As 2023 unfolds, it appears to be the year of potential alien contact.
From leaked Navy pilot footage of unidentified aerial phenomena to news of a possible US government cover-up on UFO research, the world is captivated by the prospect of extraterrestrial life.
The Year of Potential Alien Contact
Amidst this excitement, SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) plays a crucial role in listening for techno signatures from space.
However, the ethical implications of such endeavors have come under scrutiny, prompting scholars from diverse fields, including Indigenous studies, to weigh in on the significance of first contact.
As the possibility of contact with alien life looms, questions arise about who holds the authority to prepare for such an event.
Military, corporate, and scientific communities are most likely to engage in any contact scenario.
Corporations, under the Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act of 2015, have been given the legal right to profit from space tourism and resource extraction, potentially making them the first to encounter signs of extraterrestrial societies.
Meanwhile, NASA and SETI, predominantly comprising STEM scholars, are at the forefront of detecting and interpreting signals from space.
The involvement of scholars from outside STEM fields, including Indigenous studies, in workshops with the Berkeley SETI Research Center signifies a promising move towards inclusivity.
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Learning from History and Embracing Diverse Perspectives
The working group, through their collaborative efforts, highlighted the need for diverse perspectives in the ethics of listening for alien life.
The absence of current explicit ethical guidelines in SETI’s initiatives has raised concerns among researchers.
Drawing on centuries of culture contacts and their outcomes, including colonial encounters, the working group urges caution in assuming the advancement or intelligence of extraterrestrial civilizations.
History has shown that such presumptions often lead to dire consequences, including violence, enslavement, and genocide.
By likening listening to potential eavesdropping, the group questions the ethical implications of listening without consent from extraterrestrial entities.
The voyages of explorer James Cook and SETI share certain similarities, including their pursuit of celestial science for the broader benefit of humanity.
However, the discrepancy between their ethical protocols and the long-term consequences of their actions raises concerns.
Cook’s journey, initially intended for scientific purposes, resulted in the colonization and dispossession of Indigenous populations in Oceania.
SETI’s search for intelligent life could potentially lead to unintended consequences without clear ethical guidelines.
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