Would it not be better if the phrase "intelligent civilizations" in the poll question were replaced by something like "cultures analogous to modern humanity"?

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Oh well. I can see, just about, the point in asserting that even "we" are not intelligent, so the number is zero (although I think that this is mildly irrelevant to what I took to be the intention of the poll). But if even "we" are not analogous (a word that I would interpret broadly) to ourselves, then I suspect that - as usual - I don't understand the question.

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Ah. Yes, I voted "one (us)". I suspect there are a lot of strange and complex things and phenomena in the galaxy (and beyond), but not a lot that's much like "us". Mind you, I'd keep looking.

We already settled this.

And yet we forgot that we had.

So we go over the same ground again.

This only shows that we are not very intelligent at all.



How many intelligent civilizations in the Milky Way?

As we define intelligence, we are not intelligent, Lance.

Chip, your criteria for intelligence is so broad that you could say any number of species on earth is intelligent, even mice.

Dragon Star, if intelligence is the CAPABILITY for advanced thinking and reasoning we ARE NOT intelligent.

On top of all this, I have to add that the fact that we can condition our own thought process into thinking of our species as being intelligent solely by wishful thinking further exemplifies the fact that we are clearly not intelligent at all. It is only our pride and desire to consider ourselves as intelligent that pushes us into thinking of ourselves as such. The reality is not so flattering.

It is also the most sobering of all realizations to consider this. This makes the question of ETI a meaningless one. Even if ETI exists, it would not matter because it is most likely that we would not and could not be welcomed or accepted to stand among them as intelligent beings.

If you still do not believe me, just turn on CNN or FOX News on any day or time.

Yeah, yeah...we're all stupid. Let's move on.

Please address my question here. Your implication seems to be that NASA scientists are lying to us, and engaging in what amounts to be fraudulant behavior in order to secure a pay check. Please provide the evidence for this accusation.

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That statement directly contradicts itself.

As I stated above, your assertion isn't even debatable. In the context of the conversation at hand, it is silliness at best and trolling at worst.

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Intelligence is quantitative.
It´s not that you are, or that you are not, but that you are enough.
For practical purposes, let's take intelligent enough to communicate with other star-systems.

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I am almost overwhelmed at the folly, and the blind self congratulatory nature of those who choose to claim that the human species is an intelligent one. On this day that we look back in awe at the life and efforts of Martin Luther King I am reminded how without fail we can almost guarantee that the raging stupidity of the human species will rise up and strike down anyone with true worth and greatness.

You may claim that this comment is out of place in this discussion thread. But I have to tell you that if I was to write a screenplay called “Fermi’s Paradox” I would start it during the book signing in New York City where a young Martin Luther King was stabbed near his heart by a deranged woman and I would end the screenplay in Memphis when he stood on the balcony of the Laurane Motel. You see we do not have to look to the stars and ask “where are they” we only have to look at ourselves and see how devoid we are of intelligence and purpose and abilities.


-- William M. Thompson

Why don't you show us some of your intelligence and start answering some of the questions we've asked?

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Without debating the content, political commentary has no place in this thread.

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You are obviously misusing the word "intelligence" in order to annoy people.

I, for one, would appreciate it if you would cut it out, and go join some species more to your liking.

Bob

Wisdom and intelligence are not the same thing. By any measure we as a life form are intelligent. That some of us do foolish things is granted. Even if we ALL did foolish things, we still can be intelligent.

That someone comes into this thread without having read all 38 pages of it and makes remarks already made by others says nothing of the overall intelligence of humans.

Clearly that fact that you can propel this drivel all over the world via the internet is a clear indication of intelligent life. If you took your magic spaceship to another planetary system and upon arrival found cities, industry, electronic communications, etc, something tells me you would not study the wisdom of their culture over a century or two before deciding if they were an intelligent race of beings.

I wish you had picked cats, but yes, mice are intelligent. (As mice.)

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This request is quite reasonable.

William_Thompson, if you wish to continue participating on this message board, you'll need to answer the questions directed to you by other posters. You've ignored a number of these in the course of this discussion, which is unacceptable (not to mention rude). Please address them.

Ok, I'm willing to accept that some might see humanity as somewhat 'lacking' in certain aspects. But as Enzp said, even if we all do foolish things that doesn't preclude intelligence. So, as I said earlier: Yeah, yeah, we're all stupid. Let's move on.

I would like to address this question I asked Mr. Thompson (twice to be exact):

Do you have any evidence that these NASA scientists know there is no other life in the galaxy, and that they're just stringing us along in order to protect their job security?

Now, this is quite an accusation, and I would really like to know how you know that these NASA scientists are doing this?

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