| Lonely Minds in the Universe 2007 Edition Contributor(s): Genta, Giancarlo (Author) |
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ISBN: 0387339256 ISBN-13: 9780387339252 Publisher: Copernicus Books OUR PRICE: $28.49 Product Type: Hardcover - Other Formats Published: June 2007 Annotation: The possibility that humans are not alone in the Universe and might in the future come in close contact with other intelligences is one of the most intriguing questions of human history and has deep implications for our understanding of the Universe and ourselves. In this book the subject is dealt with in an interdisciplinary way, giving the scientific and technological implications, discussing the philosophical and religious connotations and rebuffing the pseudo-scientific statements. Based on our current scientific understanding of the Universe, the possibility of extraterrestrial life is discussed, summarizing cosmic, chemical and biological evolution. What we now know of the Universe suggests that life is common and extraterrestrial intelligent life is a possibility. The problem of searching for extraterrestrial intelligent beings is often reduced to radiotelescope technology or the possibility of decoding a possible message. In many cases the idea of ETIs is loaded with anthropomorphism. The author discusses problems such as: what is intelligence? What is consciousness? Should we expect ETIs to be conscious beings and other philosophical issues. The future perspectives for humankind opened by long range spaceflight are also examined and the possibilities of true contact with other intelligent beings are considered. At the heart of this book is an examination of the viability of future astronautics which would enable closer human contact with ETI than through radio messages taking thousands of years to reach their destination. The possibility of faster-than-light space travel is considered. The book addresses readers with an interest in generalscience, but also those with a humanist background, interested in the great philosophical debate about human nature, in particular the question of whether there is other intelligent life in the Universe, and the author counterbalances recent theories such as ???rare earth???. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Science | Astronomy - Science | Physics - Astrophysics - Science | Life Sciences - Evolution |
| Dewey: 576.839 |
| LCCN: 2007925938 |
| Physical Information: 1.19" H x 6.6" W x 9.43" (1.41 lbs) 294 pages |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: XI ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xiii INTRODUCTION XV CHAPTER 1: THE HISTORICAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES 1 The Magical Vision of the Nonhuman 1 Ancient Philosophy 2 Medieval Philosophy 6 The Renaissance 8 The Birth of Modern Science 10 First Attempts at Contact 16 Cosmism 17 From Enthusiasm to Disenchantment 18 CHAPTER 2: THE RELIGIOUS PERSPECTIVE 23 Is Extraterrestrial Life a Threat to Religion? 23 A Finite Universe and an Infinite God 25 Hinduism, Buddhism, and Other Oriental Religions 26 Judaism 27 Islam 28 Christianity 29 The Problem of Original Sin 30 The Problem of Redemption 34 Biocosmic Theology 36 Vll Contents CHAPTER 3: THE ASTROBIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE 41 A New Science: Astrobiology 41 Times of the Universe 43 The Anthropic Principle 47 Chemical Evolution 50 The Formation of the Solar System 51 The Formation of Extrasolar Planets 57 The Birth of Life on Earth 64 Panspermia 73 Evolution and Creationism 76 Toward a Great Complexity 81 Catastrophes and Mass Extinctions 86 Conditions Needed for the Development of Life 96 Life on Mars 107 Life in the Solar System 117 The Search for Life Outside the Solar System 123 CHAPTER 4: THE SEARCH FOR EXTRATERRESTRIAL INTELLIGENCE 129 Intelligence and Consciousness 129 Consciousness 133 The Development of Intelligence on Earth 137 From Intelligence to Technology 147 Evolution Beyond Humans 154 The Expansion of Intelligent Life 156 The Search for Intelligent Signals 164 The Pdo Scale 176 The Problem of the Answer 177 The San Marino Scale 180 Which Message? 182 Extraterrestrials, How? 187 |