Extraterrestrial life: A Poll

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

I know that considering the date some people might get sick of polls, but the whole discussion of alien life out there really has brought up something I think kind of needs to be discussed by itself: when someone refers to alien/extraterrestrial life, what exactly are we meaning?

Now, obviously aliens in fiction run the gamut of little green men, the 'Greys', Vulcans, Klingons, the Xenomorphs, the Bugs (from Starship Troopers) and everything between and beyond.
But I think that in terms of scientific discovery and what we're looking for beyond our solar system, I think that there might be a case of crossed wires a bit on what people mean when they say "alien".

So, I have crated a poll: What do you consider as alien/extraterrestrial life?
The choices are kind of simple and clear, but I will elaborate:

A: An advanced civilization beyond humanity's.
This is like the Vulcans from Star Trek or the Tau from Warhammer 40,000: civilizations with advanced technology and sciences that we cannot match. Ones that would be capable of interstellar travel.

B: A civilization on a par with humanity's.
I can't think of any basis for this in sci-fi, but I imagine it to be an alien race that has similar tech level to us, i.e. being able to leave their planet's atmosphere and travel to their own moon, as a simple analogue.

C: A civilization below humanity's level (akin to the middle ages or earlier)
Again, can't think of a basis for this in sci-fi, but this is kind of self-explanatory. No internal combustion engine analogue, no flight or planet-wide communication. Pretty low level in terms of tech, with nearly everything being done via 'man-power.

D: A heavily primitive civilization (akin to the stone age)
This one again doesn't have much of a basis in sci-fi, but it is very self-explanatory.

E: An animal population
This one is a not worded perfectly, but I mean a world where the population is at a level that is not similar to us at all. Possibly either like the Bugs from Starship Troopers or the Xenomorphs, or other aliens in sci-fi where they aren't capable of actual interaction with other races through proper communication as we know them.

F: A colony of primitive multicellar organisms in a pond
Very self-explanatory, and one that I imagine to be the most likely thing we'll find outside of our solar system.

G: All of the above

H: A mix of all or some

And just to to cover every base I: I don't accept that aliens exist

 

[Lost4words]

My mates in laws. They are extraterrestrial life definitely!

 

[JackRT]

Extraterrestrial life is simply any form of life that originated and evolved somewhere other than earth. I think it probable that simple forms of life exist and it is possible that even intelligent life might be "out there".

 

[Lost4words]

Extraterrestrial life is simply any form of life that originated and evolved somewhere other than earth. I think it probable that simple forms of life exist

Mates in laws!!! You nailed it!

 

[Ophiolite]

And just to to cover every base I: I don't accept that aliens exist

The problem is that I don't accept that alien life exists, but if it does any of the first six options, and more besides, would merit the qualifier "alien". Unfortunately your poll is exclusive - I can't tick two buttons.

My oft repeated view on the possibility of alien life is "to extrapolate from a sample size of one is madness", though I might add, "even if it is great fun".

 

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

The problem is that I don't accept that alien life exists, but if it does any of the first six options, and more besides, would merit the qualifier "alien". Unfortunately your poll is exclusive - I can't tick two buttons.

My oft repeated view on the possibility of alien life is "to extrapolate from a sample size of one is madness", though I might add, "even if it is great fun".

Did I not allow multiple options? Whoops. I thought that came as default. Give me a sec to fix.

ETA: Changed it. I've got 3 options as the choice for multiple votes.

 

[Ophiolite]

Did I not allow multiple options? Whoops. I thought that came as default. Give me a sec to fix.

ETA: Changed it. I've got 3 options as the choice for multiple votes.

Excellent. Thank you. I've voted.

In the spirit of election day, remember, Vote Early, Vote Often.

 

[Palmfever]

Angels are alien. Christ was also, He put on a human body while on earth. In essence all the faithful believe in ghosts and extraterrestrial beings.
In Christ

 

[JackRT]

Angels are alien. Christ was also, He put on a human body while on earth. In essence all the faithful believe in ghosts and extraterrestrial beings.
In Christ

So you reject the Trinity?

