3 questions to ask an alien

[pmrid]

I’ve been rereading Carl Sagan’s “The Demon-Haunted World - Science as a candle in the dark.”. It’s a good read. He debunks the UFO appeals to the credulous rather well. At one point he comments what a stimulating exercise it would be to think of questions to which no human today knows the answer that might be put to alien intelligences so that a correct answer would be immediately recognisable as such - in response, he says, to people who claim to be in contact with aliens. The proof of Fermats last theorem or the Goldbach Conjecture (expressed in mathematical terms of course.

So what questions would you ask - if the opportunity presented itself - that would defy the UFO sceptics?

Peter

[multiweb]

What took you so long?

Are there any others?

How big is the universe?

[xelasnave]

I am hoping they actually know the answers and will provide answers that reflect reality.

Question one.

Is the universe eternal?

Question two?
How does gravity actually work?

Question three.
Can I get you something to eat or drink?
Alex

[leon]

I cant ask any questions as they don't exist, and that can also be expressed in mathematical terms.

Leon

[xelasnave]

Hi Leon
I dont understand what you mean.
Do you suggest aliens cant visit us or that there can be no life elsewhere that could be smarter than us...and perhaps show the application of the maths you are thinking about which leaves me guessing as to your meaning.
Al

[Wavytone]

Obvious: Take me to your leader !

[N1]

If the answer was "by suction", could you handle it?

[leon]

Well Alex lets just do a short journey, to one of our closest Stars, that we know has no Planets orbiting.

However if there was a live smart Alien population on a Planet there they would have to travel at the speed of light for over four years. to reach us:question:

It just dose not seen possible to me unless Scotty and the Enterprise were close at hand.;)

Beam me up Scotty:thumbsup:

I just don't believe in that stuff :shrug:

Leon :thumbsup:

[xelasnave]

I would know they were imposters:)
Alex

[Hans Tucker]

I wouldn't ask a question, I would simply say that going on many Hollywood movies their being here won't end well for them.

https://youtu.be/2pbqOOLzk10

[LewisM]

Not a question , a request:

Nuke the site from orbit, it's the only way to be sure.

[N1]

Even if their craft was plunger-shaped?

[alocky]

Or from Peter Jackson’s first film: “what are you dirty hooas doing on my planet?”

[bobson]

Asking right question is very important.
Here is something to get you prepared for such occasion :)

There are two tribes:
The TRUTH tribe, they always tell truth!
The LYING tribe, they always tell lies!

You want to get to TRUTH tribe. There is a road to get there but you rich the point where that road splits in two, right there is a man standing, he belongs to either TRUTH or LYING tribe.
You are allowed to ask him just one question to get to TRUTH tribe!
What is that question?

[Sunfish]

Any ET life is only likely to exist far in the future or far in the past and be microbial. There is no question that could be asked of a being with knowledge far in advance of ours to which the answer would be intelligible. The questions themselves , to be interesting , would be highly contentious and of no value as proof.

Many do not believe ordinary intelligence or basic science and regard it as a kind of trick , or a result of cramming or memory.

A demonstration , such as a walking talking artificial intelligence , would be so frightening that no one that capable would reveal such a thing.

It would be interesting to find out where any life came from but it would not take a visit.

[xelasnave]

I understand now what you mean Leon.

Alex

[xelasnave]

We think of intelligent life having to come from a planet on a round trip basis... however it is conceivable that an intelligent species may have to leave their planet via an artificial "planet" or a giant mother ship capable of supporting them much like our planet supports us..they would have to be keen recuclers no doubt but could harvest some stuff from space or planets they happen to run across..in other words they may have lived for so long on their "new" home that their journey may cover hundreds of light years seeing many generations of their kind come and go...in fact that what we should do☺
Alex

[xelasnave]

Mmm I guess the only test if they know what they are talking about is if they agree with me☺
Alex

[Wussell]

If we exist, then the chances of other life forms existing is just as good. They could be that far advanced that we may not even notice their presence within the cosmos.

[N1]

There is no evidence (yet) to suggest that our presence is being noticed either.

[gaseous]

'which road takes me to the LYING tribe?"

[xelasnave]

I am not sure that question would produce a reliable result.
The LT representative will point to the TT path and the TT representative would point to the LT path.
I would like to know the answer.
Alex

[LewisM]

It's actually a simple riddle - all you need to do is "Which tribe do you belong to?" - the truth tribesman will be telling the truth, the Liar will be saying he is Truth, meaning both will lead the "correct" way

The riddle was worded a little off, because the question originally was that the tribesman would lead you.

[inline_online]

"Aren't I lucky; I got a chunky bit"

[xelasnave]

Can I take you with me to do the talking☺
Alex

[gaseous]

You're right Alex, I've misread the question.

[pmrid]

But there's only one person at the crossroads! And even if he answers TRUTH, he is not telling you which road to take.

[alocky]

:rofl:

It is a collection of one liners! ‘The old magic is still there..’, ‘I’m a Derek, and Derek’s don’t run...’ ‘suck my spinning steel.. ‘ but - yep, the eating a bowl of alien chuck scene is a highlight!

[LewisM]

Exactly, one person. Bobson didn't word it quite right.

Here's some links that explain it better than I could:

https://www.tutorfair.com/resource/13/truth-or-lie-riddle

https://puzzling.stackexchange.com/questions/2188/two-doors-with-two-guards-one-lies-one-tells-the-truth

Quote:

"In version 1 above, asking where the citizen is from will get the same answer from a truth-teller and a liar.

The truth-teller would point to the City of Truth, because they're truly from there.

The Liar would also point to the City of Truth, because they're lying.

Thus, it doesn't matter which citizen you're speaking to, you know where the City of Truth is.

"

[bobson]

This is a version I heard about 30 years ago. I didnt know about different versions,

There are two tribes:
The TRUTH tribe, they always tell truth!
The LYING tribe, they always tell lies!

You want to get to TRUTH tribe. There is a road to get there but you rich the point where that road splits in two, right there is a man standing, he belongs to either TRUTH or LYING tribe.
You are allowed to ask him just one question to get to TRUTH tribe!
What is that question?

The question is very simple indeed:

Which way is your tribe?

If the person standing there is from Truth tribe he will point to right direction, to truth tribe.
If the person is from lying tribe he will lie and point to truth tribe direction.

[RB]

So, basically the truth is out there.
We just need a NAND Gate.

:lol:

[easternSea]

Fermat's last theorem wouldn't be any good. It was proved by Andrew Wiles in 1995.

[Sunfish]

Get the marketing people on to it.
With any luck they might want to go .