From the article:
Quote:
If--as I hope is the case--we are the only intelligent species that has ever evolved in our galaxy, and perhaps in the entire observable universe, it does not follow that our survival is not in danger. Nothing in the preceding reasoning precludes there being steps in the Great Filter both behind us and ahead of us. It might be extremely improbable both that intelligent life should arise on any given planet and that intelligent life, once evolved, should succeed in becoming advanced enough to colonize space.
But we would have some grounds for hope that all or most of the Great Filter is in our past if Mars is found to be barren. In that case, we may have a significant chance of one day growing into something greater than we are now.
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I agree with the majority of the opinions here, that this is really rather bogus. First, it is based on this hypothesis of a "Great Filter" event, which is unproven.
It also is kind of depressing - hoping that life isn't found elsewhere as some sort of glimmer of hope that humans will survive. It comes across and weird, stupid, and grasping at straws. Frankly, I rather hope we are not alone in the universe.