Alien Life and Human Purpose

Alien Life and Human Purpose PDF Author: Joseph Packer
Publisher: Lexington Books
ISBN: 1498513026
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 312

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Book Description
Alien Life and Human Purpose provides a rhetorical examination of the way major historical figures connect their arguments for the absence of alien life, or unity, to their philosophical, religious, and ethical agendas. Packer contends that unity had a complimentary mythic function and continues to shape modern social values. This work will be of interest to rhetoricians, philosophers, historians, and theologists.

Alien Life and Human Purpose

Alien Life and Human Purpose PDF Author: Joseph Packer
Publisher: Lexington Books
ISBN: 1498513026
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 312

Get Book

Book Description
Alien Life and Human Purpose provides a rhetorical examination of the way major historical figures connect their arguments for the absence of alien life, or unity, to their philosophical, religious, and ethical agendas. Packer contends that unity had a complimentary mythic function and continues to shape modern social values. This work will be of interest to rhetoricians, philosophers, historians, and theologists.

Religions and Extraterrestrial Life

Religions and Extraterrestrial Life PDF Author: David A. Weintraub
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319050567
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 229

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Book Description
In the twenty-first century, the debate about life on other worlds is quickly changing from the realm of speculation to the domain of hard science. Within a few years, as a consequence of the rapid discovery by astronomers of planets around other stars, astronomers very likely will have discovered clear evidence of life beyond the Earth. Such a discovery of extraterrestrial life will change everything. Knowing the answer as to whether humanity has company in the universe will trigger one of the greatest intellectual revolutions in history, not the least of which will be a challenge for at least some terrestrial religions. Which religions will handle the discovery of extraterrestrial life with ease and which will struggle to assimilate this new knowledge about our place in the universe? Some religions as currently practiced appear to only be viable on Earth. Other religions could be practiced on distant worlds but nevertheless identify both Earth as a place and humankind as a species of singular spiritual religious importance, while some religions could be practiced equally well anywhere in the universe by any sentient beings. Weintraub guides readers on an invigorating tour of the world’s most widely practiced religions. It reveals what, if anything, each religion has to say about the possibility that extraterrestrial life exists and how, or if, a particular religion would work on other planets in distant parts of the universe.

Aliens

Aliens PDF Author: Jim Al-Khalili
Publisher: Picador USA
ISBN: 1250109639
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 242

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Book Description
Originally published in Great Britain by Profile Books Ltd, 2016.

Alien Universe

Alien Universe PDF Author: Don Lincoln
Publisher: JHU Press
ISBN: 1421410737
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 279

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Book Description
Are alien civilizations really possible? If extraterrestrials exist, where are they? How likely is it that somewhere in the universe an Earth-like planet supports an advanced culture? Why do so many people claim to have encountered Aliens? In this gripping exploration, scientist Don Lincoln exposes and explains the truths about the belief in and the search for life on other planets. In the first half of Alien Universe, Lincoln looks to Western civilization's collective image of Aliens, showing how our perceptions of extraterrestrials have evolved over time. The roots of this belief can be traced as far back as our earliest recognition of other planets in the universe—the idea of them supporting life was a natural progression of thinking that has fascinated us ever since. Our captivation with Aliens has, however, led to mixed results. The world was fooled in the nineteenth century during the Great Moon Hoax of 1835, and many people misunderstood Orson Welles's 1938 radio broadcast, The War of the Worlds, leading to significant anxiety among some listeners. Our continuing interest in Aliens is reflected in entertainment successes such as E.T., The X-Files, and Star Trek. The second half of the book explores the scientific possibility of whether advanced Alien civilizations do exist. For many years, researchers have sought to answer Enrico Fermi’s great paradox—if there are so many planets in the universe and there is a high probability that many of those can support life, then why have we not actually encountered any Aliens? Lincoln describes how modern science teaches us what is possible and what is not in our search for extraterrestrial civilizations. Whether you are drawn to the psychological belief in Aliens, the history of our interest in life on other planets, or the scientific possibility of Alien existence, Alien Universe is sure to hold you spellbound.

The Limits of Organic Life in Planetary Systems

The Limits of Organic Life in Planetary Systems PDF Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 030910484X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 116

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Book Description
The search for life in the solar system and beyond has to date been governed by a model based on what we know about life on Earth (terran life). Most of NASA's mission planning is focused on locations where liquid water is possible and emphasizes searches for structures that resemble cells in terran organisms. It is possible, however, that life exists that is based on chemical reactions that do not involve carbon compounds, that occurs in solvents other than water, or that involves oxidation-reduction reactions without oxygen gas. To assist NASA incorporate this possibility in its efforts to search for life, the NRC was asked to carry out a study to evaluate whether nonstandard biochemistry might support life in solar system and conceivable extrasolar environments, and to define areas to guide research in this area. This book presents an exploration of a limited set of hypothetical chemistries of life, a review of current knowledge concerning key questions or hypotheses about nonterran life, and suggestions for future research.

