[tt] [x-risk] SF on the Fermi paradox

[Eugen Leitl]

----- Forwarded message from "Hughes, James J." <James.Hughes at trincoll.edu> -----

From: "Hughes, James J." <James.Hughes at trincoll.edu>
Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2008 12:05:19 -0400
To: existential at transhumanism.org
Subject: [x-risk] SF on the Fermi paradox
Reply-To: For discussion of existential risks <existential at transhumanism.org>

http://io9.com/5028035/why-arent-aliens-talking-to-us

Why Aren't Aliens Talking to Us?

Several of the most imaginative minds in science fiction (and science)
gathered at this year's Readercon to discuss a fundamental question of
our existence: Why does it seem like we're alone in the universe?
Writers Jeff Hecht, Steven Popkes, Robert J. Sawyer, Ian Randal Strock,
and Michael A. Burstein offered their recommendations for the best
fictional explorations of this question, commonly known as the Fermi
paradox. See their picks, and find out more about one of the greatest
paradoxes in human existence.

Stephen Baxter's Manifold Trilogy

In these three novels and a few related short stories, Baxter explores
possible solutions to the Fermi paradox. His first Manifold novel, Time,
operates under the conceit that we really are the only ones around,
despite high-probability estimates to the contrary. Space, Baxter's
second Manifold novel, asserts that there have been a multitude of other
civilizations, but various cosmic disasters destroy them before they are
able to make connections. The third novel in the series, Origins, posits
that intelligent life is actually separated into parallel universes, so
that it is impossible for two different civilizations to contact each
other. Baxter's Manifold short stories, which are collected in the book
Phase Space, explore these and other possible answers to this perplexing
question.

Arthur C. Clarke's 2001: A Space Odyssey

Everybody knows this famous novel of space exploration and the pitfalls
of advanced technology. In this story, Clarke postulates that
intelligent life does exist independent of our planet and our species -
but we're not smart enough to understand their messages. The limited
awareness of humans is probably the most plausible explanation for the
Fermi paradox, but it's also quite a depressing one.

Terry Bisson's "They're Made Out of Meat"

This Nebula-nominated short story, which Bisson has made available
online, is at once hilarious and chilling, an all-dialogue portrayal of
intelligent extraterrestrial beings who decide that we're far too
primitive to even contact. "What is there to say? 'Hello, meat. How's it
going?'" That's one solution of the Fermi paradox - the aliens are here,
but they're too snotty to pay us any mind.

David Brin's Uplift series

Brin's Uplift stories, beginning with the 1980 novel Sundiver, contain
another assertion that humanity is vastly simple compared to other
lifeforms. In this universe, civilizations are not permitted to interact
with other intelligent life until they have been "Uplifted" - and that
only happens when a vast galactic society decides that they are not only
sentient, but sapient. Since every other species in Brin's novels has
been found by a far more advanced civilization, genetically modified for
thousands of years, and then uplifted, the evolution of the human race
seems something of a mystery. Our unique independent development would
explain our puzzlement with the Fermi paradox.

Stanislaw Lem's Solaris

In Lem's novel, which has twice been translated to feature films, he
explores the idea that alien intelligence operates on a totally
different level from our own. Humans who venture to the planet Solaris
do discover an intelligent lifeform there, but they are incapable of
communicating with it in any way that they understand. Instead, the
organism manipulates their emotions and their thoughts without revealing
its own, and in the end the planetary researchers are left confused and
half-insane. Though this is, again, a depressing idea, it still leaves
us with the hope that our society might one day advance enough to
commune with others and move forward.

I'm sure you have even more recommendations for Fermi paradox stories,
and I urge you to share them with io9 in the comments - but do it
quickly. As panelist Michael A. Burstein pointed out, "Wouldn't it be
funny if we got a signal from aliens tomorrow and this whole
conversation was moot?"

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Eugen* Leitl <a href="http://leitl.org">leitl</a> http://leitl.org
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