But this is built into the Drake equation to begin with! My other response details out what I was thinking he meant in the first place. If you want to argue th

But this is built into the Drake equation to begin with! My other response details out what I was thinking he meant in the first place. If you want to argue the Drake equation on its own, that is cool, but it wasn't what I thought OP was talking about. My central argument is that if we are first that is pretty unlikely because we have 1000s of intelligent species and for us to be first of many on our own homeworld in addition to being first in the galaxy or beyond is much less likely. That said, I could see an argument being made for combative intelligences coevolving increased intelligence and this being the counterpoint to my counterpoint. Though I don't buy it.