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I’ve heard that the Drake equation was originally (?) intended to be a parable that makes you think about whether our civilization is likely to destroy itself b
by jes5199 6y ago
I’ve heard that the Drake equation was originally (?) intended to be a parable that makes you think about whether our civilization is likely to destroy itself before making a noticeable impact on the universe, in order to promote nuclear disarmament
- EE84M3i 6y agoAs far as I know, the concept of the 'great filter' was invented by (the now canceled) Robin Hanson.
- jes5199 6y agoHanson gave it that name in the 90s but it’s implied in Drake’s equations - I think people in the 1960s were aware of the subtext
- cgriswald 6y agoI’ve studied this a lot but it’s been awhile. Drake et al we’re doing this during the Cold War and were definitely aware we could wipe ourselves out either with weapons or through ecological disaster. The L term is specifically about civilizations destroying themselves (although it can also be advances in technology which end radio-as-we-know-it). The great filter is an attempt to explain the Fermi Paradox. Fermi was there, but the paradox necessarily came after the Drake equation.