Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site topaz.ARPA Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!whuxlm!whuxl!houxm!ihnp4!cbosgd!cbdkc1!desoto!packard!topaz!Susser.pasa@Xerox.ARPA From: Susser.pasa@Xerox.ARPA Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers Subject: Re: What an advanced race would come far to get Message-ID: <2476@topaz.ARPA> Date: Wed, 3-Jul-85 12:56:42 EDT Article-I.D.: topaz.2476 Posted: Wed Jul 3 12:56:42 1985 Date-Received: Fri, 5-Jul-85 07:12:04 EDT Sender: daemon@topaz.ARPA Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J. Lines: 58 From: Susser.pasa@Xerox.ARPA What would an advanced race travel to another star to get? An answer to this question depends upon how advanced this race is. First case: assume that the race is just advanced enough to get to another star, but not very easily. This is just about where we earthlings are right now, or will be in a few years (this might be a topic for a separate discussion). What could we find in another star system that would be worth the voyage? We have plenty of material wealth in our own solar system. I doubt there is any substance, object or source of energy that would be worth the time and energy to make an interstellar voyage. It would almost always be easier to find or build something ourselves, certainly easier than fighting someone else for it. But there are some things that would be worth the trip - things like knowledge, planets to colonize, and friends. Second case: assume a race that can easily travel between the stars. Such a race would probably have a technology advanced enough that they could build or obtain anything they wanted, and probably more easily than they could take it from someone else. Again, all they could really want would be things like knowledge, planets to colonize, and friends. Brad Templeton writes: >You bet they would come for slaves. Just because we think we are >advanced morally past the desire for slaves, doesn't mean other >races would follow the same track. > >Highly advanced technology can do much, but it never replaces >personal service. (Of course, if you can make an android with a >turing-test AI program then there is an argument that this is a >living being and should not be enslaved, too) > >At any rate, until you have perfect AI, nothing can match a slave as >the ultimate luxury. And with a cousin race they can even be used >for sexual purposes. Slaves are cheap - they can produce enough to >feed and house themselves and you can take all the rewards. Yes, >they would come for slaves. The question of slavery is not a moral one, but an economic one. And slavery just isn't worthwhile in an economically advanced society. Slaves are not cheap - they require a lot of maintenance, and have a lot of annoying habits and superfluous functions. And they never provide service equal to that of willing servants (organic or artificial). No one who could travel between stars could possibly have any material use for aliens as slaves. It's more likely that hostile aliens would want us to kill, torture, eat, use as larval hosts or whatever, but not to enslave. So when outsiders arrive on my front lawn, I won't worry, cause they're either gonna be friendly, or they're gonna eat my brain, and I can't do anything about that. -- Josh Susser"I always lie, and I'm always right." - BOB