It think if we encountered aliens who were apparently not hostile, but presumably strange, and likely disgusting or disturbing in some ways, there would be three groups (likely overlapping) of people opposed to wiping them out:
Those who see wiping them out as morally wrong.
Those who see wiping them out as imprudent—we might fail, and then they wipe us out, or other aliens now see us as dangerous, and wipe us out.
Those who see wiping them out as not profitable—better to trade with them.
There would also be three groups in favour of wiping them out:
Those who see wiping them out as morally good—better if the universe doesn’t have such disgusting beings.
Those who see wiping them out as the prudent thing to do—wipe them out before they change their mind and do that to us.
Those who see wiping them out as profitable—then we can grab their resources.
I think it’s clear that people with all these view will exist, in non-negligible numbers. I think there’s at least a 5% chance that the “don’t wipe them out” people prevail.
Subgroups of our species are also actively wiping out other subgroups of our species they don’t like.
Yes, but that’s not how interactions between groups of humans always turn out.
We didn’t really wipe out the Neanderthals (assuming we even were a factor, rather than climate, disease, etc.), seeing as they are among our ancestors.
Can you tell me why?
It think if we encountered aliens who were apparently not hostile, but presumably strange, and likely disgusting or disturbing in some ways, there would be three groups (likely overlapping) of people opposed to wiping them out:
Those who see wiping them out as morally wrong.
Those who see wiping them out as imprudent—we might fail, and then they wipe us out, or other aliens now see us as dangerous, and wipe us out.
Those who see wiping them out as not profitable—better to trade with them.
There would also be three groups in favour of wiping them out:
Those who see wiping them out as morally good—better if the universe doesn’t have such disgusting beings.
Those who see wiping them out as the prudent thing to do—wipe them out before they change their mind and do that to us.
Those who see wiping them out as profitable—then we can grab their resources.
I think it’s clear that people with all these view will exist, in non-negligible numbers. I think there’s at least a 5% chance that the “don’t wipe them out” people prevail.
Subgroups of our species are also actively wiping out other subgroups of our species they don’t like.
Yes, but that’s not how interactions between groups of humans always turn out.
We didn’t really wipe out the Neanderthals (assuming we even were a factor, rather than climate, disease, etc.), seeing as they are among our ancestors.