Revelation, Rationality, Knowledge & Truth — Page 343
THE QURAN AND EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFE ‘At various international conferences on the problem of extraterrestrial life, the question has been discussed and it has become clear that not only is there a chance of recognizing that a signal is of intelligent origin but it would also be possible to enter into communication with the intelligent species and exchange information. ” 54. Not everyone shares Professor Roy's enthusiasm on this subject. Dr Frank Tipler of Tulane University, New. Orleans, can be counted amongst the sceptics. He bases his pessimism on mathematical calculations. To him the appearance of intelligent beings elsewhere in the universe through the blind processes of material evolution defy the law of large numbers. The evolution of life here on earth is dilemma enough for scientists to resolve. For it to repeat itself through a collusion of such an enormous number of chances as defy human calculations is a mathematical impossibility. Dr Tipler states: 6 “. . . extraterrestrial intelligences are not here. We just have to interpret this fact. Most astronomers cling to a belief in extraterrestrial intelligence against the evidence because of a philosophical principle: the copernican idea that our place in the cosmos must be completely typical. But we know this idea is false. . The Universe is evolving: the cosmic radiation shows that there was once a time when no life existed because it was too hot. Thus, our place is atypical in time. In particular there must be a first civilization, and it happens to be ours. ” ,5. Dr Tony Martin, former vice-president of the British. Interplanetary Society, holds similar sceptical views. Yet, despite all this opposition, Dr Roy's scientific dream seems, at least partly, to have come within reach of realization. In the United States, NASA has already secured governmental 332