Solving Fermi's Paradox

ISBN-13: 9781107163652 / Angielski / Twarda / 2019 / 426 str.

Duncan H. Forgan

Opis

Exploring the search for extra-terrestrial intelligence (SETI) through the lens of Fermi's so-called paradox, this volume summarises current thinking on the prevalence of intelligent life in the universe. It describes the methodology of SETI and how many disciplines feed into the extra-terrestrial life debate, providing a comprehensive introduction for graduates and researchers.

Recenzje

'If intelligent life is common in the Universe, where is everybody? In this comprehensive review, Duncan Forgan presents a range of possible solutions to this question, and in doing so covers a lot of ground on the topic of SETI (the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence). From the outset, Forgan recognizes that this topic demands a multi-disciplinary approach that encompasses 'all of human knowledge', and in particular, expertise not only in the 'hard sciences' but also in social sciences and the humanities.' Michael A. Garrett, The Observatory

Spis treści

Preface; Part I. Introduction: 1. Introducing the paradox; 2. Fact A – the great silence; 3. Classifying scenarios and solutions to the paradox; Part II. Rare Earth Solutions: 4. Habitable worlds are rare; 5. Life is rare; 6. Intelligence is rare; Part III. Catastrophist Solutions: 7. Doomsday arguments; 8. Death by impact; 9. Death by terrestrial disaster; 10. Death by star; 11. Death on a galactic scale?; 12. Death by unsustainable growth; 13. Death by self-induced environmental change; 14. Self-destruction at the nanoscale; 15. Artificial intelligence and the singularity; 16. War; 17. Societal collapse; Part IV. Uncommunicative Solutions: 18. Intelligent life is new; 19. Exploration is imperfect; 20. Probe exploration is dangerous; 21. The aliens are quiet; 22. They live too far away; 23. The zoo/interdict hypothesis; 24. The simulation hypothesis; 25. They are already here; 26. They were here long ago; Part V. Conclusions: 27. Solving Fermi's paradox; Appendix A. A database of solutions to Fermi's paradox; References; Index.