Page Content (OCR)
323 A Mirror Image. If we imagine extraterrestrials as projections of ourselves, might aliens do the same, imagining us as projections of them- selves? How wrong might they be? Some SETI astronomers with generally optimistic views about contact have recognized that we cannot assume alien motivations. As Shostak noted, audiences can readily identify with alien impulses that are, in fact, merely transposed human impulses. Yet, we can no better guess their motivations than goldfish can infer ours.7”” Who knows what values might drive an alien culture, Jill Tarter asked.” Would we share common problems, common solutions, common strate- gies? Extraterrestrials may be developing along a different evolutionary pathway. Assuming alien motives may be particularly questionable in a post- biological universe; highly intelligent machines may not share our emo- tions, or our ethics. One solution to the paradox, Dick suggested, is that we live in a universe in which the psychology of biological beings no longer rules.” Our assumptions about alien behavior have not passed the Galilean test. We have no evidence of what motivates extraterrestrials; it may have nothing to do with good or evil as we understand them. The great mystery of contact may be their intent. Given our ignorance, we must be prudent. If we insist on assigning our best qualities to intelligent extraterrestrials, we also must allow them to La at The Biggest Assumption: Alien Intentions have our worst.