Zyobot
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Post by Zyobot on May 25, 2019 21:53:58 GMT
We've seen them depicting in sci-fi throughout the ages, from Isaac Asimov's aptly named book series to two out of three trilogies in the world-famous Star Wars franchise. Though existent on a mind-boggling and perhaps even unrealistic scale, the idea of a society that spans at least one of billions of incomprehensibly vast collections of gas, dust, and celestial bodies captures and enthralls the imaginations of many a science fiction fan.
Plausibly speaking, though, what might a galactic--or even intergalactic--look like if it were to take shape?
Thank you in advance,
Zyobot
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on May 26, 2019 7:21:03 GMT
We've seen them depicting in sci-fi throughout the ages, from Isaac Asimov's aptly named book series to two out of three trilogies in the world-famous Star Wars franchise. Though existent on a mind-boggling and perhaps even unrealistic scale, the idea of a society that spans at least one of billions of incomprehensibly vast collections of gas, dust, and celestial bodies captures and enthralls the imaginations of many a science fiction fan. Plausibly speaking, though, what might a galactic--or even intergalactic--look like if it were to take shape? Thank you in advance, Zyobot It would be a massive to govern such a government if it is a single government. |
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Zyobot
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Post by Zyobot on May 26, 2019 14:45:03 GMT
We've seen them depicting in sci-fi throughout the ages, from Isaac Asimov's aptly named book series to two out of three trilogies in the world-famous Star Wars franchise. Though existent on a mind-boggling and perhaps even unrealistic scale, the idea of a society that spans at least one of billions of incomprehensibly vast collections of gas, dust, and celestial bodies captures and enthralls the imaginations of many a science fiction fan. Plausibly speaking, though, what might a galactic--or even intergalactic--look like if it were to take shape? Thank you in advance, Zyobot It would be a massive to govern such a government if it is a single government. Well, no doubt it'd be a massive territory to govern--if such a thing is at all possible by one (maybe not even coherent) entity. Speaking of, what do you think of the discussion taking place in the AH.com version of this thread? |
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Zyobot
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Post by Zyobot on May 26, 2019 22:57:45 GMT
I wonder how a galactic (or even intergalactic) economy would look? If travel and communication over those distances is so slow and difficult--if not downright impossible--to achieve, then I imagine that worlds and star systems would have their own diverse range of socioeconomic systems to speak of.
For a civilization that does possess commonplace FTL travel and communications, though, I'm pondering how plausible a space-based, more or less anarcho-capitalistic 'Wild West' sort of setting would be. But my expertise alone to decide here.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on May 27, 2019 3:05:09 GMT
I wonder how a galactic (or even intergalactic) economy would look? If travel and communication over those distances is so slow and difficult--if not downright impossible--to achieve, then I imagine that worlds and star systems would have their own diverse range of socioeconomic systems to speak of. For a civilization that does possess commonplace FTL travel and communications, though, I'm pondering how plausible a space-based, more or less anarcho-capitalistic 'Wild West' sort of setting would be. But my expertise alone to decide here. I think it will const of many types of currency's. |
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Zyobot
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Post by Zyobot on May 27, 2019 17:35:29 GMT
I wonder how a galactic (or even intergalactic) economy would look? If travel and communication over those distances is so slow and difficult--if not downright impossible--to achieve, then I imagine that worlds and star systems would have their own diverse range of socioeconomic systems to speak of. For a civilization that does possess commonplace FTL travel and communications, though, I'm pondering how plausible a space-based, more or less anarcho-capitalistic 'Wild West' sort of setting would be. But my expertise alone to decide here. I think it will const of many types of currency's. If worlds and star systems exhibit that aforementioned diverse range of socioeconomic systems, then yeah. And if a sort of 'Galactic Ancapistan' were to come about, maybe there'd be multitudinous competing currencies, assuming that those aren't long obsolete by the time a galaxy-wide civilization comes about. |
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Zyobot
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Post by Zyobot on Jul 28, 2019 19:07:04 GMT
To (hopefully) restart a thread that's been dormant for a few months, I wonder if you could take the Orion's Arm universe and rescale it so that something resembling that setting is how a galactic or even intergalactic civilization would look? |
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mullauna
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Post by mullauna on Jul 31, 2019 6:24:22 GMT
real life humanity's space-faring future will *not* be a monarchy. Thanks a bloody lot, George Lucas.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 31, 2019 12:46:15 GMT
Semi-autonomous communities housed in purpose-built habitats orbiting planets, rather than on the planets themselves.
