Results for 'Extraterrestrial beings'

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  1.  23
    Extraterrestrial intelligence and moral standing.Milan Cirkovic & Ana Katić - 2022 - International Journal of Astrobiology.
    We consider the Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence (SETI) activities from a bioethical standpoint. In particular, we argue that there is a moral duty to search for other intelligent beings in the Universe. Some of them could – and are likely to be – morally enhanced in the sense that they are not only capable of unmistakable moral reasoning but are also capable of consistently acting upon the results of such deliberations. Even if the probability of finding such morally (...)
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  2.  11
    Extraterrestrial altruism: evolution and ethics in the cosmos.Douglas A. Vakoch (ed.) - 2014 - New York: Springer.
    Extraterrestrial Altruism examines a basic assumption of the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI): that extraterrestrials will be transmitting messages to us for our benefit. This question of whether extraterrestrials will be altruistic has become increasingly important in recent years as SETI scientists have begun contemplating transmissions from Earth to make contact. Technological civilizations that transmit signals for the benefit of others, but with no immediate gain for themselves, certainly seem to be altruistic. But does this make biological sense? (...)
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  3.  85
    Theological Implications of Possible Extraterrestrial Life.Sjoerd L. Bonting - 2003 - Zygon 38 (3):587-602.
    Bible and tradition remain silent on intelligent extraterrestrial life, and few modern theologians have expressed themselves on this topic. Scientific insight suggests the possibility, even likelihood, of the development of life on extrasolar earthlike planets. It is argued that such life forms would resemble earthly life and also develop a religious and moral life. As creatures with free will they would be prone to sin and in need of salvation. It is argued that this would not require multiple incarnations, (...)
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  4.  7
    Religions and Extraterrestrial Life: How Will We Deal With It?David A. Weintraub - 2014 - Cham: Imprint: Springer.
    In the twenty-first century, the debate about life on other worlds is quickly changing from the realm of speculation to the domain of hard science. Within a few years, as a consequence of the rapid discovery by astronomers of planets around other stars, astronomers very likely will have discovered clear evidence of life beyond the Earth. Such a discovery of extraterrestrial life will change everything. Knowing the answer as to whether humanity has company in the universe will trigger one (...)
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  5.  11
    Extraterrestrial Soteriology.Jim Slagle - 2023 - Scientia et Fides 11 (1):63-78.
    One scientific objection to religion is that the discovery of extraterrestrial life would show that our religions are not veridical, with Christianity being the most common target. I will first look at a parallel issue, the ancient and medieval controversy over antipodes. This raises two problematic Christian doctrines that would apply equally to extraterrestrials: the transmission of original sin and the cosmic fall. These issues raise questions about their spiritual status, but I conclude that not having such answers does (...)
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  6. The Moral Status of Extraterrestrial Life.Erik Persson - 2012 - Astrobiology 12:976-984.
    If we eventually discover extraterrestrial life, do we have any moral obligations for how to treat the life-forms we find; does it matter whether they are intelligent, sentient, or just microbial—and does it matter that they are extraterrestrial? -/- In this paper, I examine these questions by looking at two of the basic questions in moral philosophy: What does it take to be a moral object? and What has value of what kind? I will start with the first (...)
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  7. The Copernican Principle, Intelligent Extraterrestrials, and Arguments from Evil.Samuel Ruhmkorff - 2019 - Religious Studies 55:297-317.
    The physicist Richard Gott defends the Copernican principle, which claims that when we have no information about our position along a given dimension among a group of observers, we should consider ourselves to be randomly located among those observers in respect to that dimension. First, I apply Copernican reasoning to the distribution of evil in the universe. I then contend that evidence for intelligent extraterrestrial life strengthens four important versions of the argument from evil. I remain neutral regarding whether (...)
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  8.  29
    Extraterrestrial contact: Creating xenolinguistic sonic messages for extraterrestrial communication – Ether Ship electronic music orchestrations in the Anza-Borrego Desert.Willard Van De Bogart - 2014 - Technoetic Arts 12 (1):47-73.
