These are plans. Nothing is certain yet, except our desire to pursue these goals. No contracts have been signed but there is promising negotiation and a lot of hope.
The World Debate Institute http://debate.uvm.edu/debateblog/wdi/Welcome.html announces an initiative to increase public interest and participation in efforts linked to the search for extraterrestrial intelligence with the goals of creating a more active discussion about space policy and eventually leading to an actual debate with extraterrestrial intelligence once we are in touch with them.
There is no time to prepare for the future like the present.
We have been invited to include a module in the upcoming launch of the "Sunjammer" craft by a consortium of groups including Spaces Services of America, Inc. in November 2014. http://www.spaceservicesinc.com/advanced_systems_division.asp . See news stories here and also here.
We plan to include in this module a scientifically developed "calling card" inviting intelligent life to communicate with us, but with an extra element - when we find things we disagree about, let us have a debate. Our idea for the module is to use work done by others who are trying to outreach in the SETI effort. The module will contain a copy of the “here we are” material sent earlier as well as an effort to encourage ET to answer back on bands where we are already listening. The debate stuff will be a follow on but will be in the module. Once we are in contact, AND we learn to communicate, AND we learn more about each other, THEN we can determine what it is we agree on and disagree on to set the grounds for a “debate.”
Our project goals include:
1. Creating discussion about space related issues, including debates. We think this can be done in cooperation with astronautical focused universities in the USA and China to begin with. We might have a debate tournament about these issues in China, which we are planning now, and we may have another tournament in the USA as well and perhaps follow up with one in Europe. The topics would be announced well in advance and teams would prepare for their sides. This is not an extemporaneous event, but one based on knowledge, though still involving university students (undergrad and grad). We can try and recruit from appropriate technical universities. These debates will be filmed and archived on the Internet for on-demand viewing.
2. Create discussion and debate about the Sunjammer mission itself. We will focus on the warning aspects and the need to defend our planet against dangers such as solar flares. We might follow the general debates with more specific topics later, or else fold them into the tournaments. We might also focus on whether we should try to communicate with ET, should we hide, stand out, or what? Should the public know? There is a lot of ground here for some quite good debates. These do not have to be tournaments, but might be monthly webcast events that will be archived. We can have a high school version as well. Show something good, and then others will become interested.
3. Then, we have the ET project itself. We will name a board that will be involved, recruit ET scholars, space commercialization people, and debate-communication professionals. We will create a rough set of goals and a very rough plan. And then we will see what happens.
Our project goals include:
1. Creating discussion about space related issues, including debates. We think this can be done in cooperation with astronautical focused universities in the USA and China to begin with. We might have a debate tournament about these issues in China, which we are planning now, and we may have another tournament in the USA as well and perhaps follow up with one in Europe. The topics would be announced well in advance and teams would prepare for their sides. This is not an extemporaneous event, but one based on knowledge, though still involving university students (undergrad and grad). We can try and recruit from appropriate technical universities. These debates will be filmed and archived on the Internet for on-demand viewing.
2. Create discussion and debate about the Sunjammer mission itself. We will focus on the warning aspects and the need to defend our planet against dangers such as solar flares. We might follow the general debates with more specific topics later, or else fold them into the tournaments. We might also focus on whether we should try to communicate with ET, should we hide, stand out, or what? Should the public know? There is a lot of ground here for some quite good debates. These do not have to be tournaments, but might be monthly webcast events that will be archived. We can have a high school version as well. Show something good, and then others will become interested.
3. Then, we have the ET project itself. We will name a board that will be involved, recruit ET scholars, space commercialization people, and debate-communication professionals. We will create a rough set of goals and a very rough plan. And then we will see what happens.
This simple blog is only the beginning. Stay tuned for more
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