Comments on: A letter to Larry https://habitablezone.com/2013/06/04/a-letter-to-larry/ Tue, 07 Apr 2026 19:18:10 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jody https://habitablezone.com/2013/06/04/a-letter-to-larry/#comment-24432 Jody Tue, 04 Jun 2013 21:45:21 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=33548#comment-24432 ...because that is not our ER talking...he has gone bye bye. …because that is not our ER talking…he has gone bye bye.

]]> By: ER https://habitablezone.com/2013/06/04/a-letter-to-larry/#comment-24430 ER Tue, 04 Jun 2013 18:07:43 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=33548#comment-24430 I'm referring strictly to SETI issues. I used to believe there were about a million civilizations in the Milky Way capable of either interstellar travel or communication using microwaves or lasers. This was based on my assignment of values to the Drake equation. Now, I think we would be very lucky if there is even one other technical civilization in the Galaxy. In fact, it may be possible we are the first, and we may be the only one, that no others will arise to take our place. We have solid evidence about how life arose and evolves, so we can make reasonable speculations about it. But we only have one example of a civilization capable of interstellar communication, our own. And it took four and a half billion years for our planet to generate us. And we have no way of knowing we aren't just a fluke. That's what I mean by lonely. Having the Galaxy all to ourselves is a really terrifying thought for me. I’m referring strictly to SETI issues. I used to believe there were about a million civilizations in the Milky Way capable of either interstellar travel or communication using microwaves or lasers. This was based on my assignment of values to the Drake equation.

Now, I think we would be very lucky if there is even one other technical civilization in the Galaxy. In fact, it may be possible we are the first, and we may be the only one, that no others will arise to take our place.

We have solid evidence about how life arose and evolves, so we can make reasonable speculations about it. But we only have one example of a civilization capable of interstellar communication, our own. And it took four and a half billion years for our planet to generate us. And we have no way of knowing we aren’t just a fluke.

That’s what I mean by lonely. Having the Galaxy all to ourselves is a really terrifying thought for me.

]]> By: Jody https://habitablezone.com/2013/06/04/a-letter-to-larry/#comment-24429 Jody Tue, 04 Jun 2013 17:49:40 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=33548#comment-24429 THAT is not what I would expect you to say.... THAT is not what I would expect you to say….

]]> By: Jody https://habitablezone.com/2013/06/04/a-letter-to-larry/#comment-24428 Jody Tue, 04 Jun 2013 17:48:48 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=33548#comment-24428 However...how is acrimonious academic these days? However…how is acrimonious academic these days?

]]> By: Jody https://habitablezone.com/2013/06/04/a-letter-to-larry/#comment-24427 Jody Tue, 04 Jun 2013 17:47:33 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=33548#comment-24427 But I know. But I know.

]]> By: ER https://habitablezone.com/2013/06/04/a-letter-to-larry/#comment-24426 ER Tue, 04 Jun 2013 17:28:47 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=33548#comment-24426 I had a feeling you were monitoring this frequency, but I just wanted to make sure. I had a feeling you were monitoring this frequency, but I just wanted to make sure.

]]> By: TB https://habitablezone.com/2013/06/04/a-letter-to-larry/#comment-24424 TB Tue, 04 Jun 2013 16:58:53 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=33548#comment-24424 <p>!!!</p> <img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/93afccd67c535bcbbd325c3dcd78317d/tumblr_mhyzc79EDo1r2qpdao1_400.gif" alt="" /> :) !!!

:)

]]> By: ER https://habitablezone.com/2013/06/04/a-letter-to-larry/#comment-24423 ER Tue, 04 Jun 2013 16:27:31 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=33548#comment-24423 Not really, my opinions on SETI have been undergoing a sea change since before I even started posting on the Zone. Even if what you suspect is true, your evidence of it is purely coincidental, contradicted by the fact you knew nothing about me prior to my posting here. Besides, what do my opinions on SETI have to do with anything else? Then again, I am an open-minded sort of chap, non-doctrinaire, tolerant of new ideas, ready to consider both sides of an argument, and willing to concede a point that is well put and logically sound. You know me, Mr Moderate, middle of the roader; sees both sides of every issue... Not really, my opinions on SETI have been undergoing a sea change since before I even started posting on the Zone. Even if what you suspect is true, your evidence of it is purely coincidental, contradicted by the fact you knew nothing about me prior to my posting here.

Besides, what do my opinions on SETI have to do with anything else?

Then again, I am an open-minded sort of chap, non-doctrinaire, tolerant of new ideas, ready to consider both sides of an argument, and willing to concede a point that is well put and logically sound. You know me, Mr Moderate, middle of the roader; sees both sides of every issue…

]]> By: Jody https://habitablezone.com/2013/06/04/a-letter-to-larry/#comment-24421 Jody Tue, 04 Jun 2013 16:04:36 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=33548#comment-24421 "But I do know my ideas on this, what has been one of my life’s most constant and obsessive speculations, are now very different than what they were a few decades ago. Have I been influenced by new knowledge, or have I fundamentally changed and I am perceiving the same universe differently?" ~I *TOLD* you awhile back I felt you had changed. I sensed it.~ “But I do know my ideas on this, what has been one of my life’s most constant and obsessive speculations, are now very different than what they were a few decades ago. Have I been influenced by new knowledge, or have I fundamentally changed and I am perceiving the same universe differently?”

~I *TOLD* you awhile back I felt you had changed. I sensed it.~

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