    Communication with other life forms in our universe has been an ongoing effort most notably conducted by the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Project (SETI). Whereas SETI uses a network of radio telescopes to search for frequencies that may indicate intelligent design, there are also attempts to communicate with extraterrestrials by using different ways to listen for messages as well as send messages. This article outlines a phenomenological approach that includes changes in cognition due to the creation of electronic sounds (...)
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  9.  70
    An extraterrestrial perspective on conceptual development.Christopher Gauker - 1993 - Mind and Language 8 (1):105-30.
    The network theory of conceptual development is the theory that conceptual developmentmay be represented as a process of constructing a network of linked nodes. The nodes of such a network represent concepts and the links between nodes represent relations between concepts. The structure of such a network is not determined by experience alone but must evolve in accordance with abstraction heuristics, which constrain the varieties of network between which experience must decide. This paper criticizes the network theory on the grounds (...)
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  10. Extraterrestrials of the New World.Alexandre Vigne - 2000 - Diogenes 48 (189):48-57.
    The fact that the Earth is no longer seen as at the centre of the Universe is the reason normally put forward to explain the rejection of heliocentrism. However, this version does not hit the mark. We should remember particularly that Man's position at the midpoint of the heavens was not all glorious; in the medieval world's hierarchical vision, only Hell is lower than the Earth, above which rises the celestial sphere, the whole being transcended by divine infinity. Observing that (...)
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  11. Copernican Reasoning About Intelligent Extraterrestrials: A Reply to Simpson.Samuel Ruhmkorff & Tingao Jiang - 2019 - Journal for General Philosophy of Science / Zeitschrift für Allgemeine Wissenschaftstheorie 50 (4):561-571.
    Copernican reasoning involves considering ourselves, in the absence of other information, to be randomly selected members of a reference class. Consider the reference class intelligent observers. If there are extraterrestrial intelligences (ETIs), taking ourselves to be randomly selected intelligent observers leads to the conclusion that it is likely the Earth has a larger population size than the typical planet inhabited by intelligent life, for the same reason that a randomly selected human is likely to come from a more populous (...)
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  12. Evidence for Intelligent Extraterrestrials is Evidence Against the Existence of God.Samuel Ruhmkorff - 2019 - Think 18 (53):79-84.
    The recent explosion in the discovery of exoplanets and our incipient ability to detect atmospheric biomarkers recommend reflection on the conceptual implications of discovering – or not discovering – extrasolar life. I contend that evidence for intelligent extraterrestrial life is evidence against the existence of God, because if there are intelligent extraterrestrials, there are likely to be evils in the universe even greater than those found on Earth. My reasoning is based on Richard Gott's Copernican Principle, which holds that (...)
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  13.  87
    A History of the Extraterrestrial Life Debate.Michael J. Crowe - 1997 - Zygon 32 (2):147-162.
    From antiquity to the present, humans have debated whether intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe. This presentation will survey this debate, examining the roles played in it by science, religion, philosophy, and other areas of human learning. One thesis that will be developed is that whether or not extraterrestrials exist, ideas about them have strongly influenced Western thought.
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  14.  49
    The Final (Missions) Frontier: Extraterrestrials, Evangelism, and the Wide Circle of Human Empathy.Eugene A. Curry - 2019 - Zygon 54 (3):588-601.
    The possible existence of extraterrestrials has provoked more than five centuries of theological speculation on how these beings, if they exist, relate to God. A certain stream of thought present in these debates argues that the eventual discovery of aliens would obligate human Christians to evangelize them for the salvation of their souls. Current research into humanity's prehistory suggests that, if this ever actually happens, it will have been partially facilitated by humanity's remarkable capacity for interspecies empathy—an ability that (...)
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  15.  94
    The Evolutionary Psychology of Extraterrestrial Intelligence: Are There Universal Adaptations in Search, Aversion, and Signaling?Peter M. Todd & Geoffrey F. Miller - 2018 - Biological Theory 13 (2):131-141.
    To understand the possible forms of extraterrestrial intelligence, we need not only astrobiology theories about how life evolves given habitable planets, but also evolutionary psychology theories about how intelligence emerges given life. Wherever intelligent organisms evolve, they are likely to face similar behavioral challenges in their physical and social worlds. The cognitive mechanisms that arise to meet these challenges may then be copied, repurposed, and shaped by further evolutionary selection to deal with more abstract, higher-level cognitive tasks such as (...)
