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Ad Astra, Part II

So: what is so philosophically interesting about this movie?

This: the brilliant but brittle scientist is turned mad by the realization that the human race is alone in the cosmos. Or at least in this galaxy.

One key premise is that the base was established on Neptune in the first place because only there could data about the rest of the galaxy be gathered free of solar interference or something. Usual sci-fi gobbledegok but... the point is that the base was established on the fringe of our solar system with the confidence that if there is other intelligent life to be detected, it could be detected from there.

Lots of data was gathered, no sign of alien life appeared. The negative result drove Tommy Lee Jones' character over the deep end and sets up the situation with which, as I said in Part I of this discussion, the plot of the movie begins.

Science fiction is full of aliens. It nearly never gives serious consideration to the possibility that there aren't any. That we are truly alone.

Can any one of my readers think of another example in this line? I'll wait.
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