Criteria for the created

Not sure this is the right category, but here’s a thought experiment:

An anomalous object appears in outer space approaching earth. Inevitable arguments begin as to its origin. Does is have a natural source or an artificial source? Is it a naturally occurring object or an alien spaceship or something else? How could we tell? Are there criteria for artificiality?

This is not a scientific “category” but are we ready to dismiss the question as “outside the realm of science”? I don’t believe that such criteria exist but I strongly suspect that if such an unlikely event were occur, speculations would abound with confidence. Semiotics would be appealed to. “I think it’s a spaceship because it looks like a space ship.” “Symbols (or things that look like symbols) confirm that this is artificial.”

But there is no strict scientific criteria for “artificial” (that I know of).

What’s the point of all this?

If there are established criteria for “artificiality” is it possible to evaluate whether the universe itself bears the criteria?

Maybe it’s telling that such a task remains stubbornly hypothetical. Still it’s an interesting question and good thought experiment. And our “space eyes” aren’t that old yet so who knows!

It does remind me of Clark’s sci-fi “Rama” series. Humans found a huge metallic cylinder floating through the solar system and investigated it as an intelligently designed object (which it turned out to be). So I guess one obvious tell is if the thing is geometrically perfect; (nature does pretty good spheres, but cylinders, or polyhedra would be unheard of on an asteroid or planetary scale). So my immediate answer is that geometry should be a dead giveaway. And even though our spaceships don’t conform to simple geometric shapes, they are nevertheless a conglomeration of such shapes put together. We would never confuse a boulder-like asteroid with a space-shuttle given all the smooth or shiny surfaces and symmetries on the latter.

So my vote for the tell-tale distinction is on geometry.

here is a good way. the less chance that this kind of object can evolve naturally then the less chance it doesnt need a designer. lest say that you will find a s elf replicating robot with dna. do you will think its evolve or made by design? notice that this robot have a living traits.

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