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  16. Ethics and the Extraterrestrial Environment.Alan Marshall - 1993 - Journal of Applied Philosophy 10 (2):227-236.
    ABSTRACT After a brief review of environmental ethics this paper examines how terrestrial environmental values can be developed into policies to protect extraterrestrial environments. Shallow environmentalism, deep environmentalism and the libertarian extension of rights are compared and then applied to the environmental protection of extraterrestrial bodies. Some scientific background is given. The planet Mars is used as a test case from which an ethical argument emerges for the protection of environments beyond Earth. The argument is based on the (...)
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  17. A Hypothesis of Extraterrestrial Behavior (2nd edition).William C. Lane - manuscript
    Developments that suggest the universe is full of life make the Fermi paradox increasingly pressing, but our search for an extraterrestrial technological civilization (“ETC”) is handicapped by our ignorance of its probable nature and behavior. This paper offers a way around this problem by drawing on information theoretical concepts, including game theory and Bayesian probability. It argues that, whatever its ultimate goals, an ETC would have the same instrumental goals as other intelligent agents. Generically, these are self-preservation and the (...)
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  18.  41
    Arguing About Extraterrestrial Intelligence.Christopher Cowie - 2022 - Philosophical Quarterly 73 (1):64-83.
    Avi Loeb has defended the hypothesis that the interstellar object, ‘Oumuamua, detected in 2017, is in fact an extraterrestrial artefact. His hypothesis has been widely rejected by the scientific community. On examination however it is not clear why. The puzzle is at the level of argument structure. The scientific community's responses to Loeb's hypothesis appear to point to explanations of ‘Oumuamua's properties that are mere possibilities. Yet this is something that Loeb does not contest. I appeal to broadly philosophical (...)
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  19.  15
    Saved by the Dark Forest: How a Multitude of Extraterrestrial Civilizations Can Prevent a Hobbesian Trap.Karim Jebari & Andrea S. Asker - 2024 - The Monist 107 (2):176-189.
    The possibility of extraterrestrial intelligence (ETI) exists despite no observed evidence, and the risks and benefits of actively searching for ETI (Active SETI) have been debated. Active SETI has been criticized for potentially exposing humanity to existential risk, and a recent game-theoretical model highlights the Hobbesian trap that could occur following contact if mutual distrust leads to mutual destruction. We argue that observing a nearby ETI would suggest the existence of many unobserved ETI. This would expand the game and (...)
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  20.  42
    Biosemiotic knowledge — a prerequisite for valid explorations of extraterrestrial intelligent life.Elling Ulvestad - 2002 - Sign Systems Studies 30 (1):283-291.
    The scientific search for extraterrestrial intelligent life is probably one of the most ambitious projects ever taken in biology. The article discusses methodological problems associated with the search. It is emphasized that investigators of extraterrestrial intelligence, in contrast to investigators of terrestrial matters, have no valid pre-understanding of their subject matter. In this barren setting, utilization of semiotic knowledge is shown to be a prerequisite for achievement of valid data. Owing to methodological shortcomings, it is concluded that the (...)
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  21.  5
    Science, Religion, and the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence.David Wilkinson - 2017 - Oxford University Press UK.
    If the discovery of life elsewhere in the universe is just around the corner, what would be the consequences for religion? Would it represent another major conflict between science and religion, even leading to the death of faith? Some would suggest that the discovery of any suggestion of extraterrestrial life would have a greater impact than even the Copernican and Darwinian revolutions. It is now over 50 years since the first modern scientific papers were published on the search for (...)
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  22.  54
    Big numbers and induction in the case for extraterrestrial intelligence.Roy Mash - 1993 - Philosophy of Science 60 (2):204-222.
    Arguments favoring the existence of extraterrestrial intelligence nearly always contain an overt appeal to big numbers, often combined with a covert reliance on generalization from a single instance. In this paper I examine both motifs, and consider whether big numbers might actually make palatable otherwise implausible single-case inductions. In the end, the dispute between believers and skeptics is seen to boil down to a conflict of intuitions which can barely be engaged, let alone resolved, given our present state of (...)
