blueish swede said:First, to be clear to everyone where my agenda lies - I am a radical athiest.
Second, Brian Cox is a yonner.
Third, his lack of undestanding of some quite simpe things are pretty remarkable - a good example is the rules of tackling in football which in Cox's case aproach those of Paul Scholes. I have empirical evidence of this. Any decent BM cold case team could probably find evidence on the 5-a-side pitches under the Mancunian Way.
He does however have a very good grasp of astrophysics and cosmology. Particle physics and astrophysics are fundamentally the same subject viewed from two different perspectives.
All that being said we, the people alive on earth today, are alone in the universe* and we will die knowing we are alone in the universe. Anything beyond that is postulation and as useful as a discussion on angels balancing on the head of a pin.
*If we are alone as intelligent life in the galaxy we are to all intents and purposes alone in the universe.
Cox's theory is that as intelligent beings we spread across our planet in an incredibly short time. Any alien civilization would have done the same thing but across the entire universe/galaxy and we would therefore have evidence of their existence. His conclusion is we have none so there are none and have never been any.Damocles said:blueish swede said:First, to be clear to everyone where my agenda lies - I am a radical athiest.
Second, Brian Cox is a yonner.
Third, his lack of undestanding of some quite simpe things are pretty remarkable - a good example is the rules of tackling in football which in Cox's case aproach those of Paul Scholes. I have empirical evidence of this. Any decent BM cold case team could probably find evidence on the 5-a-side pitches under the Mancunian Way.
He does however have a very good grasp of astrophysics and cosmology. Particle physics and astrophysics are fundamentally the same subject viewed from two different perspectives.
All that being said we, the people alive on earth today, are alone in the universe* and we will die knowing we are alone in the universe. Anything beyond that is postulation and as useful as a discussion on angels balancing on the head of a pin.
*If we are alone as intelligent life in the galaxy we are to all intents and purposes alone in the universe.
A couple of things here:
Whilst astrophysics and particle physics are similar, thye aren't the same thing. Astrobiology which this would fall under is on a different planet if you'll pardon the pun.
Secondly, the existence of other intelligent beings does not rely on our knowledge of them. You can't just say we're alone in the Universe and that's it because we have no data at all to judge anything off of.
On further investigation I think Cox is a Fermi Paradox enthusiastSorry but ET is just a d:ream, says Prof Cox
Jonathan Leake, Science Editor Published: 26 October 2014
Brian Cox has reignited a scientific controversy over the likelihood of alien intelligence
HUMANS are probably the sole masters of the universe, because the evolutionary flukes that gave rise to us are highly unlikely ever to have happened on another planet, according to Professor Brian Cox.
He has stepped into one of science’s longest-lasting controversies: could intelligent life have evolved on any planet besides Earth? His conclusion: we are alone.
Cox’s reasoning derives largely from one observation — we have never seen any alien artefacts. He argues that, if any such intelligence had evolved, it would have spread itself or its space probes across the galaxy — and we have seen nothing.
Their absence, he argues, “suggests that there is only one advanced technological civilisation in this galaxy and there has only ever been one — and that’s us. We are unique.”
Cox, a particle physicist, cosmologist and former keyboard player in the pop group D:Ream, came out as a non-believer in the latest episod...
George Hannah said:Cox's theory is that as intelligent beings we spread across our planet in an incredibly short time. Any alien civilization would have done the same thing but across the entire universe/galaxy and we would therefore have evidence of their existence. His conclusion is we have none so there are none and have never been any.Damocles said:blueish swede said:First, to be clear to everyone where my agenda lies - I am a radical athiest.
Second, Brian Cox is a yonner.
Third, his lack of undestanding of some quite simpe things are pretty remarkable - a good example is the rules of tackling in football which in Cox's case aproach those of Paul Scholes. I have empirical evidence of this. Any decent BM cold case team could probably find evidence on the 5-a-side pitches under the Mancunian Way.
He does however have a very good grasp of astrophysics and cosmology. Particle physics and astrophysics are fundamentally the same subject viewed from two different perspectives.
All that being said we, the people alive on earth today, are alone in the universe* and we will die knowing we are alone in the universe. Anything beyond that is postulation and as useful as a discussion on angels balancing on the head of a pin.
*If we are alone as intelligent life in the galaxy we are to all intents and purposes alone in the universe.
A couple of things here:
Whilst astrophysics and particle physics are similar, thye aren't the same thing. Astrobiology which this would fall under is on a different planet if you'll pardon the pun.
Secondly, the existence of other intelligent beings does not rely on our knowledge of them. You can't just say we're alone in the Universe and that's it because we have no data at all to judge anything off of.
just seen this -
I see my misunderstanding is shared by the Sunday Times Science Editor - I'm not a subscriber so this is all I can paste
On further investigation I think Cox is a Fermi Paradox enthusiastSorry but ET is just a d:ream, says Prof Cox
Jonathan Leake, Science Editor Published: 26 October 2014
Brian Cox has reignited a scientific controversy over the likelihood of alien intelligence
HUMANS are probably the sole masters of the universe, because the evolutionary flukes that gave rise to us are highly unlikely ever to have happened on another planet, according to Professor Brian Cox.
He has stepped into one of science’s longest-lasting controversies: could intelligent life have evolved on any planet besides Earth? His conclusion: we are alone.
Cox’s reasoning derives largely from one observation — we have never seen any alien artefacts. He argues that, if any such intelligence had evolved, it would have spread itself or its space probes across the galaxy — and we have seen nothing.
Their absence, he argues, “suggests that there is only one advanced technological civilisation in this galaxy and there has only ever been one — and that’s us. We are unique.”
Cox, a particle physicist, cosmologist and former keyboard player in the pop group D:Ream, came out as a non-believer in the latest episod...
