Is the pursuit of knowledge and perfection worth the risk of losing what makes us human?

 

In a prior post titled "Naive scientists driven by idealistic (suicidal) searches or deceitful scientists ?"  I examined the contentious debate surrounding the transmission of messages to potential extraterrestrial civilizations. I questioned the prudence of such endeavors, scrutinizing the underlying assumption of extraterrestrial pacifism and juxtaposing it with Stephen Hawking's prudent apprehensions. Additionally, I critiqued the idealized depiction of humanity in the Voyager messages, denouncing it as deceitful and hypocritical in light of our tumultuous history marked by violence and ecological degradation.

In this vein, it's worth noting a recent thought-provoking hypothesis put forward by Michael A. Garrett, Professor at the University of Manchester and visiting Professor at Leiden University, as explored in a paper published last month in the Elsevier journal Acta Astronautica. The "Great Filter" hypothesis establishes a link between the development of Artificial Intelligence, particularly the advent of Artificial Superintelligence, and the concept of the Great Filter within the context of the Fermi Paradox and the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence.  https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0094576524001772?via%3Dihub#sec6

However, it's somewhat disappointing that Michael A. Garrett's list of 59 references failed to include the work of Jiang et al. (2022), who projected humanity wouldn't reach the status of a Kardashev Scale Type I civilization before the year 2371. Integrating their findings could have offered further validation for Garrett's hypothesis.

PS - The title of this post was generated by the Microsoft Copilot AI when I tasked it with creating an original argument for another episode within the Ridley Scott saga, "Alien." This argument explores significant questions regarding the future of humanity. Find it below:

---

Title: Alien: Genesis Requiem

Synopsis: In the aftermath of the xenomorph outbreaks, humanity faces a new challenge. A rogue signal from the depths of space leads us to a distant, ancient world—Acheron’s Cradle. This planet, once a cradle of life, now holds the secrets to a civilization that predates even the Engineers. As a team of explorers and scientists embark on a mission to Acheron’s Cradle, they confront the ultimate interrogation of human destiny: Are we alone in our flaws?

Argument: The explorers discover remnants of a civilization that achieved singularity—the seamless integration of biological and artificial intelligence. However, this achievement led to their extinction, not through war or disaster, but through a collective decision to transcend physical existence. The Acheronians left behind a vast library of knowledge, a testament to their existence, and a warning: The pursuit of perfection can lead to self-erasure.

As the team explores deeper, they find that the Acheronians had encountered the xenomorph species before. Instead of fear, they revered the creatures as the perfect biological entities—organisms that could adapt and survive in any environment. The Acheronians’ downfall came when they tried to merge their consciousness with the xenomorphs, seeking to understand the essence of life itself.

The tragic twist comes when the explorers realize that the rogue signal was not a call for contact but a quarantine beacon. The Acheronians had become something other—neither machine nor organic, neither alive nor dead. They became a warning echo across the cosmos, a signal meant to deter others from repeating their mistakes.

The episode ends with the explorers debating whether to share the Acheronians’ knowledge with humanity. Some argue that this knowledge could elevate humanity to new heights, while others fear it could lead to our own Genesis Requiem—a self-authored end to our existence. The final scene leaves the audience with a haunting question: Is the pursuit of knowledge and perfection worth the risk of losing what makes us human?