Are we alone?

Are we, as human beings, the only intelligent life in the known,
observable universe? For much of human existence, our philosophers, mathematicians,
physicists, and astronomers have pondered this question. Some of the greatest minds of
many generations, from Democritus and Epicurus, to Immanuel Kant, to Enrico Fermi, to
the late Carl Sagan, have speculated on the existence of sentient, intelligent,
extraterrestrial life. Many arguments and hypotheses have arisen from these speculations,
all equally fascinating.
Dr. Frank Drake, the founder of the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence, is an
eminent astronomer and astrophysicist. In the 1960s, he devised an equation intended to
amalgamate all the issues surrounding the existence of extraterrestrial civilizations into
one concrete statement. The Drake equation states that the number of extraterrestrial
civilizations with which communication is possible is equal to several variables
multiplied together. Current estimates of the values of these variables put the number of
such civilizations at roughly 2.31.
These are very conservative estimates, and most of them are based on pure
conjecture. Recent astronomical searches have uncovered a multitude of Sun-like stars
within 500 light-years of our own solar system, a significant fraction of which are orbited
by Earthlike planets. Many astronomers believe that there are billions of such planets.
Yet there is a contradiction between the high estimated probability of the existence of
extraterrestrial life and the lack of contact with or observation of said civilizations; this is
the Fermi paradox. This could possibly be explained by the existence of some sort of
“Great Filter”, the proposed tendency for a civilization to destroy itself before
communication becomes possible.
This hypothesis ties in with a 2003 paper by Oxford Professor of Philosophy Nick
Bostrom, which details the so-called Simulation Argument. In his paper, Bostrom posits
that one must accept at least one of the following possibilities: (1) the human species is
likely to become extinct before reaching a “posthuman” stage; (2) any posthuman
civilization is extremely unlikely to run a significant number of simulations of their
evolutionary history; (3) we are almost certainly living in a computer simulation of our
universe. Based on the Fermi paradox, I personally believe that possible alien
civilizations have destroyed themselves before being able to make contact with
humankind. I further believe that humankind will inevitably destroy itself before reaching
the stage at which it can both make contact with extraterrestrial life and simulate its own
evolutionary history, populated with self-aware, sentient beings. This may seem
somewhat pessimistic, yet it is based on the principles of rationalism, empiricism, and
pragmatism that I hold dear.
The existence of extraterrestrial life and the Simulation Argument are intrinsically
different. The former can be empirically proved or disproved, but the latter is by nature
unprovable. Bostrom’s argument is more a matter of faith than science, an existential
debate analogous to that over the existence of God. Regardless of their truths, an
examination of these ideas begs the question: does it matter?
Whether we have yet to make contact with extraterrestrial life, are living in a
simulated world, or are truly alone in our universe does not matter to me. Confirmation of
any the above would not impact the way in which I life my life. I am unconcerned with
grand existential issues such as the fate of humankind. I choose to focus my intellectual
efforts on living my life as it is, on making the most of my existence on one planet in a
vast universe.