Why No Aliens? Humanity's Challenges

Why have no extraterrestrial or alien beings made contact with us? What may seem like a quirky, even trivial question is a conundrum of profound scientific, philosophical, cultural, and even existential importance, raising questions about our very future on earth. This course covers various insights into the question, including the Fermi Paradox, Drake Equation, Kardashev Scale, and, in particular, the concept of the Great Filter. The major focus rests on students engaging with the challenges facing humanity in the 21st Century. These challenges include, among others, the rapid advance of technology, widening global inequalities, weapons of mass destruction, financial crises, the growth of armed extremism, climate change, and geopolitical tensions. In a self-initiated and self-guided fashion, but in collaboration with classmates, students will focus on one of these major challenges. They will assemble a portfolio of research materials to generate a perspective and argument of their own. Students can thus creatively engage in critical thinking and Marianist values.