The famous philosophical quip goes: "God exists, but if he hadn't at any one point in time, which is absurd to think, he would have been invented a long time ago." This statement, both humorous and profound, implies two things: first, the ontological or logical necessity of God’s existence, and second, the inescapable human need to construct the concept of God, should such an entity not exist. But does this reasoning apply beyond our planet—among alien civilizations scattered throughout the cosmos?
Given current astronomical estimates, the probability of advanced alien life in the universe is not only plausible—it borders on certain. The observable universe contains roughly 2 trillion galaxies, each with an average of 200 billion stars. Multiplying these gives us a total of approximately 4 × 10²³ stars1. Based on exoplanet discoveries from missions like Kepler, it's reasonable to assume most of these stars have planets, many of which could fall into the habitable zone.
Astrophysicist Frank Drake proposed an equation to estimate the number of civilizations in our galaxy capable of communication. Even using conservative inputs for the Drake Equation, we arrive at billions of potentially intelligent civilizations—many of which may be far more advanced than humanity2.
Now, consider what such civilizations might do. If they evolve past survival and technological infancy, their advancement could reach a “virtual godhood” stage—mastery of energy, consciousness, space-time, and perhaps even the ability to simulate realities or create life. These are capabilities indistinguishable from classical definitions of divinity.
But even before they reach that stage, intelligent beings—whether human or alien—face the existential void. Logic, psychology, and sociology all converge on a singular point: the idea of God, or of a higher ordering principle, seems inevitable in any conscious species that reflects upon death, suffering, purpose, or morality. Historically, every culture on Earth has constructed metaphysical frameworks populated by divine figures. There's no reason to believe alien civilizations would be immune to this same impulse.
Philosophically, the argument aligns with thinkers like Voltaire and Anselm: if God didn’t exist, humanity—or any intelligent species—would be compelled to invent Him. Whether as an organizing principle, a source of hope, or a necessary abstraction for the limits of comprehension, “God” arises naturally from cognition.
So, what happens when we apply mathematics to this inevitability? Assume:
There are 200 trillion (2 × 10¹⁴) advanced civilizations in the observable universe.
Conservatively, 90% of them develop belief systems that include the concept of God.
Further, perhaps 0.01% reach a technological stage equivalent to “virtual godhood.”
This results in roughly:
180 trillion civilizations inventing the concept of God.
20 million civilizations capable of actualizing god-like beings or systems.
Mathematically, the probability that at least one alien civilization has either conceptualized or created a God-like entity is effectively 100%. This brings us to our concluding synthesis:
Given the near-certainty that countless alien civilizations exist or have existed, and the near-certainty that intelligent beings inevitably conceptualize and potentially even technologically manifest divine entities, the mathematical probability that God (as an idea or reality) has already been invented or realized elsewhere in the universe is effectively 100%.
