<div dir="ltr">I know it sounds difficult to swallow. But there is only one logical solution to the Fermi's Paradox. We are the first "advanced" civilization in the galaxy if not the entire visible universe. <br>We are still fragile but once we colonize other planets like Mars we should be almost impossible to eradicate. <br><div><br></div><div>Giovanni </div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Jan 30, 2015 at 12:19 PM, John Clark <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:johnkclark@gmail.com" target="_blank">johnkclark@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote"><span class="">On Fri, Jan 30, 2015 at 1:56 AM, Keith Henson <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:hkeithhenson@gmail.com" target="_blank">hkeithhenson@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex">
>> Some catastrophe hits a civilization when it gets a little past our level; my best guess would be the electronic equivalent of drug abuse.</blockquote>
<br>> Possible. But it seems an unlikely filter to get all possible variations on a nervous system if ET's with the capacity to affect the visible state of the universe are common. I suspect you need something fundamental that keeps every single one of them from spreading out.<br></blockquote><div><br></div></span><div>But that's exactly my fear, it may be fundamental. If they can change anything in the universe then they can change the very thing that makes the changes, themselves. There may be something about intelligence and positive feedback loops (like having full control of your emotional control panel) that always leads to stagnation. After all, regardless of how well our life is going who among us would for eternity opt out of becoming just a little bit happier if all it took was turning a knob? And after you turn it a little bit and see how much better you feel why not turn it again, perhaps a little more this time.</div><div><br></div><div>The above may be pure nonsense, I sure hope so. </div><div><br></div><div> John K Clark</div><span class=""><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div> </div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<br>
I have proposed that speeding up is universally desirable and<br>
obtainable on a scale that puts even the nearest stars millions of<br>
subjective years distant. This would leave the universe full of<br>
isolated civilizations that stay small for speed of light limitations.<br>
Sped up, how long would a civilization last? If the ratio was a<br>
million to one, a century of clock time would be 100 million years<br>
subjective.<br>
<br>
I have no idea of how long a civilization might last, but 100 million<br>
years seems like a long time.<br>
<br>
Keith<br>
<br>
PS Busy lately, but have a reply to Anders re brain size limits on my<br>
list to do.<br>
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