This book chapter presented an inquiry into cognitive models within an academic press edited book focused on communication with extraterrestrial intelligence. The book presented three major themes: advances in the physical sciences related to SETI, consideration of implications of communication with ET, and an inquiry regarding messaging with ET. The authors examined the topic of messaging through the lens of universal cognitive maps, which involve physical, aesthetic, ethical, and spiritual dimensions.. The chapter explored issues with ET communication informed by linguistic and cross-cultural studies, such the ability to interpret marks as pictorial communication seems to be educated not innate. The article presented the history of METI, focused on the Voyager space probe messages. After defining traditional cognitive maps that are based upon analysis and comparison, they introduced an alternative map based on the work of quantum physicist David Bohm. The alternative map is based upon a point of view of wholeness.
This chapter bridged the fields of physical sciences, ethics, and philosophy to advocate for new cognitive maps in SETI. Their reliance upon Bohm is interesting in that his dreams were known to inspire his scientific discoveries. The authors suggested that symmetry and the golden section may be signs of intelligent communication because they may be universally recognized as beautiful.