Are We Alone?: Philosophical Implications of the Life of Discovery of Extraterrestrial Life

Paul Davies' book Are We Alone? is deceptively simple. While its purported topic is the possibility of alien life, it also covers and covers more extensively the various theories of sentience, what it is, why it is, and how common it might be. It also explains the anthropic principle, which uses the fact that we exist to explain why the universe is as it is. The volume is a little too short to cover the topics well, but it is definitely very lucid. It also contains a very nice bibliography, a veritable who's who of cosmology and the extraterrestrial question, including Barrow and Tipler (The Anthropic Cosmological Principle), Crick (Life Itself), Dawkins (The Blind Watchmaker), Drake (Is Anyone Out There?), Gould (Wonderful Life), Hoyle (The Intelligent Universe), and Sagan (The Cosmic Connection). This book definitely makes a fine start to understanding the topic of intelligent life and the possibility of its existence elsewhere.

This book is a very good overview of current debate and discovery concerning various aspects of the nature and origin of life. One of the best things about this book is the level of detail, sourced from a variety of disciplines. Another strength is Paul Davies' impassioned, clear, reasoned and objective writing style. He discusses all the various arguments, subjects them to critical analysis, and formulates conclusions based on the available evidence. It is delightful to read an overview of scientific debate which doesn't jump to sides, but critically examines alternative arguments, regardless of source. In other words, biology, physics, mathematics, history, poetry, geology, chemistry, biochemistry, theology, philosophy, etc etc (in no particular order) all have something to say about this topic. Moreover, Paul Davies doesn't seem to need to sell or convince anybody of his ideas. His job isn't on the line, he doesn't need the money, and he has enough experience to realise just how complicated processes in the universe can be. He is delightfully distant, and objectively impassioned. He simply reasons, and allows the reader to agree, or disagree. His knowledge of the various arguments are also pretty sound. Paul Davies outlines the arguments both for and against intelligent life being common in the universe including Carter's Anthropic principle, Fermi's paradox, Darwinism, chaos theory, edge-of-chaos theory, Boolean algebra, and quantum indeterminism. There is an interesting discussion on Van Neumann Machines (intelligent space probes), and artificial intelligence. Keen advocates of these ideas, Mr Davies notes, are reminded that there may be more to the technology required in sending these intelligent machines off into space than we might think. Chaos and complexity theory might have something to say about the Von Neumann machine, as it did with several other bungled scientific endeavours.Panspermia-the spreading of micro-organisms between star systems- is also discussed. It is a growing idea. For example, it was only recently reported (too recent for this book, unfortunately) that scientists have re-created conditions in space in the early formation of the solar system, and came up with more complex organic molecules than those previously found from early "Earth-soup" experiments. Maybe, life originated in the turbulent conditions of space-in which case it should be relatively common in the universe, developing further on planets where conditions are favourable. Furthermore, it was recently reported that microbes from a 300 million-year-old gas bubble were released, and promptly started to reproduce. Put these inside a large asteroid and send it off into space, and you could theoretically seed planets on the other side of the galaxy. Mr Davies' thinks intelligent life is relatively common in the universe, based on the notion that it is the "natural outcome of the laws of physics"-but notes that perhaps the most compulsive argument against this

If you are the kind of person who thinks that little green men are a scientific certainty and that you have seen flying saucers yourself on at least a dozen occasions, well this is the sort of book you can avoid reading, because it does not add a gram of proof and encouragement to your cherished, wishful beliefs.And if, on the contrary, you are the kind of person who looks down to even the most moderate and rationally controlled hypothesis about the existence of extraterrestrial forms of intelligence as to something bordering blasphemy or evil antireligious spiritual leanings, well this is the sort of book you can as well avoid reading for it really sets such possibility in the realistic frame of an open-minded philosophical attitude, with tons of anthropocentric glory crumbling down from the high pedestal of dogma and inviolable principles.But, as I hope, you are the kind of person who likes to explore fundamental issues of our contemporary worldview without any preliminary bigotry or ideological bias in your mind and who, in addition, is able to enjoy the pleasure of a highly entertaining style of writing, well this book promises to be two hours of your time spent in a rewarding intellectual company!It's up to you to choose or feel to which extent your innermost sensibility joins your intelligence in more or less admitting such a possibility as alien life and consciousness: but, as usual, what really matters is not convictions or opinions which may always vary in the course of time according to further personal meditation or new scientific evidence. What really matters is that books like this offer you a rich and provoking schema which you can use for ever as a creative mind map in developing your own thoughts and your own philosophical questioning.

This book turned out to be a philosophy book that discusses the origin of life, the evolution of technology and the subsequent advancement of this civilization across space. It is well written, very entertaining and yes, it makes you think. I could paraphrase ideas set forth by this book, but it's better if you read the book for yourself...it's a small book and a quick read, so buy it NOW! You will not be sorry! This book is much more interesting and satisfying than Frank Drake's book on SETI (Is Anyone Out There?). I gave my copy to my friend and am tempted to buy another copy for me to reread!

This is an excellent discussion of the concept of extraterrestrial life and its philosophical implications for humanity.This book also delves into the areas of complex systems, emergent phenomena and consciousness.I highly recommend it for anyone with even a mild interest in this area