Did Aliens visit Ancient Civilizations?

[Wikkiwallana]

Also, dolphins are very intelligent. Are they sentient or not? Wiki says: "Sentience is the ability to feel, perceive or be conscious, or to have subjective experiences. " now I have no clue how we can measure such a thing, but I really wonder.

They're definitely sentient, everything that has a brain, and quite a good many things that don't, is sentient. The word you are looking for is sapient. It's a common mistake.

Edit: And I meant to say that there is some strong evidence that cetaceans are sapient. And chimps definitely are.

[Wikkiwallana]

All this "ancient astronauts" bullshit is based on the misassumption that ancient peoples were dumb. The Pyramids, how did those brown egyptians build those huge things? Surely they must have lacked the tools and expertise needed. Aliens from outer space must have helped them!

Fact is, people back then are no different from us, apart from the fact that they probably had horrible oral hygiene. They were just as intelligent and creative as we are today.

Im going to assume that the first part wasn't aimed at me, since I never mentioned they helped Humans build.

The second part: Humans weren't as intelligent was we are now. Our advancements in technology have allowed us to become smarter, and, as theories get erased and replaced, we gain more intelligence from what we can observe.

You are confusing knowledge with intelligence. Intelligence is raw brain power, and that hasn't had enough time to change much genetically since all the ancient works were made. Also, there was a lot of mathematical and engineering knowledge already extant back in the ancient world, including a small number of things we still can't duplicate, such as the durability of their concrete.

[Wikkiwallana]

Well, a lack of DNA might not be unlikely. Already between us and bacteria, both have DNA but ours is in the form of chromosomes while theirs is in a circular form. Then there's the whole coding thing where 3 base pairs translate to 1 amino acid. Such things might be wildly different in aliens too. Not to mention if they're not carbon based but say, silicon based.

Also, dolphins are very intelligent. Are they sentient or not? Wiki says: "Sentience is the ability to feel, perceive or be conscious, or to have subjective experiences. " now I have no clue how we can measure such a thing, but I really wonder.

Safe to say, if there is intelligent alien life out there, it can be wildly different from us, all depending on the circumstances in which they evolved.

PS. Perhaps the aliens can also have 4 legs and two arms, thus not required to walk upright.

*bangs head on table*

NOOOOO! If you aren't upright then you can't build things or look up that well, you can't even see predators or friends. Why do you think we are getting taller every generation?[/quote]
Better diet.

[Wikkiwallana]

Theory is just theory.

Never, ever abuse the word theory like that again.

[Wikkiwallana]

But if current/past religions were influenced by anything, I think the best chance would be that it was a misunderstood contact with Aliens that influenced the idea of another being having unlimited power when, in reality, it was just their technology.

Deliberate or accidental ingestion of hallucinogens makes even more sense. And I say that as a religious person.

[Wikkiwallana]

Possible. For instance the Egyptians built the Pyramids incredi-fast, as documented on the Egyptians own records of when they started and when they finished, that even today we would not be able to build those monstrosities as fast as they did even with our modern technology.

So those of you that hate shouldn't. Think outside the box instead of being mindless sheep. Aliens do exist somewhere in either the Milky Way (our galaxy) or the Andromeda Galaxy and no doubt have attained a super high level of technology, possibly even FTL.

Twenty or so years apiece is not "incredi-fast".

[Wikkiwallana]

Just so you know, the use of the term 'sheep' 'sheeple' or any other herd animal-based terminology in conjunction with an exhortation to 'think outside the box' or stop going along with groupthink generally indicates that the speaker is actually more closed-minded on the subject than the people that he/she is addressing. At least, in my experience at least.

Sigging this.

[Mavorpen]

No. Saying so is insulting to the Ancients who actually accomplished their great feats.

[Wikkiwallana]

I was watching Ancient Aliens on the so called "History" channel today, and I'm wondering, do you believe that extraterrestrials visited and possibly even influenced the ancient civilizations of the Egyptians, Maya, Nazca, etc? Explain your reasoning.

Possible and probable but until we have evidence, I will not avow it.

Probable? My ass. Look at the math:

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=157317&p=8005462

[Farnhamia]

No. Saying so is insulting to the Ancients who actually accomplished their great feats.

Absolutely.

Here's how to make the pyramid building more real to an ancient astronaut fan. Tell them to:

- Get an SUV weighing about 2 tons
- Take off the wheels
- Get about 20 friends

Then ask them, "You have two weeks to move it two miles on rollers. Think you can manage it?"

[Mavorpen]

No. Saying so is insulting to the Ancients who actually accomplished their great feats.

Absolutely.