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  23.  9
    Plurality of Worlds: The Origins of the Extraterrestrial Life Debate from Democritus to Kant. [REVIEW]Robert Ginsberg - 1987 - Review of Metaphysics 41 (1):129-130.
    That life probably exists on other bodies in the universe is now a commonplace. That intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe--taking for granted its presence on earth--is a widespread hope. Scientific efforts are under way, including space probes, special observations, and broadcast programs, in the systematic search for extraterrestrial intelligence. The question naturally arises whether other human beings are somewhere out there. Fresh avenues of philosophic reflection are opening concerning ethics, theology, and the metaphysics of being human. (...)
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  24. The ethics of space travelling and extraterrestrial colonization What is moral in space is also moral on earth.Maurizio Balistreri & Steven Umbrello - 2024 - Ragion Pratica 62 (1/2024):155-170.
    Mirko Garasic (2021) argued that space travel and, by extension, the colonization of other planets could morally justify using technologies and interventions capable of profoundly modifying the characteristics of astronauts and future Martian generations. According to Garasic, however, the fact that space interventions such as human (bio)enhancement or reproductive technologies such as artificial wombs may be morally justified does not mean that they are morally acceptable technologies to be used on Earth as well. Garasic’s thesis is that we should resist (...)
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  25. Are We Alone?: Philosophical Implications of the Discovery of Extraterrestrial Life.Paul Davies - 1995 - Basic Books.
    The search for extra-terrestrial intelligence (SETI) raises a number of scientific/philosophical questions. If we are the only conscious, intelligent species in the galaxy, why? If we are not, given that other cultures must be more technically advanced than us, why haven't we met them yet?
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  26.  25
    Worlds without End: The Historic Search for Extraterrestrial Life. [REVIEW]Michael Crowe - 2002 - Isis 93:101-102.
    As Roger Hennessey reminds us, “One of the most famous openings in English literature informs readers that ‘in the last years of the nineteenth century … human affairs were being watched keenly and closely by intelligences greater than man's yet as mortal as his own’” . So began H. G. Wells's famous War of the Worlds , in which Martians invade the Earth.The general public seems scarcely aware that discussions of extraterrestrial intelligent beings began to appear centuries before (...)
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  27.  8
    Can a Darwinian Be a Christian?: The Relationship Between Science and Religion.Michael Ruse - 2001 - Cambridge University Press.
    This book, first published in 2000, adopts a balanced perspective on the subject to offer a serious examination of both Darwinism and Christianity. He covers a wide range of topics, from the Scopes Monkey Trial to claims about the religious significance of extraterrestrials. He deals with major figures in the current science/religion debate and considers in detail the claims of the new creationism, revealing some surprising parallels between Darwinian materialists and traditional thinkers such as St. Augustine. Michael Ruse argues that, (...)
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  28.  11
    The Cosmos and Human Beings from an Interdisciplinary Perspective. “Paradigmatické zmeny v chápaní kozmologickej a antropologickej problematiky. Minulosť a súčasnosť,” [“Paradigmatic Changes in the Understanding of Cosmological and Anthropological Issues. Past and Present”] edited by Zlatica Plašienková, Univerzita Komenského v Bratislave, Bratislava 2021, pp. 308 (rev.). [REVIEW]Štefan Zolcer - 2023 - Studia Philosophiae Christianae 59 (1):155-165.
    This book presents a complex picture of the universe and man from historical and contemporary perspectives, including philosophical, theological, and scientific perspectives. It consists of several papers by authors from various fields, and it is divided into three main parts. The first part addresses some interesting questions from the history of philosophy and theology; the second part focuses on contemporary astrophysics and astrobiology and the question of extraterrestrial life; the third part considers the ethical and environmental dimensions of these (...)
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  29.  6
    Science, SETI and mathematics.Carl L. DeVito - 2014 - New York: Berghahn.
