Fifty years of scant results steer researchers to greener pastures.
Dr. Larc Nagas, Special Director of SETI’s Forward-planning Committee, today proposed a radical agenda to modify the search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence.
He proposed Earth be included in the search for intelligent life.
There seems to be bugger all up there in space” he snarled, inverting the hook of Idle’s Galaxy Song.
However, amongst the plague-like, inbred, hedonistic gluttony smothering this once pristine globe there might be the odd bipedal upright that places beauty and sanctity of life before compulsive acquisitiveness or incessant primal ingratiation.”
The SETI Institute is a not-for-profit organization. Its mission: “explore, understand and explain the origin, nature and prevalence of life in the universe”
Dr. Nagas is concerned SETI’s reputation suffers from both the ongoing debate about ‘hard science’ and lack of results.
We downgrade expectations from millions – to how many? – advanced extraterrestrial civilizations in our galaxy.”
We counter SETI lacks Popperian criteria for falsifiability, or even if the Drake equation was ever testable.
Finally, the laughable claims against active SETI of a Borg encounter or Independence Day scenario – I can assure you Earth is at far greater risk from the return of that mutated Voyager than any science-fiction concoction.
Active SETI is criticized for revealing Earth’s location to alien civilizations.
SETI proponents sarcastically explain Earth is easily found by any civilization with telescopes and cosmologists.
And should they decide to check it out, they will find it pretty-well written off by 6 billion fuckwits.”
While scientists seem wary of Dr. Nagas’ claims, governments are anxious to be seen supporting the campaign.