Contact with Extraterrestrial Intelligence and Human Law: The Applicability of Rules of War and Human Rights

Bohlander, Michael

Abstract

It is statistically unlikely that humans are the only intelligent species in the universe. Nothing about the others will be known until contact is made beyond a radio signal from space that merely tells us they existed when it was sent. That contact may occur tomorrow, in a hundred years, or never. If it does it will be a high-risk scenario for humanity. It may be peaceful or hostile. Relying on alien altruism and benign intentions is wishful thinking. We need to begin identifying as a planetary species, and develop a global consensus on how to respond in either scenario.

Citation

Bohlander, M. (2023). Contact with Extraterrestrial Intelligence and Human Law: The Applicability of Rules of War and Human Rights. Brill Academic Publishers. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004677708

• Book Type: Authored Book
• Online Publication Date: Aug 7, 2023
• Publication Date: Aug 7, 2023
• Deposit Date: Aug 11, 2023
• Publisher: Brill Academic Publishers
• Series Title: Studies in International Criminal Law
• Series Number: 5
• Series ISSN: 2666- 903x
• ISBN: 9789004677692
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004677708
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1716061
• Additional Information: Review by Michael Uhall, 31 Jan 2024 (Limina — The Journal of UAP Studies 1(1) (2024) 55-58):; https://doi.org/10.59661/001c.92685; ; Review by Andreas Müller, 30 Jan 2024 (Grenzwissenschaft-Aktuell): https://www.grenzwissenschaft-aktuell.de/juristisches-fachbuch-untersucht-moegliche-folgen-und-konsequenzen-eines-kontakts-mit-ausserirdischen20240130/; ; Review by W. L. Cheah, 21 May 2024 (Asian Journal of International Law): https://doi.org/10.1017/S2044251324000109; ; Review by Ketevani Gamtkitsulashvili and Bharati Manukonda, May 2024 (Principium, 45, 14-17): https://i4is.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Book-Review-Contact-with-ExtraterrestrialPrincipium45-2405171117-comp.pdf; ; Review by Jakub Handrlica, December 2024 (Právník; Teoretický časopis pro otázky státu a práva, 163, 1317-1330, Recenze): https://www.ilaw.cas.cz/casopisy-a-knihy/casopisy/casopis-pravnik/archiv/2024/2024-12.html?a=3909; Professor Handrlica has approved the following EN translation of the conclusion on p. 1320:; "It can be stated that Michael Bohlander has written a work that has no parallel in the existing literature in terms of its focus and depth of elaboration. His monograph therefore has the potential to become a reference work for all those who will deal with this topic for the next decade. It is a work that is fascinating in its content and manner of elaboration. At the same time, it is impossible not to see that it is a work that is disturbing in its content. The fact remains that humanity is completely unprepared for an encounter with extraterrestrial intelligence, not only legally, but also materially, politically and militarily."; ; Review by Hugh Taylor and Marc Feldman, Mar 2025 (Center for the Study of Space Crime, Piracy, and Governance):; https://cscpg.org/book-reviews/book-review-contact-with-extraterrestrial-intelligence-and-human-law/