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Refuting Fermi: No Evidence for Extraterrestrial Life?
National Institute for Discovery Science ^ | John B. Alexander, Ph.D

Posted on 01/02/2005 4:43:04 AM PST by SunkenCiv

The error is the a priori assumption that UFOs cannot exist therefore no evidence to the contrary will be considered, never mind accepted. Few scientists would allow such faulty logic to prevail in their own field of expertise. Yet, in the emotionally laden field of UFOs, scientists let Condon stand uncorrected and disregarding pertinent facts has become the accepted norm... There are over 3000 cases reported by pilots, some of which include interference with flight controls. On numerous occasions air traffic controllers and other radar operators have noted unexplained objects on their scopes. So too have several astronomers and other competent scientists reported their personal observations. Many military officials from several countries have confirmed multi-sensor observations of UFOs. The most senior air defense officers of Russia, Brazil, Belgium and recently a former Chief of Naval Operations in Chile all have stated that UFOs are real. These cases and comments are a miniscule fraction of the total body of evidence... Of course they do not constitute irrefutable proof. However, to state there is no evidence suggestive of intelligent extraterrestrial life simply belies the facts. Decades in duration and global in nature, there are too many hard sensor data-points and millions of eyewitnesses to ignore. We certainly can debate the significance of specific data and question whether or not it establishes a causal relationship between the observations and extraterrestrial life. However, it is only through ignorance or pomposity that one can say no evidence exists.

(Excerpt) Read more at nidsci.org ...


TOPICS: Astronomy; Science; Travel; UFO's
KEYWORDS: alien; callingartbell; enricofermi; fermi; fermiparadox; seti; space; ufo
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To: SunkenCiv
This is the best article I've ever seen on the subject of the uniqueness of Earth and our civilization.
21 posted on 05/12/2005 9:00:06 PM PDT by denydenydeny
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To: Quix

I can't reply now, someone's pounding on the door, claiming to be from the FBI. ;')


22 posted on 05/12/2005 9:55:38 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (FR profiled updated Tuesday, May 10, 2005. Fewer graphics, faster loading.)
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To: RightWhale; Brett66; xrp; gdc314; anymouse; RadioAstronomer; NonZeroSum; jimkress; discostu; ...
To say that we are the only intelligent lifeforms in this universe is wrong.. The universe has billions upon billions of stars and yet we are alone??? Go figure..


23 posted on 05/13/2005 9:27:25 AM PDT by KevinDavis (Let the meek inherit the Earth, the rest of us will explore the stars!)
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To: FormerACLUmember

The answer to the paradox, so many stars, so few civilizations, could be that civilizations have a short lifespan. Even a lifetime of a million years would not be enough to guarantee that there would be another civilization inside the Milky Way. Since our own glorious civilization is maybe five thousand years old, we probably have no idea what it would take to get another million years out of our system.


24 posted on 05/13/2005 9:32:53 AM PDT by RightWhale (These problems would not exist if we had had a moon base all along)
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To: KevinDavis
Yeah, it's downright silly to make that conclusion.
25 posted on 05/13/2005 9:34:09 AM PDT by demlosers (Rumsfeld: "We don't have an exit strategy, we have a victory strategy.'')
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To: RightWhale

OT, but what's your tagline about?


26 posted on 05/13/2005 9:44:34 AM PDT by Frank_Discussion (May the wings of Liberty never lose a feather!)
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To: RightWhale

There is another explanation. Consider how long we've been spewing forth our radio and TV radiation. If we make a large leap in technology, one that eliminates the inherent 'waste of radiation' in our communications programs, we would conceivably end our transmission status, at what entire length of emission period? We may indeed have many more advanced civilizations around us but are unable to detect them due to their efficiency level. [And for the record, since I've seen craft that are definitely not of this planet technology, I DO believe we are visited fairly regularly. It is the ingrained arrogance of the Fermi postulate that astounds one ... he assumed we at our current technological level were in the mainstream of civilizations possible for contact.]


