It seems like the purpose of sending a signal is ultimately to get aliens to visit us. But the diseases they bring with them do have a high probability of wiping us out (or us wiping them out).
I suppose if both sides are very careful, or if we restrict ourselves to communication only, then it could be all right. But why go looking for more problems when we haven't even solved our own? And we probably never will.
One reason to be searching for a new civilization is to steal their technology. The first nation that's willing to do this stands to dominate every other nation, so there's a big incentive for us to steal their tech as long as the concept of nations still exist.
And of course, if the aliens somehow didn't already have nuclear technology, then transmitting our Wikipedia to them might prove disastrous for them.
> It seems like the purpose of sending a signal is ultimately to get aliens to visit us.
That's almost certainly beyond the capabilities of either civilization, but sure in the long term there's the benefit of already having some like-minded friends when we do get that capability.
> But the diseases they bring with them do have a high probability of wiping us out (or us wiping them out)
Again, considering the type of civilization we're trying to contact that's so far in the future it's not of immediate concern. What dangers both world pose to each other biologically would have to be studied carefully as data becomes available. There are certain things we can almost certainly exclude as disease carriers, such as viruses or other vectors that are tightly coupled to the host's biochemistry. Parasites and vermin might become a problem on both ends if living conditions are compatible enough (which is another big question mark).
> But why go looking for more problems when we haven't even solved our own?
We're not looking for problems, we're trying to contact people to at least gain some scientific knowledge but if possible also to get some serious motivation going towards technological advancement. Cooperation between two comparable but entirely separate civilizations has the potential to be very fruitful for both.
> One reason to be searching for a new civilization is to steal their technology.
Well, it's not like we'll pop in and steal their iPhones ;) If they choose to transmit scientific and engineering data, that's not stealing either (copying is not stealing). I would imagine such an exchange to be very cautious in the beginning. It might not even be feasible to transmit time-critical knowledge, however. Still, it's always of interest to compare notes, and I imagine scientists on both sides would welcome an extended conversation if posssible.
> so there's a big incentive for us to steal their tech as long as the concept of nations still exist
If they transmit the blueprint for some really advanced stuff, sure, there'd be the usual power shenanigans here on Earth. But at the moment, that's not a concern as the first messages back and forth would most likely be very limited in scope. Even establishing a common communications format might take several hundred years.
> if the aliens somehow didn't already have nuclear technology, then transmitting our Wikipedia to them might prove disastrous for them
It's unlikely they'd be able to communicate but at the same time not have mastered basic physics. There will be things that each side is more advanced at - for example it's conceivable that Earth has better information technology but lags behind its potential in energy production.
The biggest boost an open phone line can provide would probably be psychological, long before a meaningful science collaboration could be orchestrated. Just knowing there are other people out there is of tremendous value.
It seems like the purpose of sending a signal is ultimately to get aliens to visit us. But the diseases they bring with them do have a high probability of wiping us out (or us wiping them out).
I suppose if both sides are very careful, or if we restrict ourselves to communication only, then it could be all right. But why go looking for more problems when we haven't even solved our own? And we probably never will.
One reason to be searching for a new civilization is to steal their technology. The first nation that's willing to do this stands to dominate every other nation, so there's a big incentive for us to steal their tech as long as the concept of nations still exist.
And of course, if the aliens somehow didn't already have nuclear technology, then transmitting our Wikipedia to them might prove disastrous for them.