<a class="postlink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermi_paradox" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermi_paradox</a>
In 1277, Etienne Tempier, the bishop of Paris, condemned the belief "that the First Cause cannot make many worlds." Religious thinkers across all faiths have discussed the possibility of extra-terrestial life for centuries. Although most theologies unsurprisingly elevate mankind there is no essential conflict, in fact I'd be delighted to find out what alien civilizations make of God if I had the opportunity. May I also say that many of my best friends are atheists.Damocles said:It's amazing how quickly you can turn a discussion on science into a thread all about your religion and how you dislike atheists.
I cannot believe how slow I've been on the uptake here. I thought you were arguing a position based on something Cox said because you believe it was misrepresented by people on the thread. I've only just worked out that you NEED somebody to try and say that humans are unique and the only intelligent life because yet again it fits into your religious view. We're arguing about science and you cannot join in in good faith because to do so would compromise your religious views. That's why we will never agree on these things. I'm arguing out of evidence and logic with no particular investment which way an issue falls whereas every issue has to fall on the same side as your book says.
If you cannot seperate your religious views from your scientific understanding of the Universe then you really should give threads like this a miss as you're only going to spark arguments and not debate. You do fine on philosophical issues but we're not talking philosophy here, we're talking about science and you interpret every single thing seemingly in the entire Universe through the lens of your religion. You're a fine example of why religious people are so annoying in this context.
George Hannah said:In 1277, Etienne Tempier, the bishop of Paris, condemned the belief "that the First Cause cannot make many worlds." Religious thinkers across all faiths have discussed the possibility of extra-terrestial life for centuries. Although most theologies unsurprisingly elevate mankind there is no essential conflict, in fact I'd be delighted to find out what alien civilizations make of God if I had the opportunity. May I also say that many of my best friends are atheists.Damocles said:It's amazing how quickly you can turn a discussion on science into a thread all about your religion and how you dislike atheists.
I cannot believe how slow I've been on the uptake here. I thought you were arguing a position based on something Cox said because you believe it was misrepresented by people on the thread. I've only just worked out that you NEED somebody to try and say that humans are unique and the only intelligent life because yet again it fits into your religious view. We're arguing about science and you cannot join in in good faith because to do so would compromise your religious views. That's why we will never agree on these things. I'm arguing out of evidence and logic with no particular investment which way an issue falls whereas every issue has to fall on the same side as your book says.
If you cannot seperate your religious views from your scientific understanding of the Universe then you really should give threads like this a miss as you're only going to spark arguments and not debate. You do fine on philosophical issues but we're not talking philosophy here, we're talking about science and you interpret every single thing seemingly in the entire Universe through the lens of your religion. You're a fine example of why religious people are so annoying in this context.
As to your second point. Science is a wonderful thing and it's findings are not and never have been in competition with religious faith. (Organized religion is a different matter of course.) I'd go as far as to say that I cannot conceive of any scientific discovery that would not be compatible with an Almighty Loving Creator, if you can I'd be very pleased to discuss it in true Socratic fashion.
George Hannah said:Cox's theory is that as intelligent beings we spread across our planet in an incredibly short time. Any alien civilization would have done the same thing but across the entire universe/galaxy
George Hannah said:Cox's theory is that as intelligent beings we spread across our planet in an incredibly short time. Any alien civilization would have done the same thing but across the entire universe/galaxy and we would therefore have evidence of their existence. His conclusion is we have none so there are none and have never been any.Damocles said:blueish swede said:First, to be clear to everyone where my agenda lies - I am a radical athiest.
Second, Brian Cox is a yonner.
Third, his lack of undestanding of some quite simpe things are pretty remarkable - a good example is the rules of tackling in football which in Cox's case aproach those of Paul Scholes. I have empirical evidence of this. Any decent BM cold case team could probably find evidence on the 5-a-side pitches under the Mancunian Way.
He does however have a very good grasp of astrophysics and cosmology. Particle physics and astrophysics are fundamentally the same subject viewed from two different perspectives.
All that being said we, the people alive on earth today, are alone in the universe* and we will die knowing we are alone in the universe. Anything beyond that is postulation and as useful as a discussion on angels balancing on the head of a pin.
*If we are alone as intelligent life in the galaxy we are to all intents and purposes alone in the universe.
A couple of things here:
Whilst astrophysics and particle physics are similar, thye aren't the same thing. Astrobiology which this would fall under is on a different planet if you'll pardon the pun.
Secondly, the existence of other intelligent beings does not rely on our knowledge of them. You can't just say we're alone in the Universe and that's it because we have no data at all to judge anything off of.
just seen this -
I see my misunderstanding is shared by the Sunday Times Science Editor - I'm not a subscriber so this is all I can paste
On further investigation I think Cox is a Fermi Paradox enthusiastSorry but ET is just a d:ream, says Prof Cox
Jonathan Leake, Science Editor Published: 26 October 2014
Brian Cox has reignited a scientific controversy over the likelihood of alien intelligence
HUMANS are probably the sole masters of the universe, because the evolutionary flukes that gave rise to us are highly unlikely ever to have happened on another planet, according to Professor Brian Cox.
He has stepped into one of science’s longest-lasting controversies: could intelligent life have evolved on any planet besides Earth? His conclusion: we are alone.
Cox’s reasoning derives largely from one observation — we have never seen any alien artefacts. He argues that, if any such intelligence had evolved, it would have spread itself or its space probes across the galaxy — and we have seen nothing.
Their absence, he argues, “suggests that there is only one advanced technological civilisation in this galaxy and there has only ever been one — and that’s us. We are unique.”
Cox, a particle physicist, cosmologist and former keyboard player in the pop group D:Ream, came out as a non-believer in the latest episod...
<a class="postlink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermi_paradox" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermi_paradox</a>