How likely are we to find extraterrestrial life?

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otseng
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How likely are we to find extraterrestrial life?

Post #1

Post by otseng »

Many NASA scientists think we're on the verge of finding alien life.

Ellen Stofan, NASA's former chief scientist, said in 2015 that she believes we'll get "strong indications of life beyond Earth in the next decade and definitive evidence in the next 10 to 20 years."

Many astrophysicists and astronomers are convinced that it's not a matter of if we'll find life — it's when.
https://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-pl ... de-2019-11

Questions for debate:
- How likely are we to find extraterrestrial life?
- What empirical evidence is there that any extraterrestrial life exists?
- What are the implications if extraterrestrial life exists or do not exist?

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Post #71

Post by Clownboat »

William wrote:I have experienced a conscious encounter with an entity which I can comfortably describe as 'extraterrestrial'.
This being a debate site, I find it reasonable to questions such a claim as the one you have made.

If you really had an encounter with an extraterrestrial, that would be an amazing thing and the world should know about it.

Alas, it seems unimportant in the end.

Surely you must understand that alien abduction claims and such are not in short supply.
You can give a man a fish and he will be fed for a day, or you can teach a man to pray for fish and he will starve to death.

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Post #72

Post by William »

[Replying to post 71 by Clownboat]

I have experienced a conscious encounter with an entity which I can comfortably describe as 'extraterrestrial'.
This being a debate site, I find it reasonable to questions such a claim as the one you have made.
I expect then, that you will ask reasonable questions. Is my expectation unreasonable?
If you really had an encounter with an extraterrestrial, that would be an amazing thing and the world should know about it.
I consider that to be a claim. Can you explain why you find this a reasonable expectation?

I do not disagree that it is an amazing thing for anyone to have experienced a conscious encounter with an entity which they can comfortably describe as 'extraterrestrial'.

I am puzzled as to why you think the world should know about it.
Alas, it seems unimportant in the end.
To the world, or a greater portion of it, surely. I do appreciate that it was not the greater portion of the world which had the encounter. I have no expectations that the world you speak of should find it important. It is more than enough that I find it important.
Surely you must understand that alien abduction claims and such are not in short supply.
Indeed. I see significance in such claims, perhaps primarily because of my own encounter, although strictly speaking, it was not an 'abduction' of anything more than doubt. And fear of worldly things.

As you point out, such an experience would be an amazing thing. How amazing? Life-changing.

It remains to this day, a pivotal component of my life's experience for the changes it wrought as ripple effect.

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Post #73

Post by Clownboat »

William wrote: [Replying to post 71 by Clownboat]

I have experienced a conscious encounter with an entity which I can comfortably describe as 'extraterrestrial'.
This being a debate site, I find it reasonable to questions such a claim as the one you have made.
I expect then, that you will ask reasonable questions. Is my expectation unreasonable?
If you really had an encounter with an extraterrestrial, that would be an amazing thing and the world should know about it.
I consider that to be a claim. Can you explain why you find this a reasonable expectation?

I do not disagree that it is an amazing thing for anyone to have experienced a conscious encounter with an entity which they can comfortably describe as 'extraterrestrial'.

I am puzzled as to why you think the world should know about it.
Alas, it seems unimportant in the end.
To the world, or a greater portion of it, surely. I do appreciate that it was not the greater portion of the world which had the encounter. I have no expectations that the world you speak of should find it important. It is more than enough that I find it important.
Surely you must understand that alien abduction claims and such are not in short supply.
Indeed. I see significance in such claims, perhaps primarily because of my own encounter, although strictly speaking, it was not an 'abduction' of anything more than doubt. And fear of worldly things.

As you point out, such an experience would be an amazing thing. How amazing? Life-changing.

It remains to this day, a pivotal component of my life's experience for the changes it wrought as ripple effect.
I have no doubt that you experienced something. I doubt that it was extraterrestrial though. Is my doubt unfounded, if so, please explain why?

Also, why do you think extraterrestrials would reach out to you specifically?
Almost 7.6 billion humans on this planet and they chose you? You got to admit, it seems awfully self serving.

