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SETI and Society: Exploring Societal Impact and Cultural Significance

This study examines the societal impact of SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) and its cultural significance. It delves into the history, anthropology, law, education, and science of SETI. The study explores the use of historical analogies, the impact on religious doctrines, and the implications for humanity's place in the universe. It also considers the preparation required for potential outcomes and the problem of developing a response protocol. Additionally, the study emphasizes the importance of education, communication, and the exploration of the mysteries and epiphanies that may arise from SETI research.

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SETI and Society: Exploring Societal Impact and Cultural Significance

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  1. SETI and Society • Impossible to separate • All definitions are arbitrary • “Socio-cultural” solves the problem! ‘Society’ vs ‘Culture’

  2. SETI and Society • History, Anthropology, Archaeology • Law • Education • Science, Mystery and Epiphany

  3. Uses of History, Anthro, Etc • Study of Past Impact - Lowell, pulsars, impact of past worldview changes (if it is a change in worldview!) • Use of Analogs for Future Impact - Must be used cautiously - Transmission of knowledge to Latin West - 10,000 years of history, but what lessons? • Examine underlying assumptions

  4. An Early Attempt at Studying Societal Impact of Spaceflight • Part of a series of societal impact • of spaceflight studies by American • Academy of Arts and Sciences • under contract to NASA (early 1960s; • MIT, Bruce Mazlish et al) • Uses and Abuses of Historical • Analogy • Cannot predict the future • A guide for thinking: “terrain of the past • suggestive of the topography of present • and its future projection”

  5. Make Use of Past Studies

  6. SETI Societal Impact ___________________________________ • Will depend on scenario (microbial or intelligent; near or remote, etc) • Will vary in different societies • Will affect religious doctrines in different ways (a long history of discussion) • Will determine our place in the universe • Implement the Denning research agenda

  7. Societal Impact of SETI • Impacting whom? ‘Society’ is not monolithic – how to handle this problem? • Impacting how? What is an ‘impact’? Scientific data refracted through many lenses • What is the scope of the problem? Very different scenarios for contact. • Etc, Etc

  8. Prepare for the Outcome We Are Not Alone (Walter Sullivan, 1966) Are We Alone? (Rood and Trefil, 1981) We are Alone … (possible SETI result) This outcome might also need preparation because there seems to be a need for aliens

  9. Law: The Problem of Response • Need an expert group, funded over a period of years, to study response problem and give advice to the President (Tatel) • IAA group?

  10. SETI and Society: Education • Better ways of communicating to public (Wagner) through multiple media • SETI Institute doing some of this through LITU curriculum • More “SETI Girls” • SETI is part of Cosmic Evolution (Drake Eqn), widely disseminated through Wright Center (Chaisson), SETI Institute, etc

  11. Science, Mystery and Epiphany • Astronomy raises questions traditionally reserved for religion • Astronomical art heightens the sense of mystery and beauty (especially Lomberg’s!) • SETI may result in an epiphany (but which one? “Stardust thou art and into Stardust thou shalt Return”

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