The Search for Intelligent Life

 THE SEARCH FOR INTELLIGENT LIFE

The search for intelligent life in the universe continues with new telescopes, computerized data, and now presumably AI.  A bacteria or a virus will do - any biological form will assure us that there is indeed life and intelligence out there somewhere.   The presumption being that where there is life, there is intelligence.

Our current situation here on earth is illustrative however:  life and intelligence are not necessarily concurrent.  One does not presuppose the other.  The number of life forms found on earth has yet to be determined with any certainty; it's a really big number.  I would suspect that if life, as we know it, can be located on another planet, it will not take the form of a solitary creature.  This should be considered a certainty if we take earth as an example.  Every biological unit on this planet will be eaten by other biological units, hence you need more than one for life to exist.  These biological units may have a form of  intelligence; some more than others.  But if life demands intelligence, all life forms presumably have some, at least enough to keep themselves alive.

It follows that if there is life as we understand it on other planets there must be more than one solitary version.  A little reason goes a long way in understanding the difference between what is intelligible and what is unintelligible.  But back to earth.  We, meaning us earthlings, homo sapiens in particular, pride ourselves on our intelligence.  We have concluded that we are an intelligent life form.

I would suggest that this conclusion does not necessarily comport with the facts.  Examples are endless and illustrative; we are all aware of human activities that defy reason and logic, and indeed, can not be attributed to intelligent life. Our legislative bodies are a prime example of human hubris in this regard.  These bodies of biological units (legislatures) presume themselves to be not only adequate to the tasks given them, but of the superior understanding necessary to regulate the behavior of all other biological units within their grasp - - meaning you and me.

If one were to actually look at what our legislative bodies do and how what they do affects you and me, one might quickly gain the idea that the search for intelligent life might be of more benefit if we were to look a little less celestially.  It would be significant if we found life, intelligent or not, on some other planet in the universe, but it seems to me that it would be more significant if we could find some here on earth.  On first glance there doesn't appear to be much intelligence locally and especially in our legislative bodies.  

One must not get the notion that I am casting unfounded and  disparaging remarks about our elected representatives which in turn reflect on the people who elect them.  But if one were to look at the situation without preconceived notions, one must necessarily come to the conclusion that our idea of intelligent life here on earth needs an adjustment.

Richard E H Phelps II

Mingo