Hypothetical Extraterrestrial Cultures VS Human Morality
Feb 23, 2020 18:59:57 GMT -5
Post by Radrook Admin on Feb 23, 2020 18:59:57 GMT -5
Hypothetical Extraterrestrial Cultures VS Human Morality
How would we react if and when contact is finally established between us and reasoning extraterrestrials? Will we choose to remain cautiously and fearfully aloof? Or will we choose to become totally engrossed in their culture? Well, that depends on how they stack up to our moral standards.
For example, do they consider cruelty a virtue? Are they totally uninterested in the feelings of other sentient creatures. Are they warlike and stubbornly selfish?. Are they fanatically materialistic?
How do they treat one another? Are they caring? Do they consider cruelty a virtue? Are they generous or exceedingly selfish? Are they trustworthy and honest or untrustworthy and deceitful? Are they seekers of peace? Or are they vicious warmongers always seeking to exploit the weak? Do they consider us their equals? Or do they see us as their intellectual and physical inferiors?
These and other aspects of their culture would immediately come under intense scrutiny before we formally decide to pass judgement and categorize them. Such an evaluation is very important because it determines whether we as humans feel it is to our benefit or our detriment to associate with such beings. We might decide to establish some commerce with them, but keep them at a safe distance in all other aspects. We might have to ban the from landing on our planet lest they spread their immoral philosophies and wreak havoc.
If their abuses are extreme, then we might even feel it is our moral obligation to interfere in their society in order bring it into harmony with what we consider just. At first, we might merely make made our displeasure known . But if not listened to or dismissed, we might feel it our duty to intervene. . We might even decide it is our moral obligation to either transform them or else annihilate them as one would do to a plague before it spreads too far.
If those things are impossible because of their superior technology, then they will be considered a deadly threat kept them at the farthest distance possible.
So our relationship with such hypothetical beings all depends on how they stack up to or moral human expectations.