best outcome from space exploration:

[kappa]

would have to be proof of life on other planets... or life in other areas of the universe...

Perhaps then, man, realizing he is not alone in the universe, would toss aside religious books and realize they were not written by gods, but by his fellow man and thus not w/out sin...

yes, imagine a world with no religion... its easy if you try...

[Martlet]

Originally posted by kappa
would have to be proof of life on other planets... or life in other areas of the universe...

Perhaps then, man, realizing he is not alone in the universe, would toss aside religious books and realize they were not written by gods, but by his fellow man and thus not w/out sin...

yes, imagine a world with no religion... its easy if you try...

I can't see how the discovery of life on other planets would rule out religion.

[Octavius]

Cool.  Well, Gofaster's thread went down the crapper in a hurry, so I'll move what I said over here.  I quoted Nakhui first:

Originally posted by Nakhui
It's a scientific question.... and to some point a philisophical question - as old as man's ability to think.

Is there life "out there"

Are we all that there is?

Why is water so important?

Because every where on earther there is water - there is life. In the hotest springs, in the most arrid deserts... in the frigid barren cold... there is life.

Where is water most likely to exist on Mars?

Well water flows down hill... so at the bottom of a crater... a crater that has evidence of a dried up river flowing out of it.

That's where spirit landed.

Dig into the setiment... and if life lived there... fossil remains of life will be there too.

These are exciting times for sure...

Imagine what it was like to live in the 1500 hundreds..  finding out that the earth is not flat... and there are distant continents to explore with plant life never seen before... people and cultures to learn about...

What if buried under layers of Martian dust are ruins of an ancient civilization...

What if there really is life "out there" and they deliver take out Chinese.. and it's really good!

And I replied:

Exactly. A scientific AND philosophical way.

Of ALL the possible locations (billions and billions of galaxies and star systems) to search for life, if we find the existence of life SO close... our next door neighbor, the first place we look... and are successfull, then there exists life everywhere in the known universe(s).

Thats a pretty damn powerfull find IMO.

Side benefits would ensue. Talk of terraforming Mars in the future. Of course, not until it's sufficiently explored and analyzed (waaay down the line).  Future area for humans to live and develop?

Just as the world was "illuminated" when Copernicus discovered that the earth wasn't the center of the solar system/universe, but that planets orbited the Sun, if we find life on Mars, (again the first place we look), then again, I think the world (all of humanity) will be enlightened/illuminated. Heh, no I'm not speaking of the secret organization.

AND before this thread goes down the drain:

Yes, there would be some conflicting information (Genesis:  "And god created the earth." - and other stuff the Bible does not cover (extraterrestrial life - besides 'angels').  Christianity, so conveniently loose and open to reinterpretation, would adapt itself (by a human's decree) to the new information.  

"What God really means is that he made 100 million year old dinos in the ground and purposely created "life" on other planets... as a test of our faith... in the imaginary."

or, not being able to defend themselves:  "You have no proof!  Science is flawed!  Get better instruments!  Waah!"

I think that might actually help in the destruction of this thread, oops.

[CyranoAH]

Curiosity Feedback. The more we know the more we want to know.

[Saurdaukar]

The discovery of life on other plants would surely be profound - but would not end our dependance on religion.

Im sure we've all argued with our local Baptist.  There is life on Mars because God put it there, Im sure.  If it doesnt say that in the Bible, then we were meant to find out for ourselves.

Lets send missionaries.

Or something along those lines...  

[Octavius]

Screw that Saur.  

Worst case scenerio is we DO find life on Mars... fundamentalist fanatics could potential a threat to space exploration.  

Have you seen "contact" ?  Yep, it's hollyweird, but it certainly could happen.

[FUNKED1]

"yes, imagine a world with no negroes or homosexuals.. its easy if you try... "

[kappa]

Originally posted by Saurdaukar
Lets send missionaries.

Or something along those lines...  

lol no doubt!

no religion was a bold statement...  stopping the segregation of religion would be better...  if the world could stop and think, hey, we all had it wrong.. perhaps then a new thought of the fundamentals of each religion would arise... that kindness, civility, and general decency would be in order over any established religious faction..

So, maybe no religion was too much..  how about a new religion because present religion needs an enema...

[ra]

"Perhaps then, man, realizing he is not alone in the universe, would toss aside religious books and realize they were not written by gods, but by his fellow man and thus not w/out sin... "

If these probes find no sign of life does that mean that there was never life on Mars?   No.  

Scientists are hoping to prove the theory that "life is easy", ie where there's liquid water there will probably be life.  Whether signs of life are found or not, no philosophical arguments will be settled.

ra

[kappa]

Originally posted by ra
If these probes find no sign of life does that mean that there was never life on Mars?   No.

agreed
 

Scientists are hoping to prove the theory that "life is easy", ie where there's liquid water there will probably be life.  Whether signs of life are found or not, no philosophical arguments will be settled.

ra

Settled, no... but questioned?? hopefully......

[AKIron]

Originally posted by kappa
lol no doubt!

no religion was a bold statement...  stopping the segregation of religion would be better...  if the world could stop and think, hey, we all had it wrong.. perhaps then a new thought of the fundamentals of each religion would arise... that kindness, civility, and general decency would be in order over any established religious faction..

So, maybe no religion was too much..  how about a new religion because present religion needs an enema...

Bold? Ignorant is more what I was thinking. There are very many religious people that believe there is life on other planets. I have nothing other than personal experience to back this up but I'd bet most religious people believe there is life on other planets.

[Nakhui]

Originally posted by kappa
would have to be proof of life on other planets... or life in other areas of the universe...

Perhaps then, man, realizing he is not alone in the universe, would toss aside religious books and realize they were not written by gods, but by his fellow man and thus not w/out sin...

yes, imagine a world with no religion... its easy if you try...

Nah! the Real reason is to find new markets places to peddle our wares!

New life forms to get addicted to Pepsi, BigMacs, snickers bars, beer, and Pro Sports Gambling!!!
That's the real reason for Iraq and Afghanistan... and for keeping

China on the most favored trading nation status... well after
they've been documented and proven to be human rights violators

TRADE ROUTES BABY!

MARCO POLO!!!

Trans-Eurasian SILK ROUTE!

[kappa]

Originally posted by AKIron
Bold? Ignorant is more what I was thinking. There are very many religious people that believe there is life on other planets. I have nothing other than personal experience to back this up but I'd bet most religious people believe there is life on other planets.

very ignorant post indeed iron... Im not talking about people.. im talking about religion and its effect on people... more exactly, the segregation of religion...

but thanks for the ignorant statment... ill just consider you stupid and unable to read ... much like you asking miko if hes accuseing skuzzy of supporting slavery...

[kappa]

Originally posted by Nakhui
Nah! the Real reason is to find new markets places to peddle our wares!

New life forms to get addicted to Pepsi, BigMacs, snickers bars, beer, and Pro Sports Gambling!!!
 

lmao!

[gofaster]

The best possible outcome would be the discovery of an early form of life, probably anaerobic simple-celled organism living beneath the surface.  The find would be staggering to the scientific community.  It would prove that there is life on other planets, that we are not alone.

And that we better get cracking on those warp drive engines before the Klingons come a-calling!