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EVIDENCE FOR INTELLIGENT EXTRATERRESTRIALS IS EVIDENCE AGAINST THE EXISTENCE OF GOD

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 September 2019

Samuel Ruhmkorff
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Abstract

The recent explosion in the discovery of exoplanets and our incipient ability to detect atmospheric biomarkers recommend reflection on the conceptual implications of discovering – or not discovering – extrasolar life. I contend that evidence for intelligent extraterrestrial life is evidence against the existence of God, because if there are intelligent extraterrestrials, there are likely to be evils in the universe even greater than those found on Earth. My reasoning is based on Richard Gott's Copernican Principle, which holds that in the absence of information to the contrary, we should take ourselves to be typical observers.

Type
Research Article
Information
Think , Volume 18 , Issue 53 , Autumn 2019 , pp. 79 - 84
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal Institute of Philosophy 2019 

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