Sci-Fi Science Fiction and the Philosophy of the Future

AlienView

StarGate Explorer
Science Fiction speculates on future possibilities, future inventions, alien beings with different mind sets and a world yet to be. But what about the future of philosophy in the science fiction world of tomorrow when we have technologies that dwarf the world of today, when we meet those hypothetical aliens from other worlds - Can we still use the same philosophical paradigms of today or will we need to expand philosophical comprehension; Will we need new categories? Will classical philosophy still have meaning a thousand years from now in a super advanced technological world where aliens from other worlds will be with us? - Do we need some new philosophical concepts? And is the science fiction of today sufficiently imaginative to show us what the future may actually be?
 
You should play the video game series: "Mass Effect". I promise you won't be disappointed.
 
I am not a game player but now that you mention it that gives me an idea for a game - Call it 'Alien Contact'.
In this game UFOs and hypothetical aliens put out clues and those who first make contact with the aliens win the game! And the winner gets taken aboard an alien craft and gets an interstellar ride and is given the opportunity to participate in a human/alien hybrid breeding program!
 
I am not a game player but now that you mention it that gives me an idea for a game - Call it 'Alien Contact'.
In this game UFOs and hypothetical aliens put out clues and those who first make contact with the aliens win the game! And the winner gets taken aboard an alien craft and gets an interstellar ride and is given the opportunity to participate in a human/alien hybrid breeding program!
You had me interested until seeing what the 'winner' gets. :thinking:
 
"You had me interested until seeing what the 'winner' gets. :thinking:"

Interstellar flight does take awhile to adapt to - One moment you're here, next moment you're there - You can get an advanced case of jetlag. As far as the human/alien hybrid breeding program, don't believe everything you read and what some so-called abductees say - The program is completely voluntary and only those who want to participate are chosen - but things don't always tun out the way the participants want and then they claim they were forced into it. It's like normal humans who marry and then the kids don't turn out the way they hoped so they blame their spouse - idiosyncrasies of human nature do often appear in hybrids BUT like the Vulcans, it is possible to suppress the needless human emotions that interfere with the future. As they say:
'Live long and prosper'.
 
I think the most jarring change will happen right here on earth. Evolution has a tendency to eat into the old life forms and absorb them into new life forms. We have already done that to some degree with the current human civilization, largely organized around a money economy. This money meme was able to get into everybody's minds in a way that we organize a lot of our life around it.

Our understanding of the processes that make up the universe has expanded quite a bit over the past 300-odd years since we became a money economy. Will we be able to lift ourselves up into a new vibrant form of super-organism, or will we fold on ourselves and devolve towards internal efficiency? Complex lifeforms are hard, but the people in this forum are the ones that make it possible :smiley:

Another interesting project: Project Hieroglyph and Imagining Possible Futures on Public Radio | Project Hieroglyph
 
I think some things will never change, like morality and the golden rule. The only things that may change are the trappings that we practice these morals on. Question is... are we really following the right morals?
 
I think some things will never change, like morality and the golden rule. The only things that may change are the trappings that we practice these morals on. Question is... are we really following the right morals?

The question for the future is do we really need morals? If Man evolved to his potential he would operate and interact with a built in morality - He could do no wrong. Never happen you say? This might depend on whether you see evolution as an endless war of survival of the fittest OR a design plan consciously created or creating itself as we move forward - if we are moving forward.
 
I think future morality will be based upon the conditions we find ourselves in.
Saying that: I believe there are UFOs that are sighted but I don't believe they are aliens.
It makes more sense, scientifically, that they are advanced versions of humans from a distant future using time travel to collect genetic material to repair a broken genome.
Faster-than-Light travel is impossible. No physical being could withstand the stresses that would occur in the atomic structures that make up matter. Even Photons are stretched and bent.
Time travel is scientifically possible but currently impossible to harness.
The most common "Alien" is the Grey. If you look at renditions of the Greys you may notice the similarities to our human body type. Imagine an Earth that has been contaminated or made uninhabitable at the surface. Humans move underground and over centuries evolve large eyes to see in the dark. With our current understanding of the intellect - Human heads may expand to allow room for a larger brain. The Grey's small mouth and lack of verbal communication may be the result of telepathic communication and the eating of supplements and nutrient rich pastes that can be manufactured from low light simple organisms. Being limited to underground environments the bodies of the Greys have gotten smaller and due to lack of natural sunlight have morphed into a gray color.
While the bodies of these future humans slowly transform into a mutated version of us their intellect grows by leaps and bounds.
Their morals and ideals will be based on conditions in their habitat and their actions may dictate the use their technology to attempt to repair their frail bodies. Perhaps it is a species-wide directive to restore the planet in its entirety or a last-ditch effort to gather an "ARC" of genomes to repopulate a moon deeper into the Solar System for habitation. Not knowing the time period it is difficult to speculate on their motives but we all know the Sun is aging and as it ages it gets hotter. Thus changing the Goldilocks Zone deeper into the Solar System.
Suffice it to say that a species that is advanced enough for telepathic communication will not have the individuality we have now. Preconceptions, Disillusionment and Delusions that shape our current memes will be replaced by a core species-wide directive. Compassion, Love and Empathy may no longer be the driving factors in their lifestyles. Survival and Technology may be the driving force.
To them, we would be a resource to be exploited and that is all.
 
