Quote:
Originally Posted by Alawen
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See your own discussion for why it's wishful thinking to believe in anything without evidence. The philosophic burden of proof is always on the advocate of theory to back it up. As I'm sure you already know, it's not possible to prove a negative. It certainly seems unlikely that we could scour the universe for intelligent life and definitely declare it to be found or not found within my lifetime. I am not taking the position that there is absolutely for sure no way can't be intelligent life out there. We have no evidence.
Here's a quote for you, Wikipedia boy:
Wishful thinking is the formation of beliefs and making decisions according to what might be pleasing to imagine instead of by appealing to evidence, rationality, or reality.
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You've pigeon-holed evidence to include only definitive evidence. There is obviously no definitive evidence -- that doesn't make the discussion of intelligent extraterrestrial life pure guesswork. Our own existence is evidence of intelligent life in the universe. The vastness and age of the universe, and the widespread existence of Earth-like planets, suggests that intelligent life could have and should have occurred elsewhere, unless something about Earth is extremely atypical. We have no evidence to suggest that Earth is, or isn't, atypical in its ability to foster intelligent life. Our sample size is entirely too small. If years from now, we've explored thousands of Earth-like, habitable planets and found nothing, then we would agree -- there is a meaningful absence of evidence. As of now, the absence of evidence is simply a consequence of our ignorance.
And why do you suggest it is "pleasing to imagine" intelligent life elsewhere, for those who believe there is? I find it far more pleasing to believe Earth is entirely unique and humans -- and our descendants -- are the only intelligent life this unthinkably vast universe will ever know. I find it far more pleasing to believe we are special, rather than a natural and fairly unspectacular eventuality.