Implications of the Discovery of Extraterrestrial Life

[Theophrastus]

This question is purely one of interest, but I'm wondering, what do YOU think would be the moral, scientific, philosophical implications if extraterrestrial life as simple as bacteria, were to be discovered beyond Earth?

 

On an alternative note, I'm wondering, why is it that we humans have such an intense fascination of discovering extraterrestrial life (outside of the wierd E.T.- esque romanticism) in the first place?

 

Any thoughts guys?

[AzurePhoenix]

For me, as a moral relativist, it would change nothing morally. Philosophically, as a pragmatically utilitarian rationalistic empiricist, it would change nothing for me either, except possibly to confirm or discredit speculative hypothesis about the frequency of life beyond earth.

 

Scientifically though, it opens up all sorts of possibilities. We'd finally have an outside reference about an independent genetic form, whether convergent with our own or not, the conditions life can form, evolve and survive under, the paths and forms it can take, its chemistry etc etc etc and beyond.