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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
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Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.
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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