科学史上关于寻找地外文明的争论——人类应该在宇宙的黑暗森林中呼喊吗?

The Debate about Searching for Extra-terrestrial Intelligence in the History of Science——Should Humans Cry in the Dark Forest of the Universe?

尽管地外文明是否存在的问题,目前尚无定论,但与其相关的探讨,已成为科学史领域的重要研究课题。1970年代,随着搜寻地外文明计划(简称SETI)的一无所获,与其相对的另一种试图接触地外文明的实践手段——主动向地外文明发送讯息(简称METI),也被提上日程,并在科学界引发颇多争议。本文对争论双方的观点以及争论所产生的影响进行了考察,并研究了与METI有关的几种费米佯谬的解决方案。本文认为,在尚未做好接触地外文明的准备之前,实施METI是非常危险的。

Is there extra-terrestrial intelligence （ETI） or not？ At present, the answer is uncertain. However, this question has become an important subject in the field of the history of science. In the 1970s, the search for ETI （SETI） having been fruitless, another attempt to contact ETI named METI （message to ETI） was put on the agenda and caused intense controversy in the scientific community. This paper analyzes the viewpoints of both the supporters and the opponents of the project, the impact of the controversy, as well as several solutions to the Fermi Paradox. Our conclusion is that it is obviously too dangerous for human beings to carry out the METI project before making thorough preparations.