    Mathematics is as much a part of our humanity as music and art. And it is our mathematics that might be understandable, even familiar, to a distant race and might provide the basis for mutual communication. This book discusses, in a conversational way, the role of mathematics in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. The author explores the science behind that search, its history, and the many questions associated with it, including those regarding the nature of language and the philosophical/psychological (...)
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  30.  34
    Natural Kinds and Unnatural Persons.Patricia Kitcher - 1979 - Philosophy 54 (210):541 - 547.
    Most people believe that extraterrestrial beings or porpoises or computers could someday be recognized as persons. Given the significant constitutional differences between these entities and ourselves, the general assumption appears to be that ‘person’ is not a natural kind term. David Wiggins offers an illuminating challenge to this popular dogma in ‘Locke, Butler and the Stream of Consciousness: and Men as a Natural Kind’. Wiggins does not claim that ‘person’ actually is a natural kind term; but he argues (...)
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  31.  11
    Infrahumanisms: science, culture, and the making of modern non/personhood.Megan H. Glick - 2018 - Durham: Duke University Press.
    Introduction: toward a theory of infrahumanity -- Bioexpansionism, 1900s-1930s -- Brief histories of time: nature, culture, and the making of modern childhood -- Ocular anthropomorphisms: eugenics and primatology at the threshold of the "almost human" -- Extraterrestriality, 1940s-1970s -- On alien ground: extraterrestrial sightings, atomic warfare, and the undoing of the human body -- Inner and outer spaces: exobiology, human genetics, and the disembodiment of corporeal difference -- Interiority, 1980s-2010s -- Of sodomy and cannibalism: disgust, dehumanization, and the rhetorics (...)
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  32. Houston, Do We Have a Problem?C. A. McIntosh & Tyler Dalton McNabb - 2021 - Philosophia Christi 23 (1):101-124.
    Would the existence of extraterrestrial intelligent life conflict in any way with Christian belief? We identify six areas of potential conflict. If there be no conflict in any of these areas—and we argue ultimately there is not—we are confident in declaring that there is no conflict, period. This conclusion underwrites the integrity of theological explorations into the existence of ETI, which has become a topic of increasing interest among theologians in recent years.
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  33.  53
    Swedenborg and the plurality of worlds: Astrotheology in the eighteenth century.David Dunér - 2016 - Zygon 51 (2):450-479.
    The possible existence of extraterrestrial life led in the eighteenth century to a heated debate on the unique status of the human being and of Christianity. One of those who discussed the new scientific worldview and its implications for theology was the Swedish natural philosopher and theologian Emanuel Swedenborg. This article discusses Swedenborg's astrotheological transformation, his use of theological arguments in his early cosmology, and his cosmogony that later on ended up in his use of contemporary natural philosophy in (...)
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  34.  67
    Astrotheology: A constructive proposal.Ted Peters - 2014 - Zygon 49 (2):443-457.
    As we envision constructive undertakings in the field of religion and science for the next decade, the emerging agenda of astrotheology is opening up a new theater for enquiry. Astrotheology provides a critical theological response to the field of astrobiology while critically assessing exciting new research on life in our solar system and the discovery of exoplanets. This article proposes four tasks for the astrotheologian: deliberate on (1) the scope of creation: is God's creation Earth-centric or does it include the (...)
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  35.  49
    From Angels to Aliens: Humankind's Ongoing Encounters with, and Evolving Interpretations of, the Genuine Celestial Unknown.Tim Lomas & Brendan Case - 2023 - Zygon 58 (3):614-635.
    Throughout history, people have observed aerial events that appeared extraordinary and anomalous. In earlier eras, these were often interpreted through a lens that invoked special classes of divine beings, such as angels (who, compared with gods, are regarded as more likely to interact with humans). Today, in our ostensibly secular scientific age, there is a tendency to assume such observers were mistaken, and that with the benefit of modern knowledge, these events can be “debunked” and attributed to conventional naturalistic (...)
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  36.  64
    Citizens of Mars Ltd.Erik Persson - 2015 - In Charles S. Cockell (ed.), Human Governance Beyond Earth – Implications for Freedom. Cham: Springer. pp. 121-137.