Another take on Morals is that with an alien mentality, the morals that make up the human characteristics we are familiar with may not be the norm. We value Life and Prosperity. It is possible that there are entities that have no concept of Life or Love. Perhaps they have evolved past such beliefs? Perhaps they have evolved into a deeper sense of said beliefs?
In contemplating the what-ifs of possible alien morals we must first remove our own preconceptions about existence. An entity that evolves on a planet with ANYTHING different from ours will have different morals and their own preconceptions. Things that we cannot even fathom.
One must realize that the things we take for granted, of the natural world, affect our bodies and minds specifically to being on this planet, at our rotational speed, bathed in the radiation from our unique star.
Example: Nothing is different except the size of our planet. It is just slightly bigger:
Our gravity would change. Things would fall faster. Our bodies would be stouter and stronger. Slightly more dense and smaller (not so tall). Our doorways would be shorter, ceilings lower, travel across the surface a bit slower, more difficult to attain.
You say, Okay, What does that have to do with morals?
As we evolve out of the Hunter/Gatherer phase of our evolution we create more powerful weaponry so our bullets will travel further. We create a society that allows us to grow based on the gravity that affects us all. We have already done this for our own conditions. We just don't notice it because our conditions are the 'Norm' for our existence. The memes that develop would dictate our lives based upon the conditions of our natural environment.
Changing one simple thing like gravity might create such a large diversion that the morals we develop may be completely alien to those we now have.

Taking this one simple example to heart - Imagine all the conditions that a species from a different world might experience as normal. Not only changes in time of day duration but composition and emissions from their parent star, densities and compositions of their atmospheres and temperature variations, not to mention a billion other conditions that could affect their morals.

I believe that to truly contemplate any alien ideas we must first set aside everything we think we know about life. See we only have one planet of observation to make our assumptions. The difficulty occurs when we try to think of life evolving on a different planet (or moon). We tend to always associate it with our own natural standards. To create a society for such alien life and the morals that govern their society we have to explore the conditions that created the alien life in the first place. Its the "Science" in Science Fiction. It takes a lot of concentration, a lot of imagination and a lot of perseverance to imagine a culture that is truly different from ours.
 
Another take on Morals is that with an alien mentality, the morals that make up the human characteristics we are familiar with may not be the norm.........

I believe that to truly contemplate any alien ideas we must first set aside everything we think we know about life. See we only have one planet of observation to make our assumptions. The difficulty occurs when we try to think of life evolving on a different planet (or moon). We tend to always associate it with our own natural standards. To create a society for such alien life and the morals that govern their society we have to explore the conditions that created the alien life in the first place. Its the "Science" in Science Fiction. It takes a lot of concentration, a lot of imagination and a lot of perseverance to imagine a culture that is truly different from ours.

YES! We could be dealing with an entirely different paradigm of existence from beings that are otherwise intelligent - but whose intelligence does not function as does that of humans. Now take for example the 'insectoid' alien sometimes pictured in sci-fi. I once saw a true movie on insects showing that insects are in many ways more intelligent than we perceive them to be and have communication skills we are yet to understand. If invaded by alien insects who have evolved in other parts of the universe so as to be capable of space travel - watch out! They may find us as ugly as we find them and may immediately begin an extermination program before taking over the planet! Bug spray may be the main defense!
 
I wonder if a species such as humans, with all their morals and associations, could ever hope to understand or even effectively communicate with a species devoid of morals or associations? A species able to cross the vast distances of space and seriously more advanced than us but without the values and moral guidance humans have. A species possibly guided by direct stimuli alone. Task oriented with total disregard for the moral imperatives that keep us checked.
There would be no friendships, ownerships, pride, love, hate, enemies, favorites or anything except what is before them and how it affects their task. Would we see them as a threat? Could we even communicate with them? We don't have a very good track record of communicating with other species. How many animals can we sit down and have a conversation with about any subject? How many humans can we sit and converse with if our simple languages are not shared?
In the future, the far future, we may master the ability to communicate with some of the higher orders on this planet by teaching them to communicate on our level thru external means. We are trying but it is a very slow process and is the results just an illusion or are they actually communicating with us? For fun lets just put that two-way communication in place...What do we have?
The animals on our own planet may not be in alignment with our morals and associations. What if we found out that bunnies are sadistic killers at heart? Will we go around killing all the bunnies to remove the threat? Some might argue that now that the bunnies can think on our terms they will use that knowledge to kill everything. The same could be said that the bunnies with knowledge might be persuaded to give up their evolved hatred for all other life. To me, it's not the bunnies that are defective its us. We are so arrogant that we believe our ideals and morals are always the higher path.
Now, move this train of thought to a creature that has never known love, sunsets, compassion or morals. A creature that evolved under a different sun, gravity and food chain. To think that we might be able to have anything in common with a visiting alien is more of our delusions of grandeur. We would be wondering what these aliens 'think' of us. What are their 'plans' for us? What if they are here to contact the humpback whales and we humans are insignificant?
In the future humans, the one thing I would want for them is the ability to see themselves in perspective to the vastness of the Universe. To lose the need to persuade others to adopt their beliefs. To see that being different is not wrong - it's just different.
We war in the name of freedom. We war in the belief of religion. We war in the expression of the individual rights. We war for many reasons but it all boils down to not being able to accept differences. Perhaps freedom is not the normal way of things in the Universe? What if individuality is punished on the civilized worlds? What if all the religions are wrong and the only path that is accepted is the reality of the here and now?
The Philosophies of Man will need to change drastically before we will be able to become part of the Society of the Universe. Perhaps this is what the aliens are waiting for? Then again...The Universe just Might Not Care.
 