I'm just challenging a claim that you have made. Please don't take it personally.
You can give a man a fish and he will be fed for a day, or you can teach a man to pray for fish and he will starve to death.

I blame man for codifying those rules into a book which allowed superstitious people to perpetuate a barbaric practice. Rules that must be followed or face an invisible beings wrath. - KenRU

It is sad that in an age of freedom some people are enslaved by the nomads of old. - Marco

If you are unable to demonstrate that what you believe is true and you absolve yourself of the burden of proof, then what is the purpose of your arguments? - brunumb

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Re:

Post #74

Post by VVilliam »

Clownboat wrote: Fri May 22, 2020 3:40 pm
William wrote: [Replying to post 71 by Clownboat]
I have no doubt that you experienced something. I doubt that it was extraterrestrial though. Is my doubt unfounded, if so, please explain why?
You are free to doubt if you wish. It is not my intent to convince anyone. I am interested in what you think of as extraterrestrial.
Also, why do you think extraterrestrials would reach out to you specifically?
Almost 7.6 billion humans on this planet and they chose you? You got to admit, it seems awfully self serving.
I have no reason to admit any such thing. Why would you think I would be the only one out of 7.6 billion humans on this planet who has experienced an encounter?

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Re: Re:

Post #75

Post by Clownboat »

VVilliam wrote: Mon May 25, 2020 12:54 pm
Clownboat wrote: Fri May 22, 2020 3:40 pm
William wrote: [Replying to post 71 by Clownboat]



You are free to doubt if you wish. It is not my intent to convince anyone. I am interested in what you think of as extraterrestrial.



I have no reason to admit any such thing. Why would you think I would be the only one out of 7.6 billion humans on this planet who has experienced an encounter?

Copy/Paste: "I have no doubt that you experienced something. I doubt that it was extraterrestrial though."
You can give a man a fish and he will be fed for a day, or you can teach a man to pray for fish and he will starve to death.

I blame man for codifying those rules into a book which allowed superstitious people to perpetuate a barbaric practice. Rules that must be followed or face an invisible beings wrath. - KenRU

It is sad that in an age of freedom some people are enslaved by the nomads of old. - Marco

If you are unable to demonstrate that what you believe is true and you absolve yourself of the burden of proof, then what is the purpose of your arguments? - brunumb

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Re: How likely are we to find extraterrestrial life?

Post #76

Post by VVilliam »

Yes I understand you doubt - My question to you was to explain what you think extraterrestrial is. This will at least potentially help me to understand your reason for your doubt.

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Re: How likely are we to find extraterrestrial life?

Post #77

Post by Clownboat »

VVilliam wrote: Wed May 27, 2020 12:54 pm Yes I understand you doubt - My question to you was to explain what you think extraterrestrial is. This will at least potentially help me to understand your reason for your doubt.
This is nonsesical: "My question to you was to explain what you think extraterrestrial is."
(Your question directed at me is to explain something to me?)

If you are asking me what an extraterrestrial is, then I think the common definition would suffice.

ex·tra·ter·res·tri·al
/ˌekstrətəˈrestrēəl/
Learn to pronounce
adjective
of or from outside the earth or its atmosphere.
"searches for extraterrestrial intelligence"
noun
a hypothetical or fictional being from outer space, especially an intelligent one.

If you cannot show that you spoke the truth ("I have experienced a conscious encounter with an entity which I can comfortably describe as extraterrestrial"), then the honest thing to do would be to admit such a thing. Asking me to look up definitions for you is likely viewed as a dodge.

If you could just evidence your claim though, then the OP would be settled. This is why my question is important.
OP: "How likely are we to find extraterrestrial life?" <--- Apparently, we have a poster that has already found it, but when challenged, they request a definition for the word extraterrestrial rather than attempt to show that they spoke the truth.
:confused2:

Will you not settle this OP for us?
You can give a man a fish and he will be fed for a day, or you can teach a man to pray for fish and he will starve to death.

