Are we alone?

[scapularkid8]

Does intelligent life exist somewhere else in the Universe…or are the SETI and Very Large Array programs a desperate human-wading in the tide of the vast and empty Cosmos…?

And what religious implications does it have if we, in fact, do discover other “beings”.

 

[love4mary]

God created a HUGE universe, in fact many many universes with planets that we have yet to discover. I do not think its beyond the realm of possibility that God also created other life forms there as well. It in no way shakes my faith and excites me to think of what I may see if and when I make it to heaven.

 

[Hastrman]

God created a HUGE universe, in fact many many universes with planets that we have yet to discover. I do not think its beyond the realm of possibility that God also created other life forms there as well. It in no way shakes my faith and excites me to think of what I may see if and when I make it to heaven.

“Many many universes?”

The many-worlds interpretation of quantum theory is unwieldy and inelegant, therefore it ought to be junked in favor of some form of the Copenhagen interpretation–if that’s what you meant.

Otherwise the phrase “many universes” is a contradiction in terms, since “universe” means “all there is,” more or less (actually it can be argued it only means all physical stuff, since God is eminent not immanent).

As for aliens…there aren’t, really, any religious implications to aliens as such. We’ll just have to figure out where they fit in Salvation history.

Which is neat–so many more questions to ask!

 

[Starwynd]

Well, technically, angels are extraterrestrials.

 

[Cajetan]

Does intelligent life exist somewhere else in the Universe…or are the SETI and Very Large Array programs a desperate human-wading in the tide of the vast and empty Cosmos…?

Only God knows at this point. All we have is the knowledge that it is possible – that is, it is not necessary that intelligent does not exist somewhere else in the universe – and perhaps scientific probability theories, which may or may not be compelling.

That is, if we do not accept the testimony of people who claim who have seen UFOs, aliens, etc. Maybe there have been some cases where we should…? (“Normal” people generally form beliefs this way, through human testimony which they trust because a fellow person told them. As Josef Pieper said, this is how we enter into a “community of knowers”; believing others is a form of loving others. The Humean theory that it is reasonable to believe something only if it squares with our empirical evidence does not square with the normal, human belief-making process. We are not robots.)

And what religious implications does it have if we, in fact, do discover other “beings”.

It is both possible that it could have serious implications for Catholic theology or very little.