Free Tin Foil

[Rincewind]

It would explain Ian Dowie.

[MooseBreath]

Don't know, but what I do know is the odds of us being the highest form of intelligence in the universe is pretty slim, but something has to be.

There's has been millions of species on earth, and we're the highest form of intelligence here, not just by an inch or even a mile, but by an absolutely monumental distance. Just how freakish are we? We know for a fact that our intelligence is a several million to one shot, and our superiority would suggest that the actual number is many times higher. Maybe a trillion to one shot.

[Captain...]

There's has been millions of species on earth, and we're the highest form of intelligence here, not just by an inch or even a mile, but by an absolutely monumental distance. Just how freakish are we? We know for a fact that our intelligence is a several million to one shot, and our superiority would suggest that the actual number is many times higher. Maybe a trillion to one shot.

May be so, but are there not billions of stars out there, with trillions of planets orbiting them, I'm sure I've read that our sun is fairly young in star terms so logic would predict that an older race could be found on planets orbiting some of the older stars.

[MooseBreath]

You've still got to find a planet capable of sustaining life, and it needs to ne stable enough for a long period of time in order for life to develop. The numbers of possible planets are obviously huge, but are they as huge as the odds on our intelligence?

[Rincewind]

the more planets there are doesn't it reduce the odds?

[MooseBreath]

the more planets there are doesn't it reduce the odds?

No the odds on a species developing our level of intelligence remains the same. More planets mean more species means more of a chance that another species will have reached our level, but it doesn't change the odds.

[AoWW]

you might have a cat thrown at you for that comment

I'd never throw a cat!