I believe that some science fiction touches on some unique and inspired ideas but it gets trampled by the "sell" factor. The ideas explored are garnished with known elements to keep an audience. Too outward of a concept and it will not be published and will certainly not be read.
Why is there sound in space in the movies? Because the audience needs sound in space. Why do the bad guys always lose? Because the audience needs them to. Why is there warp/FTL travel? Because the vast distances of space would take centuries and no movie can be made of that magnitude. Science Fiction holds its best ground when it delves into current science and its possible outcomes.
For a writer to truly explore the 'What If', a concession must be made to give the reader something to grasp. A lifeline to something familiar that they can associate with. Current scifi is filled with analogies to make the reader comprehend the ideas.
Future Science Fiction may be more cerebral and unique. Concepts and strategies may not be explained in detail. The humanity of the theme may not exist. Future scifi might be a descriptive narrative with very little motive or glamor. It might become a way to document the ideas of possible differences with a slant toward the possible scientific unknowns. You might not be able to relate it to any life experiences or morals. It might be read to expand the imagination. It might create the background for one's own imagination to create the stories. Stories that play out in the reader's minds after the setting is described.
Who can say what the future holds? How far away is the future? One billionth of a nanosecond from now is the future. One billion eons from now is also the future. Our species is only about 2 million years old. Our civilization is less than 20,000 years old. Our planet is 4.5 billion years old. The Universe is roughly 14 billion years old. Science fiction in one hundred years might not be much different in scope as it is today. In 2 million years it may not exist at all.
There are not many scifi stories that exceed 1 million years. This is because as humans we can't fathom the vast times involved. Perhaps as Science Fiction evolves the time settings will grow ever more distant. A simple example is Dune's Guild Navigator. Evolved beyond the human form, it is still only the year 10,000. Try to imagine the human at 20,000,000 years. It's nearly impossible because we do not know the conditions the species has been exposed to. Perhaps future scifi will be based on actual extrasolar planetary observations. As our understanding of the Universe grows I believe our speculations will grow.
 
I wonder if a species such as humans, with all their morals and associations, could ever hope to understand or even effectively communicate with a species devoid of morals or associations? A species able to cross the vast distances of space and seriously more advanced than us but without the values and moral guidance humans have. A species possibly guided by direct stimuli alone. Task oriented with total disregard for the moral imperatives that keep us checked..........
Or say it is mechanically evolved AI {artificial intelligence} similar to the way the mythical Borg from the Star Trek franchise function - assimilate other species and strive for perfection? But what is perfection? What is right and wrong? To a species sufficiently evolved there may not be a right or wrong - AI programmed to win does not consider right or wrong - it just plays to win. Numerous sci-fi movies and series including the Borg in Star Trek move that way. And then think about human history supposedly guided by a moral code that continues to violate the moral code it is supposedly guided by - Look at the Middle East of today and look at it 5 or 6 thousand year ago when the Bible was written - Has anything changed? My side is right, yours is wrong because god is on my side so I have the right to kill you. Primitive, crazy and stupid, that is how mythical aliens might see man. So if the Borg wants to assimilate humans maybe they are doing them a favor? I can't re-write history though I would like to, can you change history? Can you even change the way the game continues to play out
- You and I can't, but a more advanced intelligence, be it biological or mechanical, may have this power. So if we run into a species one day that says 'prepare to be assimilated' maybe, just maybe they would be doing humans a favor!?!?
 
Tom said:
"We Are The Universe Trying To Figure Itself Out"

But it also might be seen this way - The Universe is a concept and projection of the mind defining it - Without that mind nothing exists - Mind is all that is, was, and will be - And without mind there is nothing - but since nothing can not exist there is, was, and always will be Mind.

The one constant throughout the Universe and all of existence is not matter and it is not energy - The One constant throughout all that is, was, and what will be, is MIND.

Welcome to the Universe,
-AlienView
 
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