Where will they be: hidden implications of solutions to the Fermi paradox

Abstract

Solutions to the Fermi paradox either deny the existence of extraterrestrials or offer alternative reasons to explain the non-occurrence of a first contact. While the latter, more optimistic approaches generally assume the existence of extraterrestrials, they simultaneously hint to limited future detectability. If solutions to the Fermi paradox are accepted as true, they must be evaluated in terms of how they affect the likelihood of success of future SETI efforts. Some solutions may lead to the so-called Fermi constraint: in order to explain why there has not been any contact so far, optimistic solutions to the Fermi paradox have to accept assumptions that, if the solution is assumed to be correct, indicate a very low probability of future contact. In other words: they are not here, and that is why they may never appear.

The prospect of von neumann probes and the implications for the sagan-tipler debate

“…It does require that the explanatory wedges, even if they shift their weightings over time due to dynamic factors, must retain their universal coverage of non-contact. Nevertheless, from an instrumental viewpoint, this differs not from the assertion that ETI do not exist as Dobler (2022) points out. Only stable factors such as implausibility of interstellar travel are universal enough to account for the existence of ETI with the persistent lack of evidence.…”

“…There are four papers in this special issue. Dobler's (2022) paper provides the ideal contextual discussion of the Fermi paradox that extant ETI are not here now. He suggests that any optimistic interpretation must accept that there must be a low probability of contact and that this state of affairs shall continue.…”

Affordances in Outer Space: Forms of Life, Material Engagement, and Meaning within Space Exploration and SETI

“…Expectations and interpretations are shaped socially, and even individual perceptions and sensations are constructed via top-down models (Carbon, 2014), which can easily be manipulated by direct instruction (Hesslinger, Carbon and Hecht, 2017)(). Even imaginary extraterrestrial agents are a source of social influence (Döbler and Raab, 2021), and the mere possibility of contact may it be as tiny as proposed (Döbler, 2022;Döbler and Raab, 2021;Snyder-Beattie et al, 2021) tickles our mind to find out if our Mitsein (Being-with) (Heidegger, 1927(Heidegger, /1967) is limited to the pale blue dot we call home.…”

Affordances in outer space: Forms of life, material engagement, and meaning within space exploration and SETI

“…Even individual perceptional and sensational expectations and interpretations are shaped socially and constructed via top-down models [69], which can easily be manipulated by direct instruction [70]. Regardless of the fact of unproven existence: Hypothetical extraterrestrial agents are a source of social influence [6], and the mere possibility of contact, may it be as tiny as proposed [6,71,72], has tickled the minds of humanity for millennia [73] How to survive?…”