[Alawen]

Originally Posted by Daldolma [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

The sad part is that I think you actually believe the above. Alawen, I have no interest in stalking you. No interest in continually proving you to be on the wrong side of every serious scholarly discussion of the things you profess so assuredly.

I just think you're a buffoon. I think you condescendingly dismiss anything you don't agree with. I think you're a frustrated child that believes his way is the right way, and all other ways are absurd. And I think your pseudo intellect needs to be exposed for what it is. When you attack Hasbinbad for being, well, reasonable -- he deserves a defense.

Your new argument is that believing intelligent extraterrestrial life exists is based on wishful thinking, not evidence. You mock those who disagree with accusations of illogic and magical thinking, equating such a belief with the belief that Satan implanted the fossil record. And yet, many disagree. It appeared HBB disagreed. I disagree. Stephen Hawking disagrees. Hawking says that a belief in extraterrestrials can be based on mathematics and reason. Not surprisingly, you think Stephen Hawking is ludicrous. Please: set him straight, Alawen.

For the record, the evidence is this: there are (estimated) sextillions of habitable planets comparable to Earth throughout the universe. We don't understand exactly how life began on Earth -- we have no idea whether or not the same process could have occurred elsewhere. We have no reason to believe that Earth is (or isn't) atypical in this regard. But if you believe that there is no intelligent extraterrestrial life, it requires a belief that Earth is unique. That within a solar system of 1 star, within a galaxy of 200-400 billion stars, within a universe of 100 billion galaxies, over the course of 13 billion years, Earth is the only planet that has ever sustained intelligent life.

Is that possible? Yes, certainly. Is it ludicrous to believe? Of course not. Is the converse possible? Yes, certainly. Is the converse ludicrous to believe? Of course not.

For some reason, you struggle with this. You like to create a false dichotomy, where something is either definitely true or there's absolutely no reason to believe it to be true, and if there's no reason to believe it to be true, anyone who does believe it to be true is ludicrous. The problem is nuance. There is reason to believe there is intelligent extraterrestrial life. There is also reason to believe there isn't. You don't seem capable of processing both strains of logic at the same time. I'm not sure I can think of a more damning shortcoming for a supposed intellect.

Gosh, you're right. How could I have been so wrong about everything? Thank you for defending Hasbinbad and the other good people of Project 1999 forums rants and flames and showing me the error of my ways. I'll give this some careful thought and try to correct my shortcomings. Maybe I should just avoid serious scholarly discussion; my education is probably inadequate for responsible participation.

Don't give up on me, Daldolma.

Your friend,
Alawen Everywhere