what you mean by "advanced" and what problems. Would a technologically/scientifically advanced civilization be able to cure all our diseases? Probably. Would they be able to teach us greater compassion, toward ourselves, toward our environment? Not unless they themselves can demonstrate what that means. And even if they could, would it be right to do so? Don't some things have to be learned first hand? Recall things your parents tried to teach you, but we didn't--sometimes wouldn't--accept them until we got older and could see from a more mature perspective.
There is, of course, as you hint in your question, the possibility that an advanced alien species could be down-right hostile, an expanding race of warrior-conquerors, in which case our gooses are cooked. It is not necessarily true that any species which makes it to starflight must be benevolent. All starflight requires is sufficient material resources, acquired by any means, and as (eg) Hitler proved, aggression does just fine. The only reason he failed was because "Good Guys" got in the way. What if there are no Interstellar Good Guys...yikes!
WES
Re: Advanced alien species and compassion
Originally posted by Great Vengeance
Hypothetical question, suppose in our explorations of space we encountered an advanced alien race. They would have the capacity to end all our problems, all our suffering, but do you think they would also have the compassion to do so? Keep in mind that there are many peoples in South America, Africa etc. that go on living a primitive way of life while we bask in the comfort of our superior technology. Discuss.
Yeah, I brought peace and domestication to the ants living outside of my great house today. And then I taught the humming birds how to conserve energy and showed great compassion to the cow that somehow ended up on my plate.
My thoughts is... No.
ZOD
Re: Advanced alien species and compassion
Originally posted by Great Vengeance
Hypothetical question, suppose in our explorations of space we encountered an advanced alien race. They would have the capacity to end all our problems, all our suffering, but do you think they would also have the compassion to do so? Keep in mind that there are many peoples in South America, Africa etc. that go on living a primitive way of life while we bask in the comfort of our superior technology. Discuss.
I think it depends on how similar we are to them.