The finest expression of humanity

[BenitoChavez]

We might have some potential insights into science that even an advanced alien race wouldn't. We certainly have a superior knowledge of how Biology applies to life forms on planet Earth. If the aliens are the least bit scientifically curious, there could be potential for us to impress them. In the Physics department we would almost assuredly be inferior to them.

Morality on Earth is very fluid. It often depends on context and point of view to determine what is right and wrong. I'm not sure that sort of ambiguity would impress aliens or not.

Similarly, art is all done from a human perspective. Whether or not aliens would find that interesting would largely depend on them. There is a possibility that things like Star Trek would interest them as it provides a perspective on how we imagine Aliens might be like.

So I guess my answer is try to provide a little bit of each subject and see what the Aliens like.

 

[BvBPL]

We might have some potential insights into science that even an advanced alien race wouldn't. We certainly have a superior knowledge of how Biology applies to life forms on planet Earth. If the aliens are the least bit scientifically curious, there could be potential for us to impress them. In the Physics department we would almost assuredly be inferior to them.

That's as may be, but are you the one to explain it to them in a manner that will serve both your purposes? Probably not.

If you're like me, you can provide an overview of DNA, respiration, reproduction, zoology, ecology, and other things that may be unique to Earth. However, I can't really get into too much depth. Basically all of my biological knowledge could be readily garnered from an encyclopedia and I'm uncertain what additional information I would be able to add. Once pressed for additional information in a manner to show what is best about humanity I'd be at a loss.

The problem with selecting science as the basis of what is best in humanity is that no one person knows enough about all of science to actually impress a space alien. I mean, consider that E.T. beams you up and asks you what is the best aspect of humanity. A person might well say science and our thirst for knowledge, but few people on the Earth can actually demonstrate a sufficient working knowledge of a broad range of sciences in a manner that would make it compelling. So you end up using the little science you remember from that chemistry lab you had to take as an undergrad and wind up looking a fool.

"What's your greatest achievement as a race?"
"Science!"
"Okay. So what can you tell me about the fusion inside a star / the lipid barrier of a cell / what is the composition of alcohol?"
"Uh..."

Furthermore, the application of science in the world is horribly flawed as observed by an alien. We have the scientific capability to provide clean energy to everyone on Earth but we don't because that's not a social goal for us. Instead, our society has moved towards an application of science where the highest achievement is enabling the wealthy to look at pictures of naked people on their phones. We might be smart, we might have great ideas, but our application of scientific advancements demonstrates a striking lack of wisdom.

So because your science background is likely insufficient to demonstrate a competency of what one might allege is our greatest achievement, and because we've basically squandered that achievement, the explanation of our science to a space alien is likely to be utterly unimpressive.

 

[BenitoChavez]

^

All true enough but if the Aliens were any sort of intelligent they would realize that beaming up a single person and using them as an example of all humanity is in itself a pretty poor sample size. They could beam up some some hermit who is shut off from all of society or they could beam up a Nobel prize winning scientist. The entire premise of the original post is flawed

 

[Berzerker]

not science, theirs would make us look primitive
not morality, we're barbarians
so I'll go with the arts, especially music - that is our greatest export

on the other hand, if these aliens run around abducting people maybe they need a lesson in ethics

 

[Angst]

Spoiler :

 

[Borachio]

How about compassion?

I know it's not the most common thing for people to express, but you might make a good case for it being their finest expression.

 

[warpus]

on the other hand, if these aliens run around abducting people maybe they need a lesson in ethics

We do experiments on ants and rats, aliens do experiments on humans.

 

[Borachio]

What if the only way that aliens could find a cure for their diseases was by experimenting on human beings, would that be ethical or not?

Supposing, too, that these aliens were as intellectually superior to human beings as human beings are to white mice.

 

[BenitoChavez]

What if the only way that aliens could find a cure for their diseases was by experimenting on human beings, would that be ethical or not?

Supposing, too, that these aliens were as intellectually superior to human beings as human beings are to white mice.

A prime example of:

Morality on Earth is very fluid. It often depends on context and point of view to determine what is right and wrong.

I believe there was a Star Trek: Voyager episode on this. Aliens were experimenting on the crew and of course Janeway et al. thought this was morally reprehensible but the suffering of a couple hundred humans would have saved thousands of Alien lives.

Maybe arts would be the best to present to the aliens since it can encompass so many things (Morality, Science, Empathy, Religion, etc.)

