Quote:
Originally Posted by simmo
The other question is do we really need to know everything in life?
Does it really matter if we find life on another planet? What would we gain?
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As I see it, this is a key question. We set up the rules in society based on our understanding of the way humans work and the environment we live in. Ignorance will always be exploited by the unscrupulous to bend those rules in their own favour, so let's have as much real knowledge as possible.
At present we see ourselves as the only game in town and what we want is the only thing that matters. If we ever found out that we really are just a small cog in a universe filled with other life, it could totally change our perception of the environment that allows us to exist - hopefully we would become a little less arrogant and self centered. Any such change in perception could be a huge gain for us and for everything else around us.