How the 'Great Filter' could explain why we haven't found intelligent aliens

[Dave]

We can feel the accomplishment of the human race. Our greatest feat. Together we came together to build the ISS. History will show this was the first step. When intelligent lifeforms beyond our world observe it, they will see it for what is. An alien spacecraft built by an alien race. A home off our world where we learn about the greatest of frontiers. Space. How many oasis will we find in this vast desert? In time we will find out.

 

[AboveAndBeyond]

One thing is sure: the discovery of so many exoplanets in the last several decades certainly exacerbates the poignancy of Fermi's Paradox. At the time he blurted it out it was only supposed that solar systems frequently formed along with stars but no one really knew for sure.

 

[Phana]

One possible reason why we haven't found any intelligent life in the cosmos the Great Filter argument, which says that very few civilizations make it to the advanced spacefaring stage.

How the 'Great Filter' could explain why we haven't found intelligent aliens : Read more

I have always had a different idea behind a Great Filter argument, that being that there is some sort of artificial bubble placed around our solar system that filters what we are able to see. This bubble is what has led to many of the gaps in our science at are currently explained by "dark matter and energy". Let us assume that humans are not the top and most advanced of the galactic food chain, instead there are dozens or hundreds of other intelligent, space travelling peoples out in our galaxy. And let's put ourselves in their shoes, would you want to be bothered by these annoying, hyper violent and easily corruptible people that live here? Would you want to make your presence known to humans, give them some more incentive to work on interstellar travel and colonization? And not just humans, but any pre space flight civilization that figures out how to use radio waves in infrared light, to me that would be like being constantly bombarded by obnoxious robocalls. So, until we actually, physically make it out there, I am going to live under the assumption that the human race has been quarantined in this solar system until we learn to not only treat each other with decency and respect, but we learn to treat even the life we must sacrifice to keep ourselves alive with decency and respect. Without that we have no business moving off this planet and deserve to be stuck here.

 

[Gibsense]

I am going to live under the assumption that the human race has been quarantined in this solar system until we learn to not only treat each other with decency and respect, but we learn to treat even the life we must sacrifice to keep ourselves alive with decency and respect. Without that we have no business moving off this planet and deserve to be stuck here.

Yes, we are a mess.