    When the time comes to decide how to govern an extraterrestrial settlement there will be many alternatives to chose from. We will have the opportunity to try new and so far untested theories, but there are also some old forms of government that might be tempting to try again. We might for instance let the company whose activities on the world are the reason for the establishment govern the settlement. This has been tried before on our own planet both (...)
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  37.  92
    Alone in the universe.Howard Smith - 2016 - Zygon 51 (2):497-519.
    We are probably alone in the universe—a conclusion based on observations of over 4,000 exoplanets and fundamental physical constraints. This article updates earlier arguments with the latest astrophysical results. Since the discovery of exoplanets, theologians have asked with renewed urgency what the presence of extraterrestrial intelligence says about salvation and human purpose, but this is the wrong question. The more urgent question is what their absence says. The “Misanthropic Principle” is the observation that, in a universe fine-tuned for life, (...)
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  38.  68
    Searching for another earth: The recent history of the discovery of exoplanets.David Wilkinson - 2016 - Zygon 51 (2):414-430.
    The discovery of exoplanets is a small part of the array of scientific arguments for and against the existence of extraterrestrial intelligence. Yet the recent stunning achievement of this program of observational astronomy has had a significant effect on scientific opinion and public interest. It also raises some key theological questions. New observing techniques are leading to the discovery of extrasolar planets daily. Earth-like planets outside of our Solar System can now be identified and in future years explored for (...)
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  39.  19
    Reincarnating the Body of the Future Through Speculative Science Fiction: The Employees (2018) by Olga Ravn.Joaquín Jesús Marto - 2023 - Iris 43.
    Through the epistemic potential of speculative science fiction, this article offers a reflection on the impacts of technologies on the human body. More precisely, this article illuminates how literary texts anticipate the challenges which will arise in relation with the body of the future from our most awaited and fantasized technologies. Olga Ravn’s novel, The employees (2018), will be the basis of this article’s inquiry into how the augmented body, extraterrestrial life and artificial intelligence impact the body and, by (...)
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  40.  55
    Evolutionary contingency and SETI revisited.Milan M. Ćirković - 2014 - Biology and Philosophy 29 (4):539-557.
    The well-known argument against the Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence (SETI) due to George Gaylord Simpson is re-analyzed almost half a century later, in the light of our improved understanding of preconditions for the emergence of life and intelligence brought about by the ongoing “astrobiological revolution”. Simpson’s argument has been enormously influential, in particular in biological circles, and it arguably fueled the most serious opposition to SETI programmes and their funding. I argue that both proponents and opponents of Simpson’s argument (...)
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  41.  83
    A Broader Perspective on “Humans”: Analysis of Insān in Twelver Shīʿī Philosophy and Implications for Astrotheology.Abdullah Ansar & Shahbaz Haider - 2023 - Zygon 58 (4):838-859.
    This article explores the essence of the human (insān) as it is understood in Twelver Shīʿī philosophy and mysticism. It presents a Shīʿī philosophical elucidation regarding the possible existence of extraterrestrial intelligent lifeforms and what their relationship with “humanhood” might be. This line of reasoning is presented with a general sketch of how, in Shīʿī Islamic thought, a “human being” is characterized by specific traits and the relationship of human beings with the archetype of the Perfect Human (al‐Insān (...)
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  42. How will the emerging plurality of lives change how we conceive of and relate to life?Erik Persson, Jessica Abbott, Christian Balkenius, Anna Cabak Redei, Klara Anna Čápová, Dainis Dravins, David Dunér, Markus Gunneflo, Maria Hedlund, Mats Johansson, Anders Melin & Petter Persson - 2019 - Challenges 10 (1).
    The project “A Plurality of Lives” was funded and hosted by the Pufendorf Institute for Advanced Studies at Lund University, Sweden. The aim of the project was to better understand how a second origin of life, either in the form of a discovery of extraterrestrial life, life developed in a laboratory, or machines equipped with abilities previously only ascribed to living beings, will change how we understand and relate to life. Because of the inherently interdisciplinary nature of the (...)
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  43. The anthropic cosmological principle.John D. Barrow - 1986 - New York: Oxford University Press. Edited by Frank J. Tipler.
