Customer Reviews

After Contact

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Everyone who has ever glanced at the starry sky on a clear night has wondered if other, alien eyes were staring back from far across the Galaxy. After thinking about that many people develop an interest in SETI, and take a trip to a real or online bookstore in search of further information. Many, perhaps most of the SETI books they find there concentrate on the actual search hardware and its history, past SETI searches, SETI personalities and the chances of eventual success. Most of the books are content to finish neatly, with an optimistic message and a declaration of how wonderful the detection of an alien signal would be. AFTER CONTACT is different: as its title suggests it looks at what will happen *after* that momentous day. After working steadily through our preconceptions about ETs and examining the psychological aspects of SETI - the book is very heavy on psychology in places, and although some sections are very "challenging" they provide invaluable insights into our collective hopes and fears for finding life Out There - it explores the possible nature of aliens, and considers the immense difficulties two - literally - alien civilisations would come up against when trying to communicate. But the most impressive section of the book examines what impact Contact could have on Mankind, its effect on our technology, military, poliical structures, religions and civilisation as a whole. This section is very hard to drag yourself away from and demands to be read in one sitting... and then again, immediately, because your head is so full of ideas it's impossible to sit still! Basically, AFTER CONTACT is a book for people who have already accepted the existence of ETs, and who want to know what will actually happen when there's enough proof to convince everyone else. Anyone interested in the technical, psychological and intellectual challenges facing the SETI community and Mankind will find it a remarkably thought-provoking read. It contains the answers to all your questions... and to millions of questions which hadn't even occurred to you. The only problem with the book is that it will turn you into a sleep-starved insomniac, because a) there will be such a fireworks display of ideas bursting in your head you'll be unable to sleep, and b) you'll be standing in your garden every clear night just looking up... and Wondering...

Professor Harrison's treatment of this topic was excellent and the book was really fun to read! As a psychology student I really enjoyed this book, not because I'm a fan of SciFi, (I am), but because Harrison's points are so well supported and tied in to existing research in psychology and many other fields. By the end of the book, you start to think you'd want Al Harrison to be on the team that made first contact with ET. (I wonder if the writers of the movie Sphere where aware of this book.) Harrison's After Contact made me consider many practical aspects of contact with intelligent life from another world. Even as a long time Star Trek and Sci Fi fan, this book was full of new and facinating ideas to consider, all the more facinating because the decisions outlined in the book that we'd need to make regarding contact are real. Bravo.

I am both pleased and impressed with Harrison's book, After Contact: The Human Response to Extraterrestrial Life. Commonly efforts to deal with topics like the possibility of contact with extraterrestrial life are either one-dimensional, or they are so general and watered down that they lack substance. In contrast, Harrison's book is a very well written and authoritative review of issues surrounding possible contact with extraterrestrial intelligence. Further, while Harrison's primary expertise is in the area of psychology, he does a fine job of dealing with the possible technological and sociological consequences of such contact. Indeed, as well as including well reasoned and provocative speculations on future possibilities, the book provides an excellent review of some of the best scholarship in this area, including much that has been derived from isolation and small group studies.

One of the blurbs on the book jacket observes that it is a valuable contribution to the field and a very good read. I second that assessment, and would recommend it both to professionals, and to any intelligent interested party.

Douglas Raybeck Hamilton College

AFTER CONTACT: The Human Response to Extraterrestrial Life Albert A. Harrison, Ph.D. Plenum Trade, 1997

Most people have become comfortable with the notion that there may be intelligent extraterrestrial life elsewhere in the universe. Even the conservative astronomer Carl Sagan calculated that it was mathematically probable that such life must exist. Sagan's book Contact, later made into the 1997 movie of the same name, postulated that a life form could contact humans here on earth. The SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Institute employs people using radio telescopes to explore the heavens for signs of intelligent life. Recently the National Air and Space Administration created the NASA Astrobiology Institute (NABI) to consider the development of ET life forms. NABI examines the possibility from the standpoint of materials and conditions necessary to support life. They also consider the implications of the origin of life and question whether ! ! life is a cosmic imperative.

In After Contact Professor Al Harrison of the University of California-Davis thoughtfully takes the obvious next step. In pragmatic detail he examines the human consequences of contact with such an intelligent extraterrestrial entity. Except for fictional accounts, no one previously has explored as comprehensively the many ramifications such contact would pose for those of us who live in what we believe to be technologically advanced societies. Just what would happen if we learned that we were not at the top of the evolutionary pyramid?

Harrison first lays out the background information surrounding current search methodologies used by SETI and their radio-telescopic efforts to listen for signs of life. He also covers the supporting probabilities that mathematically suggest that some form of extraterrestrial life should exist elsewhere in the universe. It is not just in independent evolution of ETI on some far distant planet that l! ! ife could exist, but also through a seeding or colonizatio! n effort. The search for ETI, he argues, requires a broad multidisciplinary approach. The complexities of communication should contact be established demand that a wide variety of sciences would be necessary including biologists, physicists, chemists, computer scientists and linguists just to name a few. Harrison states that while there is no compelling evidence that we have been visited by an ETI, there are sufficient clues to make exploration worthwhile. Further, the enormity of the impact on society dictates that these are prudent steps.

In an overview of popular literature regarding UFOs and other aerial phenomena, he demonstrates a breadth of understanding of the material widely available to the general public. This is an important addition as it provides the background from which people are making decisions about their beliefs in ETI and probability of contact. It also shows why there is a dramatic disconnect between the general population and most mains! ! tream scientists.