Here's how to make the pyramid building more real to an ancient astronaut fan. Tell them to:

- Get an SUV weighing about 2 tons
- Take off the wheels
- Get about 20 friends

Then ask them, "You have two weeks to move it two miles on rollers. Think you can manage it?"

Not to mention using Geometry, they used ramps and such to make the job much easier. People these days seem to think they mindlessly pulled the rocks with no planning and no usage of tools.

[Farnhamia]

Absolutely.

Here's how to make the pyramid building more real to an ancient astronaut fan. Tell them to:

- Get an SUV weighing about 2 tons
- Take off the wheels
- Get about 20 friends

Then ask them, "You have two weeks to move it two miles on rollers. Think you can manage it?"

Not to mention using Geometry, they used ramps and such to make the job much easier. People these days seem to think they mindlessly pulled the rocks with no planning and no usage of tools.

Exactly. The road from the riverside to the building site was nice and level, not much of a grade. Tools and food and shelter were provided ... ZOMG, the Pharaoh was a socialist!

[Mavorpen]

Not to mention using Geometry, they used ramps and such to make the job much easier. People these days seem to think they mindlessly pulled the rocks with no planning and no usage of tools.

Exactly. The road from the riverside to the building site was nice and level, not much of a grade. Tools and food and shelter were provided ... ZOMG, the Pharaoh was a socialist!

Not to mention many of pyramid laborers worked VOLUNTARILY. They worked together to accomplish something great for their king and leave something that would awe generation upon generation afterwards. I'd say this dispels the bullshit of, "Socialism stifles progress!"

[The Archregimancy]

The only actual real life university lecturer/professor in Nationstates replies to the thread question thus:

No.

[The Blaatschapen]

The only actual real life university lecturer/professor in Nationstates replies to the thread question thus:

No.

Source? (not for you being a university lecturer, but for being the only one)

[Grachmen]

[Free Soviets]

The only actual real life university lecturer/professor in Nationstates

wait, is this currently true? and are we counting adjuncts?

[Jusela]

Possible. For instance the Egyptians built the Pyramids incredi-fast, as documented on the Egyptians own records of when they started and when they finished, that even today we would not be able to build those monstrosities as fast as they did even with our modern technology.

So those of you that hate shouldn't. Think outside the box instead of being mindless sheep. Aliens do exist somewhere in either the Milky Way (our galaxy) or the Andromeda Galaxy and no doubt have attained a super high level of technology, possibly even FTL.

As some other posted mentioned in this thread, 20-40 years is not incredi-fast. The Pyramids were a huge project, with laborers, craftsmen and administrators from all across the Kingdom participating in it. Food, water and shelter were provided to those who were working on this vast task. With enough manpower, expertise, effort and a few decades, and there you have it! Shiny pyramids!

It isn't a matter of "modern technology", it's a matter of how much resources you're willing to devote to build such huge wonders. In the Egyptians case, they were far from modest.

As for the "Ancient astronaut" bullshit, this posted sums it up pretty well:

No. Saying so is insulting to the Ancients who actually accomplished their great feats.

Humanity back then were just as intelligent as we are today, and the Pyramids along with other ancient wonders are a testament to humanity's intelligence and organisational skills.

Aliens had nothing to do with it.

[The Archregimancy]

The only actual real life university lecturer/professor in Nationstates

wait, is this currently true? and are we counting adjuncts?

I believe it to be true. My actual title is 'Teaching Fellow in [specific subject x]', but that only means I currently have a fixed term contract.

Why, are there any others I'm not aware of?

[EnragedMaldivians]

wait, is this currently true? and are we counting adjuncts?

I believe it to be true. My actual title is 'Teaching Fellow in [specific subject x]', but that only means I currently have a fixed term contract.

Why, are there any others I'm not aware of?

If so, none that remind us as frequently.

[The Archregimancy]

If so, none that remind us as frequently.

How else am I supposed to shamelessly appeal to self-authority?

Anyway, you're just jealous about the pygmies.

[Mavorpen]

No. Saying so is insulting to the Ancients who actually accomplished their great feats.

Humanity back then were just as intelligent as we are today, and the Pyramids along with other ancient wonders are a testament to humanity's intelligence and organisational skills.

Aliens had nothing to do with it.

I think the problem is that these days, we barely devote much time, effort, or resources into things that really matter or things that are really amazing, thus we fail to get things done quickly and efficiently. Thus when people look back, they say, "Holy shit, they built that in X years! Impossible!"

[Norstal]

Why is there 28 people voting yes.

I hate this planet.

[Mavorpen]

Why is there 28 people voting yes.

I hate this planet.

Here you are good sir.

[The Blaatschapen]

Why is there 28 people voting yes.

I hate this planet.

And so did the aliens, that's why they persuaded people to pile rocks.