    Ever since Copernicus, scientists have continually adjusted their view of human nature, moving it further and further from its ancient position at the center of Creation. But in recent years, a startling new concept has evolved that places it more firmly than ever in a special position. Known as the Anthropic Cosmological Principle, this collection of ideas holds that the existence of intelligent observers determines the fundamental structure of the Universe. In its most radical version, the Anthropic Principle asserts that (...)
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  44. What is Life?Guenther Witzany - 2020 - Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences 7:1-13.
    In searching for life in extraterrestrial space, it is essential to act based on an unequivocal definition of life. In the twentieth century, life was defined as cells that self-replicate, metabolize, and are open for mutations, without which genetic information would remain unchangeable, and evolution would be impossible. Current definitions of life derive from statistical mechanics, physics, and chemistry of the twentieth century in which life is considered to function machine like, ignoring a central role of communication. Recent observations (...)
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  45.  79
    Quasi-realism and normative certitude.Stina Björkholm, Krister Bykvist & Jonas Olson - 2020 - Synthese 198 (8):7861-7869.
    Just as we can be more or less certain that there is extraterrestrial life or that Goldbach’s conjecture is correct, we can be more or less certain about normative matters, such as whether euthanasia is permissible or whether utilitarianism is true. However, accommodating the phenomenon of degrees of normative certitude is a difficult challenge for non-cognitivist and expressivist views, according to which normative judgements are desire-like attitudes rather than beliefs. Several attempts have been made on behalf of non-cognitivism and (...)
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  46.  28
    New Work on Biosignatures.Christopher Cowie - 2023 - Mind 133 (530):452-471.
    The search for extraterrestrial life centres on the search for ‘biosignatures’. Yet there is little agreement within the scientific community with respect to what exactly it is for something to be a biosignature. Existing accounts are presented and criticised. An alternative is provided that resolves problems with existing accounts by distinguishing clearly between types and tokens.
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  47.  17
    Eight Preposterous Propositions: From the Genetics of Homosexuality to the Benefits of Global Warming.Robert Ehrlich - 2003 - Princeton University Press.
    Placebo cures. Global warming. Extraterrestrial life. Psychokinesis. In a time when scientific claims can sound as strange as science fiction--and can have a profound effect on individual life or public policy--assessing the merits of a far-out, supposedly scientific idea can be as difficult as it is urgent. Into the breach between helpless gullibility and unyielding skepticism steps physicist Robert Ehrlich, with an indispensable guide to making sense of "scientific" claims. A series of case studies of some of the most (...)
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  48.  22
    The artful universe.John D. Barrow - 1995 - New York: Oxford University Press.
    Our likes and dislikes--our senses and sensibilities--did not fall ready-made from the sky, argues internationally acclaimed author John D. Barrow. We know we enjoy a beautiful painting or a passionate symphony, but what we don't necessarily understand is that these experiences conjure up latent instincts laid down and perpetuated over millions of years. Now, in The Artful Universe, Barrow explores the close ties between our aesthetic appreciation and the basic nature of the Universe, challenging the commonly held view that our (...)
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  49.  18
    Political Authority: A Christian Perspective.Michael von Brück - 2010 - Buddhist-Christian Studies 30:159-170.
    In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:Political AuthorityA Christian PerspectiveMichael von BrückGeneral Reflection: Apocalyptic and Utopian Models of Progress and ReligionEuropean tradition of thought is shaped by two different mythical imaginations of time structure: apocalyptic thought and the concept of utopia.Jewish apocalyptical thinking culminated in the expectation that God would finally complete the processes of history at the end of time. In conjunction with Iranian dualism this expectation was interpreted metaphysically: After the collapse of (...)
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  50.  53
    The Cosmic Significance of Directed Panspermia: Should Humanity Spread Life to Other Solar Systems?Oskari Sivula - 2022 - Utilitas 34 (2):178-194.
    The possibility of seeding other planets with life poses a tricky dilemma. On the one hand, directed panspermia might be extremely good, while, on the other, it might be extremely bad depending on what factors are taken into consideration. Therefore, we need to understand better what is ethically at stake with planetary seeding. I map out possible conditions under which humanity should spread life to other solar systems. I identify two key variables that affect the desirability of propagating life throughout (...)
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