Jv packet •Mars Colonization Affirmative •Mars Colonization Negative
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ExplanationAre we alone in the universe? This affirmative is designed to answer that exact question. Until recently, there were programs in the status quo funded by the government that used radio telescopes located on the Earth to listen for signals emitted by possible alien cultures. Recently however, due to the economic recession, the government has cancelled the funding for the Allen Telescope Array, the first set of radio telescopes created entirely for the purpose of searching for alien life. The ATA has been put into hibernation because of the funding cut and no other sources of funding seem apparent. This affirmative has two advantages. The first argues that not only does alien life exist, but it is likely to be biologically similar to ours, allowing for the possibility of communication. Ecology suggests that any civilization that would be able to survive long enough to broadcast a signal into space has likely evolved to be peaceful and altruistic. If we made contact with aliens, the end result would likely be an exchange of technology, where we would inherit the benefit of centuries of research that would likely revolutionize our society and help solve the problems of overpopulation and environmental degradation. However, even if we were unable to make contact, continuing search for extraterrestrial life forces us to re-evaluate how we look at humanity. Acknowledging that we may not be alone in the universe makes it more likely that we will begin to see ourselves less as members of a specific country or nation but instead citizens of earth. This broad and inclusive view of humanity as a whole will allow for greater cooperation on important issues and lessen the likelihood of conflict. Finally, the affirmative argues that searching for life with radio telescopes is the most effective means of trying to contact extraterrestrials. Radio telescopes can search a much broader area at any given time, which is important to maximize the possibility that we will find pick up a foreign signal. GlossaryRadio telescope – a telescope that searches for radio waves, as opposed to traditional telescope that look at visible light Galaxy – the system of millions of stars that contains the solar system Quanta – a small amount of energy Cosmos – the universe Moore’s law – the idea that technology doubles in power every two years Space debris / junk – small pieces of debris such as rock moving very quickly that pose a danger to orbiting satellites Astrobiology – study of life in space Cooperative – working with others to achieve a goal Extant – currently existing Sustainable – Something that is sustainable can continue to exist without external inputs. Ecosystem – a large biological community of many organisms. An ocean is an ecosystem, for example Degraded – to degrade something is to lower its quality Pioneer – Someone who is among the first to settle a new area Dehumanizing – degrading people and thinking less of them to the point where they no longer seem human. Publichealth – The health of an entire country or nation. Factors that determine public health include amount of exercise, occurrence of disease, life expectancy, etc. Tangible – Something concrete. A tangible benefit is usually material, such as money or resources Forlorn – lonely, abandoned Species - a class of living thing. Humans are a species, just like ants or oak trees Ideological – a person who is ideological will adhere to the position she already believes in very strongly and is often unwilling to consider alternate points of view Transcend – overcome or surpass a particular obstacle or standard Conceits – excessive pride in oneself Flourish – to grow or develop in a healthy or vigorous way Foibles – a minor weakness Scarcity – a small or inadequate amount Surveillance – continual observing and watching a particular object Extremists – people that hold extreme or fanatical political or religious views Financial crisis – an economic crisis caused by banks or other large financial institutions in a country Academia – another word for the world of universities and professors, as opposed to the world of business or government Sophisticated – very complex Encephelization – referring to an animal’s large brain in relation to its size Omniscient – all knowing Propagate – reproduce and spread ATA – Allen Telescope Array ET - Extraterrestrial ETI – Extraterrestrial intelligence AF – Air Force SSN – Space Surveillance Network AFSPC – Air Force Space Command ASAT – Anti Satellit 1AC [1/6]Contention 1: Inherency The federal government has cut the funding of the Allen Telescope Array, a cluster of radio telescopes attempting to find life in other parts of the galaxy. This has caused the operation to shut down. Associated Press, 4/27/2011, “Shrinking Funds Pull Plug on Alien Search Devices,” http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/04/27/shrinking-funds-pull-plug-alien-search-devices/ In the mountains of Northern California, a field of radio dishes that look like giant dinner plates waited for years for the first call from intelligent life among the stars. But they're not listening anymore. Cash-strapped governments, it seems, can no longer pay the interstellar phone bill. Astronomers at the SETI Institute said a steep drop in state and federal funds has forced the shutdown of the Allen Telescope Array, a powerful tool in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, an effort scientists refer to as SETI. "There's plenty of cosmic real estate that looks promising," Seth Shostak, senior astronomer at the institute, said Tuesday. "We've lost the instrument that's best for zeroing in on these better targets." The shutdown came just as researchers were preparing to point the radio dishes at a batch of new planets. About 50 or 60 of those planets appear to be about the right distance from stars to have temperatures that could make them habitable, Shostak said. The 42 radio dishes had scanned deep space since 2007 for signals from alien civilizations while also conducting research into the structure and origin of the universe. SETI Institute chief executive Tom Pierson said in an email to donors recently that the University of California, Berkeley, has run out of money for day-to-day operation of the dishes. "Unfortunately, today's government budgetary environment is very difficult, and new solutions must be found," Pierson wrote. The $50 million array was built by SETI and UC Berkeley with the help of a $30 million donation from Microsoft Corp. co-founder Paul Allen. Operating the dishes cost about $1.5 million a year, mostly to pay for the staff of eight to 10 researchers and technicians to operate the facility. An additional $1 million a year was needed to collect and sift the data from the dishes. The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, the billionaire's philanthropic venture, had no immediate plans to provide more funding to the facility, said David Postman, a foundation spokesman. The institute, however, was hopeful the U.S. Air Force might find the dishes useful as part of its mission to track space debris and provide funding to keep the equipment operating. The SETI Institute was founded in 1984 and has received funding from NASA, the National Science Foundation and several other federal programs and private foundations. Other projects that will continue include the development of software and tools to be used in the search for extraterrestrial life. 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