Surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe...

[progressoid]

[DetlefK]

1. What if super-intelligent life is contacting us?

A conversation is only possible, when the two people have something in common. A super-intelligent life-form talking to us could be like explaining the stock market to a toddler.

[Warpy]

2. More like explaining string theory to a toaster.

Face it, we are in the infancy of being able to communicate with other sentient species that surround us on this planet. Lacking a planetary point of reference, how are we going to begin to communicate with a methane breather from Zarkon who communicates chemically?

[Goblinmonger]

3. Fucking methane breathers.

Made me think of Mugwumps in Naked Lunch.

[Joseph8th]

4. Like explaining reality to a zealot. nt

[Starboard Tack]

5. Isn't that what zealots do? Explain "reality"?

[Joseph8th]

6. Zealots might explain "reality"...

... but are thoroughly disconnected from reality-sans-air-quotes. I.e., the fact-based shared reality of the sane and rational.

[Starboard Tack]

7. And who determines who is sane and rational?

And why are we talking about zealots? Have you encountered any here?

[dmallind]

8. deductive proofs and inductive arguments, because they are a useful metaphor, and yes