We, as a civilisation, have developed in the last 50 years largely due to computers. If there were no computers, no particle accelerators, no large radio telescopes, no complex calculations would be possible. Our understanding of what constitutes consciousness would remain incomplete.

But does every intelligent civilisation invent something like computers? If not, how are they expected to communicate with us? They would invent theories, but would not be able to construct complex models of the universe.

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Limericks, written by me: http://limericker.blogspot.com

I read with great interest yesterday's (?) article entitled "How Advanced Can a Civilzation Become?" (originally published in Astrobiology Magazine). Look in the UT archives for this article. It covers this topic..not directly about computers but about what it will take for civilizations to advance enough to conquer space. Check it out.