Questions Only VI: How Much Is Too Much?

[scottydog]

But if people blunder, how has the human race not gone extinct by now?

[RJDiogenes]

Well, random blundering would lead to success 50% of the time, so if humans have just a bit of intelligence, wouldn't that raise them above the minimum threshold for survival?

[scottydog]

So you're saying we have barely enough intelligence to (slightly) more than compensate for our chronic blundering?

[RJDiogenes]

Would that explain both human history and the range of intelligence in the species?

[scottydog]

Yes

But it also has me thinking that there MUST be some alien species who are far, far smarter than their blundering -- at least compared to humans. Would you agree?

[RJDiogenes]

What if Humanity is the smartest of all intelligent life forms in the Universe?

[scottydog]

If true, could that explain the Fermi Paradox?

Wouldn't you be a bit disappointed if there weren't alien species far smarter than we are? Or would too much of an intelligence gap bring in the possibility that they'd view as as expendable? (I'm thinking of To Serve Man, of course )

[RJDiogenes]

Doesn't it seem unlikely that more intelligent aliens would be that unsympathetic? Did you ever read Condescension of the Starlings?

[scottydog]

One would think that intelligence and enlightenment would be correlated. Perhaps they are, but I doubt it's a perfect correlation.

I really enjoyed reading Condescension of the Starlings -- well done

Have you published it anywhere?

[RJDiogenes]

Thank you. I've shopped it around a little, but no takers yet.

Do you think the biology of an alien species can affect what is ethical for them?

[scottydog]

Yes, for sure. For example, imagine an alien species whose males have their penises protruding prominently from their foreheads. Norms and morals around sexuality would have to be different, one would think, compared to a species whose penises were internal organs.

Does my example reveal me to be a sexual pervert?

[RJDiogenes]

Definitely. Do you think sexual perversion is a bad thing?

[scottydog]

Only if someone gets hurt.

Does getting hurt during consensual BDSM count as getting hurt?

[RJDiogenes]

Not if it hurts so good. Other than that, that's why they have safe words.

Why do you think people are so conservative about sexuality?

[scottydog]

Because the true "sins" of pride, envy, wrath, etc, are invisible. Our bodies are tangible, visible things and so get the lion's share of our attention.

Plus, isn't it possible that we're conservative about sexuality because of the problem throughout most of human history with unwanted pregnancies and STDs?