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stevep
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Post by stevep on Jul 31, 2019 14:32:59 GMT
Semi-autonomous communities housed in purpose-built habitats orbiting planets, rather than on the planets themselves.
Agreed, its very likely most and possibly even all humans, assuming we're still around in any recognisable form, will be living off planetary surfaces.
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Zyobot
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Post by Zyobot on Jul 31, 2019 22:14:57 GMT
Semi-autonomous communities housed in purpose-built habitats orbiting planets, rather than on the planets themselves. Mm'kay. In addition to perhaps living in spaceships that can traverse the galaxy (maybe even beyond), what about inhabiting ringworlds? I do recall watching a video or two that explains how building and maintaining a construct of that size and build would be impractical, but perhaps they'd have the economic means as well as scientific and technological know-how to make it work. I'm less sure about Dyson Shells. And yes, I do indeed mean shell--as in the structure that completely encloses a star. Apparently, the term Dyson Sphere didn't originally refer to that. |
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stevep
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Post by stevep on Aug 1, 2019 9:22:01 GMT
Semi-autonomous communities housed in purpose-built habitats orbiting planets, rather than on the planets themselves. Mm'kay. In addition to perhaps living in spaceships that can traverse the galaxy (maybe even beyond), what about inhabiting ringworlds? I do recall watching a video or two that explains how building and maintaining a construct of that size and build would be impractical, but perhaps they'd have the economic means as well as scientific and technological know-how to make it work. I'm less sure about Dyson Shells. And yes, I do indeed mean shell--as in the structure that completely encloses a star. Apparently, the term Dyson Sphere didn't originally refer to that.
Apart from the sheer mass needed for such items wouldn't you also need artificial gravity? IIRC Bob Shaw wrote a series of novels about one such but someone pointed out that natural gravity on the inside of a sphere - assuming equal density and mass - would balance out.
With ringsworlds I recall that Larry Niven's 2nd book in the series was largely him finding solutions to problems that assorted readers pointed out with the 1st book in terms of why they wouldn't be very stable and secure. Things like orbital stability, erosion without plate tectonics meaning that all the high areas of land would gradually be worn away and you would end up with shallow seas and things like that. Checking that since I read the series there have been an entire sequence of books co-written with another author which are largely precues to the original Ringworld! Just don't see him or that many other writers in the libraries nowadays.  |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 1, 2019 21:19:09 GMT
Mm'kay. In addition to perhaps living in spaceships that can traverse the galaxy (maybe even beyond), what about inhabiting ringworlds? I do recall watching a video or two that explains how building and maintaining a construct of that size and build would be impractical, but perhaps they'd have the economic means as well as scientific and technological know-how to make it work. Of course all SF/theoretical megastructures (Domed Arcologies, Ringworlds, Generation Ships, O'Neill Habitats, Dyson Spheres, Space Stations that can support more than five people) need materials technology that far outstrips even leading edge engineering research. If a civilization can build a Generation Ship capable of crossing the galaxy it might be safer to stay on that ship, than on a planet. Planets with a breathable atmosphere and a non-terrestrial biota would lethal to the passengers - a sterile planet with a breathable atmosphere is unlikely. I'm less sure about Dyson Shells. And yes, I do indeed mean shell--as in the structure that completely encloses a star Even Freeman Dyson rolled back from the concept of the shell to a "swarm of light collectors". |
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dayton3
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Post by dayton3 on Jan 15, 2020 15:40:54 GMT
Probably like nothing remotely seen in science fiction. For starters, in all likelihood various intelligent life forms would be so incredibly different that they would have very little in common.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Jan 15, 2020 16:00:17 GMT
Probably like nothing remotely seen in science fiction. For starters, in all likelihood various intelligent life forms would be so incredibly different that they would have very little in common. Well as long as they come in peace, any civilization that has advance space flight is a civilization Earth must fear. |
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