The Zoologist's Guide to the Galaxy

The Zoologist's Guide to the Galaxy PDF Author: Arik Kershenbaum
Publisher: Penguin UK
ISBN: 0241986850
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 368

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Book Description
DISCOVER HOW LIFE REALLY WORKS - ON EARTH AND IN SPACE 'A wonderfully insightful sidelong look at Earthly biology' Richard Dawkins 'Crawls with curious facts' Sunday Times _________________________ We are unprepared for the greatest discovery of modern science. Scientists are confident that there is alien life across the universe yet we have not moved beyond our perception of 'aliens' as Hollywood stereotypes. The time has come to abandon our fixation on alien monsters and place our expectations on solid scientific footing. Using his own expert understanding of life on Earth and Darwin's theory of evolution - which applies throughout the universe - Cambridge zoologist Dr Arik Kershenbaum explains what alien life must be like. This is the story of how life really works, on Earth and in space. _________________________ 'An entertaining, eye-opening and, above all, a hopeful view of what - or who - might be out there in the cosmos' Philip Ball, author of Nature's Patterns 'A fascinating insight into the deepest of questions: what might an alien actually look like' Lewis Dartnell, author of Origins 'If you don't want to be surprised by extraterrestrial life, look no further than this lively overview of the laws of evolution that have produced life on earth' Frans de Waal, author of Mama's Last Hug

Extraterrestrial

Extraterrestrial PDF Author: Avi Loeb
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
ISBN: 0358278147
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 245

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Book Description
Harvard's top astronomer lays out his controversial theory that our solar system was recently visited by advanced alien technology from a distant star

Alien Life Imagined

Alien Life Imagined PDF Author: Mark Brake
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 0521491290
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 283

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Book Description
Compelling account of how ideas of alien life have evolved for general readers, amateur astronomers and undergraduate students studying astrobiology.

Lonely Planets

Lonely Planets PDF Author: David Grinspoon
Publisher: Harper Collins
ISBN: 0061748617
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 482

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Book Description
PEN Literary Award Winner: “The best, most entertaining examination of the possibility of other life in the universe since [Carl] Sagan’s best work.” —Boulder Daily Camera It’s been decades since Carl Sagan first addressed the general public about the possibility of extraterrestrial life from a scientist’s perspective. We’ve learned a lot in those years, and now planetary scientist David Grinspoon investigates the big questions: How widespread are life and intelligence in the cosmos? Is life on Earth an accident, or in some sense the “purpose” of this universe? And how can we, working from the Earth-centric definition of “life,” even begin to think about the varieties of life-forms on other planets? In accessible, lively prose, and using the topic of extraterrestrial life as a mirror with which to view human beliefs, evolution, history, and aspirations, Grinspoon takes us on a three-part journey—the history of our expanding awareness of other planets and our ideas on alien life dating back to the earliest days of astronomy; the science of cosmic evolution and the evolution of life on Earth, including a critique of the “Rare Earth hypothesis”; and the beliefs that humans hold, addressing the limits of our ability to conceptualize or communicate with intelligent aliens and the scientific and philosophical implications of far-future evolutionary possibilities. Rich in personal and often amusing anecdotes, Lonely Planets explores the shifting boundary between planetary science and natural philosophy, and reveals how the search for extraterrestrial life unites our spiritual and scientific quests for connection with the cosmos. Includes a new foreword about recent Mars discoveries “An outstanding introduction to cosmic evolution.” —San Jose Mercury News “[A] terrific book.” —San Diego Union-Tribune “A personable chat on life, the universe and everything.” —Publishers Weekly

The Allies of Humanity Book One

The Allies of Humanity Book One PDF Author: Marshall Vian Summers
Publisher: New Knowledge Library
ISBN: 1884238467
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
The Allies of Humanity is being presented to prepare people for a whole new reality that is largely hidden and unrecognized in the world today. It provides a new perspective that empowers people to face the greatest challenge and opportunity that we, as a race, have ever encountered. The Allies Briefings contain a number of critical if not alarming statements about the growing extraterrestrial intervention and integration into the human race and about the extraterrestrial activities and hidden agenda. The purpose of the Allies Briefings is not to provide hard evidence about the reality of the ET visitation to our world, which is already well documented in many other fine books and research journals on the subject. The purpose of the Allies Briefings is to address the dramatic and far-reaching implications of this phenomenon, to challenge our human tendencies and assumptions regarding it and to alert the human family to the great threshold we now face. The Briefings provide a glimpse into the reality of intelligent life in the universe and what Contact will really mean. For many readers, what is revealed in The Allies of Humanity will be entirely new. For others, it will be a confirmation of things they have long felt and known.