Anti-SETI:

The existence of a planet with all of the environmental conditions similar to earth is a highly improbable event. Furthermore high intelligence is not favored by the natural selection process. Thus, even if life evolves on a distant planet, the intelligence most likely will not develop at all. Even if intelligence develops, it may not evolve into a civilization capable of radio communication. And even if it evolves into a civilization capable of radio communication, it may be so far in space or time that it will never reach the SETI instruments. There are just too many improbable factors that must occur in order for SETI to succeed, which means that the success of SETI is impossible. Working at a project that constantly lacks funding and hasn't had a single success is a waste of time. We should give up looking all together, stop spending our hard earned tax dollars on a wild pipe-dream that will never come true.

Pro-SETI:

Life is a natural consequence of physical laws acting in appropriate environments. Among the hundreds of billions of stars, life must be abundant and not unique to just earth. In the many life-bearing planets that surely exist, it would be natural for intelligence to evolve. One would expect any civilization to look beyond its own realm and ultimately try to communicate with others. The easiest means available for communication over intersteller distances are radio waves; therefore, if we just listen to a broad spectrum of radio waves from outer space, we may receive an alien signal some day. This would finally settle the question of extra-terrestrial intelligence. Such an event would eventually bring an era of interstellar communication, and exchange of information on a scale unimagined before, completely changing the way we understand our position in the universe.

Conclusion:

Without any hard evidence regarding existence of extraterrestrial intelligence, opponents of SETI seem to have a valid point. On the other hand, with evidence of pre-biotic chemistry in cosmic dust and potential discoveries of Earth-like planets around nearby stars, the arguments put forth by SETI enthusiasts grow stronger every day. These scientists believe that only time stands between SETI and success. A success which will greatly reward humanity for all its expenditure.

Question for the Class:

Do you think SETI is a legitimate aspect of astrobiology research? Or is it too far reaching i.e. a waste of time and money?

Nicholas Friedman
Gavin Cree