I blame man for codifying those rules into a book which allowed superstitious people to perpetuate a barbaric practice. Rules that must be followed or face an invisible beings wrath. - KenRU

It is sad that in an age of freedom some people are enslaved by the nomads of old. - Marco

If you are unable to demonstrate that what you believe is true and you absolve yourself of the burden of proof, then what is the purpose of your arguments? - brunumb

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Re: How likely are we to find extraterrestrial life?

Post #78

Post by VVilliam »

If you are asking me what an extraterrestrial is, then I think the common definition would suffice.

ex·tra·ter·res·tri·al
/ˌekstrətəˈrestrēəl/
Learn to pronounce
adjective
of or from outside the earth or its atmosphere.
"searches for extraterrestrial intelligence"
noun
a hypothetical or fictional being from outer space, especially an intelligent one.
Thanks for clarifying. I am fine with going along with this particular definition.
If you could just evidence your claim though, then the OP would be settled. This is why my question is important.
This is the practical reason that I wanted you to clarify what you thought of as ex·tra·ter·res·tri·al. I thought perhaps you had a different understanding as to what they were.

Apparently you are under the impression that I made the claim that I was able to summons one for the sake of scientific examination. I made no such claim.
OP: "How likely are we to find extraterrestrial life?" <--- Apparently, we have a poster that has already found it, but when challenged, they request a definition for the word extraterrestrial rather than attempt to show that they spoke the truth.
:confused2:
You are of course - perhaps on a subconscious level - conflating my actual claim with one which you have made up.

I adequately answered the OPQ the only way I could answer it. Pay particular attention to the bold part where I make sure to include information which any intelligent individual could immediate see is my admitting such an experience proves nothing in particular and is only relevant to the thread subject because what I experienced was not any earthly being - hence - "ex·tra·ter·res·tri·al"]

I have experienced a conscious encounter with an entity which I can comfortably describe as 'extraterrestrial'. That alone cannot signify 'god being real'. It cannot even signify that extraterrestrials [as per OP subject] are real either, because I do not know that they even come from this universe.

However, given I have been offered no empirical evidence other universes exist, I have to conclude the entity I had the encounter with, was from this universe...extraterrestrial as in 'alien' 'from somewhere out in space'.


My post was, of course, simply mirroring a particular portion of a post where you stated;
I experienced and observed all sorts of things raised in a pentecostal church. Some pretty strange. None that point to a god being real though,....
It is you who decided that this was something of a claim which required empirical evidence and went off on that tangent.

And now you use words like 'dodge' and insinuate I am being untruthful. Your tangent has made it look like that, but your tangent is simply twisting words to attempt to justify said tangent.

Graciously, I will ask you to desist from that [rather tiresome] tactic. The Thread Creator obviously thought such a subject belongs in the Science and Religion forum, but that of itself does not mean the OPQ was expecting empirical evidence which scientists could get excited about.

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Re: How likely are we to find extraterrestrial life?

Post #79

Post by Clownboat »

VVilliam wrote:I have experienced a conscious encounter with an entity which I can comfortably describe as 'extraterrestrial'.
The OP:
How likely are we to find extraterrestrial life?

Please show that you speak the truth or kindly retract your claim.

Humans have experiences, what is unreasonable is to assign the term 'extraterrestrial' to them like you have done. If there is a reason to add the term 'extraterrestrial' to your experience, please share it. I'm asking for any sort of verfification that might suggest that your extraterrestrial claim is reasonable. If you can show/suggest that you speak the truth, then the OP has been answered.
You can give a man a fish and he will be fed for a day, or you can teach a man to pray for fish and he will starve to death.

I blame man for codifying those rules into a book which allowed superstitious people to perpetuate a barbaric practice. Rules that must be followed or face an invisible beings wrath. - KenRU

It is sad that in an age of freedom some people are enslaved by the nomads of old. - Marco

If you are unable to demonstrate that what you believe is true and you absolve yourself of the burden of proof, then what is the purpose of your arguments? - brunumb

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Re: How likely are we to find extraterrestrial life?

Post #80

Post by VVilliam »

If there is a reason to add the term 'extraterrestrial' to your experience, please share it.
The reason why I say the entity which visited me was extraterrestrial is because - while it was humanoid - it defiantly was not a human.

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