 

[warpus]

What if the only way that aliens could find a cure for their diseases was by experimenting on human beings, would that be ethical or not?

Supposing, too, that these aliens were as intellectually superior to human beings as human beings are to white mice.

Ethical for us or ethical for them? Context matters and can change a lot, IMO.

 

[Borachio]

Isn't ethics the study of what is universally right in some sense, then?

 

[warpus]

That's how we view ethics because we're just us and we don't know what else is out there. The discussion would get a lot more interesting once you introduce intelligence far above what we possess in our puny human brains.

 

[Lohrenswald]

I'm feeling kind of cynical today and kind of want to say none of them.

One thing though: I think of sciance as studying nature, and nature is already there, you know? Describing it isn't that amazing.

Morality, for what it's worth, is kind of intrinsic, you know? Maybe, I don't really fully know

as for arts, I don't quite know what to think. How amazing is it really?

This all seemed clearer in my head

 

[Domen]

not science, theirs would make us look primitive

How can you possibly know this?

 

[Narz]

Isn't ethics the study of what is universally right in some sense, then?

Maybe thats the claim but its always primarily focused on humans.

 

[warpus]

That's the only context we have, so that's the only sort of ethics we could construct. I mean, you can wonder about "Universal ethics" all you want, and try to formulate something like that, but we have a very specific experience on this planet here. We are a certain type of species, we happen to be a social species for instance, we live on a very specific type of planet, in a specific type of solar system, our seasons are specific, our continents, the makeup of the atmosphere, the way our brains develop, etc. I don't think it's possible to really attempt to formulate ethics as it might apply to another intelligence - their starting point is going to be completely different - likely involving things we would never even think of imagining.

Whenever that first contact happens, and we learn what sort of moral frameworks exist out there.. It is going to blow our minds. And a lot of people are going to have problems with it (because a lot of people view the human condition as "the" condition - we are special, etc.)

 

[Borachio]

That's the only context we have, so that's the only sort of ethics we could construct. I mean, you can wonder about "Universal ethics" all you want, and try to formulate something like that, but we have a very specific experience on this planet here. We are a certain type of species, we happen to be a social species for instance, we live on a very specific type of planet, in a specific type of solar system, our seasons are specific, our continents, the makeup of the atmosphere, the way our brains develop, etc. I don't think it's possible to really attempt to formulate ethics as it might apply to another intelligence - their starting point is going to be completely different - likely involving things we would never even think of imagining.

Whenever that first contact happens, and we learn what sort of moral frameworks exist out there.. It is going to blow our minds. And a lot of people are going to have problems with it (because a lot of people view the human condition as "the" condition - we are special, etc.)

I'm not so sure. Ethics is merely one in a whole host of human activities which are concerned with abstraction. It is, I feel, all about abstracting the human elements, which you delineate, from the equation and at least attempting to achieve the universal.

I very often hear people express the opinion that the same mathematical "truths" that we discover on Earth would also be inevitably discovered by alien civilizations. Why wouldn't the same be true of ethics?

 

[warpus]

I'm not so sure. Ethics is merely one in a whole host of human activities which are concerned with abstraction. It is, I feel, all about abstracting the human elements, which you delineate, from the equation and at least attempting to achieve the universal.

I very often hear people express the opinion that the same mathematical "truths" that we discover on Earth would also be inevitably discovered by alien civilizations. Why wouldn't the same be true of ethics?

Without knowing what possible types of biological entities are out there, what sort of civilizations they may form, what environments they live in, etc. it's impossible to guess.

But the fact remains that our ethics are based only on our experience, which is very limited. It can't be universal in scope for that reason.

 

[Borachio]

And the same applies to maths, then?

 

[warpus]

And the same applies to maths, then?

I don't see any reason to suspect that the mathematical axioms selected by an alien civilization would differ greatly from the ones we've selected as the foundation for or mathematical system.

These axioms for the most part basically mirror reality. If these aliens live in the same reality as us, which to me means "same universe", then their mathematics likely sits on similar premises - lest it be useless as a way to model reality with.

For example, if their mathematical system leads to a scenario where 1+1=3, then either they live in a reality that's different from ours, or their math is a bit useless as a way to try to answer questions about reality.

It depends fully on what they're using math for - if they're using math for useful things and practical calculations (how to fly to the moon, how to build a toaster, etc.), then it will be based on axioms that mirror reality, such as our mathematical systems. If their math is just used for fun and for weird hypothetical situations and/or models, then who knows.