Living systems theory of James Grier Miller serves as a foundation for considering how extraterrestrial organisms and societies might function. Based on building blocks of matter, energy, and information, living systems theory is a logical approach to potentially disparate life forms. After all, there is no known reason for unanimity among advanced extraterrestrial life forms. Harrison goes beyond the organism level and considers what factors might impact ET societies. These include such varied considerations as resource bases, processing of information, decision-making strategies, adaptation and use of energy, and development of culture. He then addresses the fundamental issues related to first contact; how it might be made, who would do it, and how that information would be transmitted to the public.

After Contact considers the various ways in which information concerning ETI existence would be received and acted upon by the public. There ! ! are many fictional accounts of ET contact, as well as scie! ntific studies of people exposed to unusual or stressful events, from which inferences of psycho-social reactions can drawn. The individual and societal differences in responding to such a dramatic discovery are examined.

Travelling beyond the initial encounter, Harrison discusses the inevitable complex issues in building of relationships between the ETI and humans. In this section he has considered in some depth just what types of interactions might transpire. He then explores the consequences to our societal structures such as the economy, political systems, impact on values and beliefs, and differentials in technological development.

After Contact is a comprehensive and thought-provoking examination of the inscrutable aspects of an encounter between humans and an advanced extraterrestrial intelligence. It is a must for anyone interested in the possibility that an initial event might occur within his or her lifetime. The book is a landmark publication and ! ! serves as a signpost for directing further research into a most fascinating, and under resourced area of science.

Reviewed by: John B. Alexander, Ph.D.

This book is truly unique. Within the social sciences, this is the only recent book to present a comprehensive picture of the scientific search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI). Professor Harrison brings psychological theories to bear on all aspects of the topic. The book's coverage is even broader than its title suggests. Yes, AFTER CONTACT does include various chapters on the post-contact situation (first impressions, initial impact, interacting with ETI, and long-term consequences). In addition, though, three early chapters are devoted to the psychology of the search itself. And then four disciplined but fascinating chapters speculate on the psychology and sociology of aliens themselves, as well as their culture and their social organization. Definitely an eye-opening book that is enjoyable to read!

I wanted to enjoy this book. And to a point I did. Mr. Harrison studied the past to give us an idea about how we might react to aliens.
The big problem with this book is about half of it deals with the origins of life, the SETI project and the PAST. Only the last few chapters deal with contact with aliens and how mankind might react. Now, if you picked up this book I would assume you ALREADY believe in aliens, know about SETI and have some idea about the past when it comes to Mars, War Of The Worlds and UFOs.
I DID enjoy it, but much of it had nothing to do with AFTER CONTACT and mostly just trying to prove many of the author's own ideas - aliens exist, UFOs don't, so on.
Get it used or ask a friend to get for you during one of those made up, third rate, Holidays.

The entire first third of the book was IMHO a waste of paper. The author attempts to describe the rationale and basis for SETI but it is done so superficially that it essentially boils down to "some people with Ph.Ds think it would be a good idea".

There is an entire chapter devoted to discrediting UFOs which seemed strangely out of place. I suppose the author is afraid of being lumped in with that crowd and wanted to make sure that didn't happen.

The rest of the book is better, although I still can't help but feel that the entire book boils down to:

If aliens aren't much like us then we can't predict what they are going to be like, thus I will assume that they are at least something like us. Except maybe they'll have four arms instead of two -- but they'll still be capitalist democracies.

His rationale for why they should be democratic was totally unconvincing. Explanations for why they should bother to look for us or share any information with us are essentially nonexistent (he more or less defines the problem away, "we will call 'intelligent life' anything which is looking for other life in the universe").

I gave this 3 stars but it really deserves only 2 1/2 ... I was feeling generous today.

[BTW, I AM pro-SETI in general, I just thought this book was overall a weak piece of work.]

A very good book but....consider this: Two workers are about to begin bulldozing. They notice a couple of ant hills. One comments,"Gee, they're clever little guys." The other agrees. Then, a few minutes later, they begin work and completely destroy the colony without a thought. By now, we all agree that the cosmos is downright filthy with intelligent life. A super-advanced intelligent life form would be all too aware of this. If their projects called for it, they would think nothing of eliminating far lesser life forms. They would be no more malcious or evil than the two workers mentioned above.Someday, we will indeed discover other intelligences.When we do let us assume the "Mother of all low-profiles" Contact,assuming we haven't \ been detected, is the LAST thing we want until after one incredibly profound investigation.

No book review, merely a reply:

SETI research these days is supported almost entirely by private funds, companies and individuals. If Mr. Carlberg feels that's a problem, a more constructive solution might be for him to work towards finding funding for the projects he prefers. It's hardly as if greedy astronomers are somehow snatching public funds away from primate research, after all.

I read this book simply for pleasure. I am a science teacher by eduaction so why not get a few fresh ideas about exo-biology.
The problem human searches for intelligence is we are seeing it around us everyday and disgrading it as life on Earth. For example how probable is it that molecules can conspire to generate a living system, then advance to a level where the molecules now build a complex living system ? How probable is it that the sum could so exceed its whole? A conscious being arises from a system of what we believe is dead and lifeless atoms.
We should behold the World about us, as it is as close as we will ever get to seeing what alien life is all about.