Abstract
From antiquity to the present, humans have debated whether intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe. This presentation will survey this debate, examining the roles played in it by science, religion, philosophy, and other areas of human learning. One thesis that will be developed is that whether or not extraterrestrials exist, ideas about them have strongly influenced Western thought.
Keywords
exobiology, plurality of worlds, religion, theology, extraterrestrial life ideas
How to Cite
Crowe, M., (1997) “A History of the Extraterrestrial Life Debate”, Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science 32(2), 147–162. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/0591-2385.801997079