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Should we
not get our house in order first? There is evidence that
emotions facilitate quick judgment in humans (This probably holds true for
other animals as well). If anything like a Vulcan were to evolve to a conscious
state in our cosmos, they might well lack the critical capacity to make
rapid-fire judgments. No problem, of
course, if you live in an environment where quick decisions are not essential
to survival. Say, a planet or environmental niche in which threats to life and
limb are few or virtually nonexistent or are in some way never imminent. Of course, other mechanisms
could evolve and be selected for to facilitate quick judgment without the
element of what we know as emotion. If on planet V high temperature
emitting life forms pose a threat, then the simple
capacity to perceive and steer clear of such life forms would favor one’s
survival. Networks and clusters of these “circuits” might keep your species
going strong without any emotion (as we know it) whatsoever entering into the
picture. Assuming that complex life
has evolved elsewhere and some forms have reached a level of self-awareness and
reasoning we would categorize as “sentient”, would we be able to relate to one
another? Especially a species that lacks what we call emotion? At some level –
probably so, simply because there are some things all intelligent creatures
would figure out – patterns in nature that can be quantified (mathematics),
assignment of symbols to objects so as to make some form of communication
possible. Given time, we’d match-up language or communication equivalents
involving shared concepts and ideas and principles. But if our new friends
happen to lack emotion, we’d be hard-pressed to communicate, much less explain
“love” or “hate” or anger”. We might have better luck explaining physical
sensations to a pocket calculator. So what would we have? A gap or “failure to communicate”, obviously. No doubt our
sentient alien friends would be in a predicament over how to go about telling
us about faculties they evolved but that we utterly lack and have no equivalent
to on our world. We might well end up only able to really communicate about
shared features or abstract concepts, while the rest is “left for another day”. Now for the really big
question: Would we embrace such a species and be “friends”? Accept the
differences between us and forge a meaningful relationship that is mutually
beneficial? Why, of course, we would (you say). We are up to the challenge. Really? Reflect for a moment on human history. We
have a long, dismal record of accepting and being decent to our own kind.
People have been marginalized, isolated and even intentionally eradicated
simply because of differences in religious faith, skin color, creed or
political affiliation. Some because they differed insofar as they were sick,
weak or old. And these were fellow humans who share a common genetic heritage
and basic features of heart and mind. Now ask yourself honestly: After
the novelty has worn off, how long would it be before some factions among us began
to exploit the aliens -- or worse? Maybe it is a good thing
that we have not spread to the stars and discovered sentient life forms yet. We
really should get our own house in order before visiting any neighbors out
there. Submitted for your thoughtful
consideration by the Wizard, Dr. Anthony G. Payne during this season of
celebration and hopefully…reflection. (Hanukkah/Christmas 2003) © 2003 by Dr. Anthony G. Payne. All rights reserved. |