Old Carrier vs New Carrier

[ArcherofAiur]

The reason many scientists think that any advanced aliens we encounter will be humanoid in form is because of certain things we've determined are vital to intelligent technological advancement. The ability to survive through either strong or physically high mounted senses for safety, room for increasing brain capacity, limbs that allow the ability to grasp/hold/manipulate the environment efficiently, etc. The chances of any intelligent land based species having a head, a torso, and at least one pair of arms and legs each is EXTREMELY high. Its not a complex form, like an insect, and it functions well. So believing that space-faring or at least sapient extraterrestrials we may encounter will have the same basic body form as us is not crazy. Even the Elcor have two arms, two legs, and a distinct head.

What? No. You are wrong. Begining with saying that the human body is not a complex form.

Seriously can people who dont understand how a human body is formed please stop posting as if they do? Go research and then explain as best you can how the four major body cavities are formed and then well talk.

[Triceron]

Yeah guys, listen to the the human anatomy expert who thinks humanoids are ridiculous.

[GnaReffotsirk]

What about the ones called "people of the light"? Those are beings that are inorganic, but can materialize as well. I know there's no proof of this but ancient writings.

Do you guys think it is possible that these type of beings can exist? I think they're massless life-forms
http://www.valdostamuseum.org/hamsmi...l#masslesslife, like our minds (as thought of).

The reason many scientists think that any advanced aliens we encounter will be humanoid in form is because of certain things we've determined are vital to intelligent technological advancement. The ability to survive through either strong or physically high mounted senses for safety, room for increasing brain capacity, limbs that allow the ability to grasp/hold/manipulate the environment efficiently, etc. The chances of any intelligent land based species having a head, a torso, and at least one pair of arms and legs each is EXTREMELY high. Its not a complex form, like an insect, and it functions well. So believing that space-faring or at least sapient extraterrestrials we may encounter will have the same basic body form as us is not crazy. Even the Elcor have two arms, two legs, and a distinct head.

Is it possible for intelligence to evolve naturally out of a non-competitive environment? Does these kinds of eco-systems exist, or does everything in the universe have to go through the same kind of system we have? Is it possible that a world exists where predators does not exist?

I sound stupid and uninformed, because I honestly don't know a thing about this stuff, but I'm eager to learn more.

[Nicol Bolas]

Being highly improbable doesn't mean it can't happen.

Proving a negative isn't possible without an exhaustive search. Yes, it's possible. It's also possible for the Earth to spontaneously fly into the sun. That doesn't mean we should all jump on space ships, and it doesn't mean that all Sci-Fi should be based on the Earth flying into the sun.

Ants don't have independent thought, only basic instinct

Don't be too sure about that. Some ant species have been known to learn things from other ants. And ants that fail to learn things are relegated to different tasks.

Due to wieght and load bearing factors you would never see giant arthropods (at least not crab or spider looking ones).

I put "giant" in quotes for a reason. Giant in this case meaning "larger than current arthropods." You'd get things like dog-sized spiders and such. Not elephant-sized.

Large enough to carry a decent-sized brain.

Actually their are 5 almost entirely seperate lines of evolutionary descent. Their called kingdoms. Do they still teach biology in school?

*sigh* "That's two almost entirely separate lines of evolutionary descent" that lead to multicellular animals. Context is key.

If it is almost impossible that humanoid civilized life appears, it wouldn't be much more likely than that civilized life with other body shapes appears.

The point is that evolution doesn't work that way.

It just so happened that the line of descent, tetrapod animals, was able to be turned into a bipedal animal with a head on top. If the dominant land animal had instead been something not a tetrapod, we wouldn't look anything like we do today.

The reason many scientists think that any advanced aliens we encounter will be humanoid in form

Um, what scientists are these? I've never heard of them.

Its not a complex form, like an insect, and it functions well. So believing that space-faring or at least sapient extraterrestrials we may encounter will have the same basic body form as us is not crazy.

Insects do not have the same basic body form as us.

[ArcherofAiur]

Yeah guys, listen to the the human anatomy expert who thinks humanoids are ridiculous.

Its not that humans are ridiculous. Its that you have to realize form follows function not the other way around.

Proving a negative isn't possible without an exhaustive search. Yes, it's possible. It's also possible for the Earth to spontaneously fly into the sun. That doesn't mean we should all jump on space ships, and it doesn't mean that all Sci-Fi should be based on the Earth flying into the sun.

Oh so thats how you deflect the "PROVE IT" arguement. *runs off to post this in the broodlord thread*



Other than that I think Nicol and I are mostly on the same side.

[Triceron]

Nicol's debasing 'facts' about alien humanoids, of which there are none. We have no living proof that sapient intelligence is linked to being humanoid, it's simply a common theme in Science Fiction.

You don't approve of humanoid aliens in fiction. Your reasons go beyond fact, since you simply don't agree with sapient humanoid intelligence other than from Humans. You're not accepting all forms of alien intelligence since you're discounting the possibility of humanoid ones existing.

[ArcherofAiur]

We have no living proof that sapient intelligence is linked to being humanoid, it's simply a common theme in Science Fiction.

Im learning more and more about forum proof everyday. Hey quick aside, do you know what the next most intelligent animal after us and chimpanzees is?

[GnaReffotsirk]

Im learning more and more about forum proof everyday. Hey quick aside, do you know what the next most intelligent animal after us and chimpanzees is?

Those are the ancestors of mermaids. After some 6000 years of evolution, mermaids came as they are.

Who said half-humanoid isn't good enough?

Seriously, sci-fi extra-terrestrials are just a modern form of cyclops, minotaur, dwarfs, elves, orcs, orgres, and last but not the least:

Humpty Dumpty.

It's an egg, but the artist needed to put some arms, feet, and clothing. Humpty Dumpty explains everything.

[Roobster]

Dolphins are interesting since they show that a race can be highly intelligent but yet have no chance at all to create a civilization. Perhaps there are aliens that are more intelligent than humans yet lack the appendages to use tools and therefore can't become civilized.

[Nicol Bolas]

Your reasons go beyond fact, since you simply don't agree with sapient humanoid intelligence other than from Humans. You're not accepting all forms of alien intelligence since you're discounting the possibility of humanoid ones existing.

What I'm saying is that the likelihood of such a thing is infinitesimally small. I discount the possibility of infinitesimally small possibilities happening.