SETI and Society Impossible to separate All definitions are arbitrary “Socio-cultural” solves the problem! ‘Society’ vs ‘Culture’

SETI and Society History, Anthropology, Archaeology Law Education Science, Mystery and Epiphany

Uses of History, Anthro, Etc Study of Past Impact - Lowell, pulsars, impact of past worldview changes (if it is a change in worldview!) Use of Analogs for Future Impact - Must be used cautiously - Transmission of knowledge to Latin West - 10,000 years of history, but what lessons? Examine underlying assumptions

An Early Attempt at Studying Societal Impact of Spaceflight Part of a series of societal impact of spaceflight studies by American Academy of Arts and Sciences under contract to NASA (early 1960s; MIT, Bruce Mazlish et al) Uses and Abuses of Historical Analogy Cannot predict the future A guide for thinking: “terrain of the past suggestive of the topography of present and its future projection”

Precedents? Societal Impact of Spaceflight Conference  Turning Point Impacts: Sputnik, Apollo, Challenger  Commercial and Economic Impact  Applications Satellites, National Security Earth resources, weather, navigation, Communication, reconnaissance  Social Impacts: Education, Regional, Political  Philosophical and Cultural Impact Earthrise/Whole Earth/Pale Blue Dot Space Science and Cosmic Evolution Popular Culture: literature, film, music, literature, religion

Study of Societal Impact of Astrobiology is Part of AB Roadmap Principle 3 of Astrobiology Roadmap: “Astrobiology recognizes a broad societal interest in its endeavors, especially in areas such as achieving a deeper understanding of life, searching for extraterrestrial biospheres, assessing the societal implications of discoveries, and envisioning the future of life on Earth”

Studies of Implications of SETI and Astrobiology  NASA CASETI Workshops  1999 NASA Workshop on Societal Implications of Astrobiology  Templeton Foundation Workshops  Foundation for the Future Studies  AAAS Program of Dialogue Between Science and Religion

Make Use of Past Studies

Past Impact Studies Astrobiology Roadmap Exercise Dick, “Cultural Aspects of Astrobiology”

SETI Societal Impact ___________________________________ Will depend on scenario (microbial or intelligent; near or remote, etc) Will vary in different societies Will affect religious doctrines in different ways (a long history of discussion) Will determine our place in the universe Implement the Denning research agenda

Societal Impact of SETI Impacting whom? ‘Society’ is not monolithic – how to handle this problem? Impacting how? What is an ‘impact’? Scientific data refracted through many lenses What is the scope of the problem? Very different scenarios for contact. Etc, Etc

Prepare for the Outcome We Are Not Alone (Walter Sullivan, 1966) Are We Alone? (Rood and Trefil, 1981) We are Alone … (possible SETI result) This outcome might also need preparation because there seems to be a need for aliens

Law: The Problem of Response Need an expert group, funded over a period of years, to study response problem and give advice to the President (Tatel) IAA group?

SETI and Society: Education Better ways of communicating to public (Wagner) through multiple media SETI Institute doing some of this through LITU curriculum More “SETI Girls” SETI is part of Cosmic Evolution (Drake Eqn), widely disseminated through Wright Center (Chaisson), SETI Institute, etc

Science, Mystery and Epiphany Astronomy raises questions traditionally reserved for religion Astronomical art heightens the sense of mystery and beauty (especially Lomberg’s!) SETI may result in an epiphany (but which one? “Stardust thou art and into Stardust thou shalt Return”