how to think like an alien

How to Think Like an How to Think Like an Alien in the Year 3000Alien in the Year 3000

Think Like An AlienThink Like An Alien

• What do extraterrestrial aliens know that we What do extraterrestrial aliens know that we don’t?don’t?


• What will humans know in the year 3000 What will humans know in the year 3000 that we don’t know now?that we don’t know now?


• It may be difficult to imagine what more there is It may be difficult to imagine what more there is to learn about the worldto learn about the world

• Over the past 500 years western civilization has Over the past 500 years western civilization has made tremendous progress in science and made tremendous progress in science and technologytechnology

• In physics, chemistry, biology and in information In physics, chemistry, biology and in information and communication sciences it might seem that we and communication sciences it might seem that we have learned close all we will ever learnhave learned close all we will ever learn


• Scientists used to think that space and time Scientists used to think that space and time were constantwere constant

• They now believe that space and time are They now believe that space and time are relativerelative but that only the speed of light is but that only the speed of light is constantconstant


• Astronomers found out that, not only is the Astronomers found out that, not only is the universe expanding, but it is expanding at universe expanding, but it is expanding at an accelerating rate!an accelerating rate!


• We have yet to come up with a unified field We have yet to come up with a unified field theory in physicstheory in physics

• We don’t understand the nature of gravity We don’t understand the nature of gravity or consciousnessor consciousness

• While we once thought that matter was While we once thought that matter was made up of elementary particles, the best made up of elementary particles, the best guess now is that matter is reducible to bits guess now is that matter is reducible to bits of loopy of loopy stringsstrings (string theory) (string theory)


• Black holes, dark matter, dark energy, Black holes, dark matter, dark energy, worm holes, sub-atomic strings…worm holes, sub-atomic strings…

• The pace of discovery of the essential The pace of discovery of the essential materials of the universe is acceleratingmaterials of the universe is accelerating

• This is in part due to the accelerating rate of This is in part due to the accelerating rate of technological progresstechnological progress


• The Hubble Space Telescope has enabled The Hubble Space Telescope has enabled great leaps forward in understanding our great leaps forward in understanding our universeuniverse


• We fully expect to eventually figure out We fully expect to eventually figure out what gravity is and how it is related to what gravity is and how it is related to electromagnetism and the micro-forces that electromagnetism and the micro-forces that hold atoms togetherhold atoms together

• What will we be able to do with that What will we be able to do with that knowledge?knowledge?

• Fly anti-gravity machines?Fly anti-gravity machines?


• Maybe we will figure out that, by playing Maybe we will figure out that, by playing some incredible tricks, we can travel faster some incredible tricks, we can travel faster than the speed of lightthan the speed of light


• Another problem we have is sorting out Another problem we have is sorting out complex systemscomplex systems

• We have trouble understanding, predicting We have trouble understanding, predicting and controlling very complex systemsand controlling very complex systems

• And you don’t have to look very far to find And you don’t have to look very far to find complex systemscomplex systems


• Any time you get even a dozen variables Any time you get even a dozen variables operating simultaneously you have too operating simultaneously you have too many things to think aboutmany things to think about

• This is especially true if there are feedback This is especially true if there are feedback loops involved, so that the emergent loops involved, so that the emergent outcome behaviour of the variables has an outcome behaviour of the variables has an influence on the subsequent behaviourinfluence on the subsequent behaviour


• The point of all this is that we should be The point of all this is that we should be aware that we are thinking inside the box 99 aware that we are thinking inside the box 99 percent of the timepercent of the time

• We think within the terms of the commonly We think within the terms of the commonly shared ideas within our respective shared ideas within our respective disciplines and culturesdisciplines and cultures


• To get outside this box is really not an easy To get outside this box is really not an easy prospect at allprospect at all

• We need our shared common ideas to give We need our shared common ideas to give us reference points and a sense of us reference points and a sense of orientationorientation

• To step too far outside those boundaries is To step too far outside those boundaries is to risk becoming disoriented or even to risk becoming disoriented or even “unglued”“unglued”


• Ideas that are too far out are less likely to Ideas that are too far out are less likely to stick, because there are fewer links to stick, because there are fewer links to familiar ideas in our long term memoriesfamiliar ideas in our long term memories

• They can slip out of our grasp as quickly as They can slip out of our grasp as quickly as they arrivethey arrive


• How much more does an alien know than How much more does an alien know than we do?we do?

• As an individual, has the alien given up As an individual, has the alien given up personal knowledge of many things so he personal knowledge of many things so he can specialize in one area, leaving other can specialize in one area, leaving other specialised knowledge for others of his specialised knowledge for others of his kind?kind?

how to think like an alien

Documents