Private funding of SETI

[quote author="dougsmith"][quote author="hmm!?!"]Although they express their thoughts very simply, I agree that to justify the method we are using, we need to work on assumptions that have low probabilities!  We are assuming that they are sending the type of signals that we would be able to detect with our machines.  We are assuming that they have evolved the same way, and are as advance as humans.  We don’t know how many light years away they are, so by the time we get any signals, they may all be gone!  There are too many questions that keep me skeptical about our efforts to communicate with ‘Aliens’!
As for the funding, you may be surprised to know that none of it comes from the US government. The government did support SETI research decades ago, but there were arguments against it, and so they stopped. Now the research is basically all done by private funding, from organizations like The Planetary Society . FWIW, Best,

hmm[?] & doug,
Yes, the original SETI was funded by the Planetary Society. Members of The Society paid for it. Optical SETI was also funded by The Planetary Society. Actually, I think it’s better that the private sector pays for such research. I have been a member of The Planetary Society for many years and have contributed financially to many of their projects. For example, I helped pay for the first Mars Rovers.
I agree with doug that SETI is worthwhile. Yes, it’s all speculative and a gamble but if we are able to make contact with an “alien” civilization it may prove to be extremely rewarding.
Bob

Re: Private funding of SETI

dougsmith wrote:  “Although they express their thoughts very simply, I agree that to justify the method we are using, we need to work on assumptions that have low probabilities!  We are assuming that they are sending the type of signals that we would be able to detect with our machines.  We are assuming that they have evolved the same way, and are as advance as humans.  We don’t know how many light years away they are, so by the time we get any signals, they may all be gone!  There are too many questions that keep me skeptical about our efforts to communicate with ‘Aliens’!
As for the funding, you may be surprised to know that none of it comes from the US government. The government did support SETI research decades ago, but there were arguments against it, and so they stopped. Now the research is basically all done by private funding, from organizations like The Planetary Society” . FWIW,”

hmm[?] & doug,
Yes, the original SETI was funded by the Planetary Society. Members of The Society paid for it. Optical SETI was also funded by The Planetary Society. Actually, I think it’s better that the private sector pays for such research. I have been a member of The Planetary Society for many years and have contributed financially to many of their projects. For example, I helped pay for the first Mars Rovers.
I agree with doug that SETI is worthwhile. Yes, it’s all speculative and a gamble but if we are able to make contact with an “alien” civilization it may prove to be extremely rewarding.
Bob

Bob Doug and Hmm!?! rovers all

I support SETI but at one point I thought the discovery of signals emitted from elsewhere would wreck the basis in theology for the single omniscient deity of the Abrahamic religions.

Now I don’t think it would even slow them down. I no longer think they have a theological construct that would be disturbed by the fact that there were others out there somewhere that were able to produce the same sort of signal traffic we are constantly emitting.

Now it is just believe in Jesus and be saved - the second coming is around the corner.

What do you think?
Jim

[quote author="jimmiekeyes"]I support SETI but at one point I thought the discovery of signals emitted from elsewhere would wreck the basis in theology for the single omniscient deity of the Abrahamic religions.

Now I don’t think it would even slow them down.

Well, given that Jesus himself thought that Armageddon would happen within his lifetime ... and given how many Christian sects have predicted the end of the world every five years or so ... and given that the world hasn’t ended yet, and this hasn’t slowed them down, I would also guess that meeting ETs wouldn’t slow them down either.

They would just look at it as more material for proselytization.