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The question “Are we alone ?” in different cultures

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2011

Jean Schneider
Jean Schneider*
Affiliation:
LUTh, Observatoire de Paris, 5 Place Jules Janssen, 92915 Meudon, France email: Jean.Schneider@obspm.fr
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Abstract

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A survey of the worldwide litterature reveals that the question “Are we alone in the Universe?” has been formulated only in the “western” litterature. Here I try to understand why it is so. To investigate this problem it is first necessary to clarify what western culture means.

Keywords

Exobiologyextraterrestrial lifeculturesWestern culture
Type
Contributed Papers
Information
Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union , Volume 5 , Symposium S260: The Role of Astronomy in Society and Culture , January 2009 , pp. 213 - 217
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2011

References

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Stapledon, O. 1930, Last and First Men (London: Methuen)Google Scholar
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