27 posted on 05/13/2005 10:04:03 AM PDT by MHGinTN (If you can read this, you've had life support from someone. Promote life support for others.)
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To: SunkenCiv
The error is the a priori assumption that UFOs cannot exist therefore . . .

That's a silly claim! Fermi's paradox makes NO SUCH assumption.

If someone tells you that the earth is inhabited by dragons and you ask where they are, you haven't made an assumption that they do not exist. You're simply acknowledging that if dragons inhabit the earth, we ought to see evidence for them, and that the burden of proof is in on the guy who says otherwise.

28 posted on 05/13/2005 10:14:57 AM PDT by LibWhacker
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To: MHGinTN; All

I also believe in God. However, God did not create this universe just for us..


29 posted on 05/13/2005 10:18:38 AM PDT by KevinDavis (Let the meek inherit the Earth, the rest of us will explore the stars!)
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To: MHGinTN
I've seen craft that are definitely not of this planet technology

I haven't.

30 posted on 05/13/2005 11:28:55 AM PDT by RightWhale (These problems would not exist if we had had a moon base all along)
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To: Frank_Discussion

Needs to be said.


31 posted on 05/13/2005 11:29:31 AM PDT by RightWhale (These problems would not exist if we had had a moon base all along)
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To: RightWhale

Why? What problems? I truly don't understand your tagline.


32 posted on 05/13/2005 11:33:16 AM PDT by Frank_Discussion (May the wings of Liberty never lose a feather!)
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To: Frank_Discussion

Any problem. All problems. Societal, not personal. Iran for example; Fermi's paradox for another example. Wouldn't be a problem.


33 posted on 05/13/2005 11:36:44 AM PDT by RightWhale (These problems would not exist if we had had a moon base all along)
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To: RightWhale

OK. I think I get it. I'm all for moonbases, yeah buddy! Been a member of the Moon Society for a number of years, used to work with the founder. NASA will get us back, or private industry, it matters not to me in the least. Just DO it, already!


34 posted on 05/13/2005 11:38:53 AM PDT by Frank_Discussion (May the wings of Liberty never lose a feather!)
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To: Frank_Discussion

Go ahead, name a societal problem. We will establish a link to the lack of a moonbase.


35 posted on 05/13/2005 11:43:03 AM PDT by RightWhale (These problems would not exist if we had had a moon base all along)
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To: LibWhacker

The claim is A) not mine, but B) not silly. The burden of proof is on those who claim that anything they haven't experienced never happened. That's what "skeptics" about UFO sightings have in common with those who deny the Moon landings ever took place.


36 posted on 05/13/2005 11:57:25 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (FR profiled updated Tuesday, May 10, 2005. Fewer graphics, faster loading.)
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To: RightWhale
The answer to the paradox, so many stars, so few civilizations, could be that civilizations have a short lifespan.
Quite so. For example, the Earth gets pasted from time to time by asteroids and other space debris. When that happens, it can be quite serious, and has been quite serious.
37 posted on 05/13/2005 12:03:00 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (FR profiled updated Tuesday, May 10, 2005. Fewer graphics, faster loading.)
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Possible solutions to Fermi's Paradox fall in the following categories:
38 posted on 05/13/2005 12:10:08 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (FR profiled updated Tuesday, May 10, 2005. Fewer graphics, faster loading.)
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To: SunkenCiv

I apologize if you thought my comment was directed at you. I knew it wasn't your claim and never meant to imply that it was. However, "Dr." Alexander's claim is silly and false. He needs an elementary course in logic.


39 posted on 05/13/2005 12:12:42 PM PDT by LibWhacker
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To: SunkenCiv
A good rule of thumb is: Jimmy Carter is always wrong.

Carter believes in UFOs.

40 posted on 05/13/2005 12:16:50 PM PDT by Tribune7
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