TheRev comments on Convincing ET of our rationality - Less Wrong

2 Post author: TheRev 11 January 2011 05:32PM

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Comment author: TheRev 11 January 2011 08:18:15PM 1 point [-]

Pre-scientific societies have managed to build quite complex machinery. For instance the Antikythera mechanism, Roman textile mills, Egyptian irrigation systems, etc. Is it possible aliens could develop something as complex as a calculator without first attaining scientific literacy? If so electronics wouldn't necessarily prove scientific literacy to them.

Comment author: sketerpot 11 January 2011 10:12:22PM 1 point [-]

Good luck figuring out how to make microchips without at least some scientific knowledge. Even if it could be done, the probability does not seem very high to me.