We have talked in class about sending out signals and messages to other potential other civilizations to let them know that we are here, but should we really be doing that? It’s open for debate. Frank Drake himself found “Active SETI to be, at best, a stunt and generally a waste of time.” (Source).
To start, its expensive to send these messages, and we might not have any success. But beyond that, could it potentially be harmful to us? For any civilization to be able to decode our radio messages, they would have to be at least as advanced as us. If they are more advanced than us, they would be able to wipe us out. Should we really be broadcasting our location to them? Stephen Hawking said, “If aliens visit us, the outcome would be much as when Columbus landed in America, which didn’t turn out well for the Native Americans.” (Source). On the other hand, it would also be an enormous scientific discovery to learn about the possibility for life elsewhere, and we would be able to learn a lot from it. Let me know what you think in the comments!
The Solar System 
I think you raise an interesting question. I feel as if most people believe any new scientific knowledge is deterministically good; however if we were to ask ourselves what the benefits of finding intelligent life elsewhere are, then we might not be so sure that those benefits outweigh the glaring risks. In fact, sometimes I wonder why these attempts to contact extra-terrestrial life aren’t regulated.
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Regulation is a good idea. I am not sure what regulation is currently in place, or even if there is any
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If aliens have reached a point in their civilization in which they are able to decode messages and communicate back, have the large amount of energy sources needed for interstellar travel, and the life spans to come to earth and go back to their planet, I feel as if there is nothing else Aliens would need from Earth other than an exchange of experiences. Perhaps its too optimists, but in my opinion the aliens that are advanced enough to reach us would come in peace, and warlike alien civilizations in turmoil would never have the means or time to develop technology to reach us.
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I am glad you are optimistic, and I think most people are. Maybe I am just worried about nothing.
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