 

[FrumiousBandersnatch]

I know that considering the date some people might get sick of polls, but the whole discussion of alien life out there really has brought up something I think kind of needs to be discussed by itself: when someone refers to alien/extraterrestrial life, what exactly are we meaning?

Now, obviously aliens in fiction run the gamut of little green men, the 'Greys', Vulcans, Klingons, the Xenomorphs, the Bugs (from Starship Troopers) and everything between and beyond.
But I think that in terms of scientific discovery and what we're looking for beyond our solar system, I think that there might be a case of crossed wires a bit on what people mean when they say "alien".

So, I have crated a poll: What do you consider as alien/extraterrestrial life?
The choices are kind of simple and clear, but I will elaborate:

A: An advanced civilization beyond humanity's.
This is like the Vulcans from Star Trek or the Tau from Warhammer 40,000: civilizations with advanced technology and sciences that we cannot match. Ones that would be capable of interstellar travel.

B: A civilization on a par with humanity's.
I can't think of any basis for this in sci-fi, but I imagine it to be an alien race that has similar tech level to us, i.e. being able to leave their planet's atmosphere and travel to their own moon, as a simple analogue.

C: A civilization below humanity's level (akin to the middle ages or earlier)
Again, can't think of a basis for this in sci-fi, but this is kind of self-explanatory. No internal combustion engine analogue, no flight or planet-wide communication. Pretty low level in terms of tech, with nearly everything being done via 'man-power.

D: A heavily primitive civilization (akin to the stone age)
This one again doesn't have much of a basis in sci-fi, but it is very self-explanatory.

E: An animal population
This one is a not worded perfectly, but I mean a world where the population is at a level that is not similar to us at all. Possibly either like the Bugs from Starship Troopers or the Xenomorphs, or other aliens in sci-fi where they aren't capable of actual interaction with other races through proper communication as we know them.

F: A colony of primitive multicellar organisms in a pond
Very self-explanatory, and one that I imagine to be the most likely thing we'll find outside of our solar system.

G: All of the above

H: A mix of all or some

And just to to cover every base I: I don't accept that aliens exist

I don't understand H: how is 'a mix of all' different from 'all of the above' ?

 

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

I don't understand H: how is 'a mix of all' different from 'all of the above' ?

That probably should have been 'a mix of some', no?

ETA: I can't alter the wording. :c

 

[AV1611VET]

Angels.

 

[Clizby WampusCat]

Proof:

 

[Palmfever]

So you reject the Trinity?

I fail to see a correlation.

Phil, 2:7 … But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Christ came in the likeness of a man. He was not a man. We also are not flesh, we inhabit our bodies. When God created Adams flesh it remained dormant until He breathed life into it.

Gen, 2:7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

1 Thes, 4:4 … each of you must know how to control his own body in holiness and honor,

Angels are messengers from God. Not created on earth. Satan fell from heaven. They are not earthly, they are extraterrestrial.

In Christ

 

[FrumiousBandersnatch]

That probably should have been 'a mix of some', no?

ETA: I can't alter the wording. :c

OK - maybe 'Some of the above' would have been a better fit...

 

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

OK - maybe 'Some of the above' would have been a better fit...

It would have, looking back on it.

 

[FrumiousBandersnatch]

Angels are messengers from God. Not created on earth. Satan fell from heaven. They are not earthly, they are extraterrestrial.

So heaven is outer-space? That's not what I was taught in RI at school...

 

[Palmfever]

So heaven is outer-space? That's not what I was taught in RI at school...

Unless God is hiding out in Arizona.

 

[JackRT]

I fail to see a correlation.

Phil, 2:7 … But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Christ came in the likeness of a man. He was not a man. We also are not flesh, we inhabit our bodies. When God created Adams flesh it remained dormant until He breathed life into it.

Gen, 2:7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

1 Thes, 4:4 … each of you must know how to control his own body in holiness and honor,

Angels are messengers from God. Not created on earth. Satan fell from heaven. They are not earthly, they are extraterrestrial.

In Christ

So you actually do reject the Trinity and a fair amount else of traditional Christian theology. Don't fret about that too much, so do I.

 

[Brightmoon]

My choice isn’t listed , unicellular bacteria . Maybe some unicellular amalgams like plastid symbiosis in Terran eucaryotes