Saturday, February 7, 2009
Something odd
I can't believe I'm writing such a far out subject as the first paragraph post, but I can't think of anything else to write about!!! I'm very unsure of the boundaries and subjects as to which we are supposed to write these posts, so excuse me if I ramble. I asked my friend for help on what to write about, and he is an avid alien believer. Before I met him I really never thought either way about whether aliens exist. It's known as such a "weird" subject to think about, so I just accepted that it is a possibility but I could never know for sure so I needn't think on it. After he brought it up a couple times, I started to think a little more. Why is it such a negative feedback for aliens? I'd seen him mention subjects like this and other such theories to people at parties as an interesting conversation, who would respond like it was too much for them to even think about. What social thing is this? I figure it could be a common waryness of the unknown in people, or it could be religious. And what is religion to do with aliens, since it doesnt fit and we have this social ritual that is thousands of years old. I don't think something that socially ingrained can be forgotten so easily for science. I consider aliens part of science, since by aliens I don't just mean little green men from mars, I mean even bacteria. Bacteria is small, but it is still alien life! I also don't mean in any way that religion is all bad with science, since it's always changing and it really brings people together. It's just that people might not know how to think of aliens in the same picture as their religion. Or, maybe, it's just a really strange subject.
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Madison, these are interesting questions. The question isn't really about whether aliens exist or not, but about what ideas we'd have to change about ourselves and our world to accept that they do.
ReplyDeletePeople who staunchly believe in science and people who staunchly believe in religion might both react negatively to the idea of lifeforms on another planet, but for two totally different reasons. The science folks might simply say that, because there is no scientific evidence that there is life on other planets, we can't really assume that there is. They may be open to the idea that it's possible, but would be unlikely to believe in it without evidence. Religious believers may find the idea of aliens to offend their beliefs about the world, which center on where we came from, how we got here, and whether or not we're unique. Accepting the idea of life on other planets may call some of the fundamental religious beliefs into question.
I believe an alien is just what it is "a foreign body". You make a point when you say that bacteria is alien....i would never have described them in that sense. They are foreign in the sense that they inhibit say a human beings body to cause disease. There are some useful bacteria though like the ones utilized in the preparation of dairy products-but that just a whole other topic. Bacteria are not dependent on a host to survive though. Viruses on the other hand i would call aliens because they inhibit and are dependent on their host to thrive. The AIDS virus for one is a monster! it completely devours its host to death.
ReplyDeleteAs far as those green people from space that filmmakers came up with to make money...thats just fiction. Since there is no proof of their existence.....call a spade a spade....alien...foreign body. Good post though!
It is interesting when you think about some being borned with the act of violence or having violence as a social problem. to jail people who are genetically violent is one option I personally will not consider but rather therapy. As far as socialization of violence is concern, these people can be consel and educated on how to treat and respect the rights of other people in their enviroments and community. This topic is a little complicated and I cannot think of anything else right now. I strongly believe though that conseling and therapy is the first step forward.
ReplyDeleteTo the comments on my post, I agree that it is not the question of whether aliens exist, it is the stigma around the subject that is most interesting. How such major bodies like science and religion clash, even with people who do not consider themselves part of one set group. And, yea, the green men from mars is a joke, I wonder who came up with that concept.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I have read in science articles about magnetic chains preserved in the middle of meteorites, that as far as we can tell had to have existed inside a living organism at one time, or the chains would have collapsed on themselves. If you sift through all of the bullshit conspiracy theories, some interesting scientific things can be found.
(I don't actually expect credit for this comment, btw, just had something to say)