principle of mediocrity

The notion that our evolution (biological, cultural, and technological) and our surroundings, including the Earth and the Sun, are typical rather than exceptional. It is often invoked, together with two other principles (see plenitude, principle of; uniformity, principle of), to support the claim that life and intelligence occur commonly throughout the Universe. It is also an implicit assumption in SETI that other beings exist who wish to communicate and are sufficiently technologically compatible with us to make communication possible. The principle of mediocrity remains largely a matter of opinion but has been bolstered by the discovery of extrasolar planets and that certain organic chemicals, such as amino acids, occur commonly throughout space.

External site

"Searching for Interstellar Communication" paper on-line

Related category

• SETI

Also on this site:

Encyclopedia of Alternative Energy & Sustainable Living
Encyclopedia of History

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