Business : Crichton lecture

About: Look, this Mr.Drake created a "formula" that can start a "new religion" - SETI (search for extraterrestrial intelegence; read: looking for alien.) That what we "know" just a guess science. But the idea inspires people who like to believe it, and that is a real matters, if we are hoping for something that we think it's "unreasonable"...we need to make it sounds "reasonable"...and that is mean, MAKE SOMETHING BELIEVABLE. and that's enough.

(note: the whole lecture is focusing in communal science vs. real science - if most of the scientists agree on something, it doesn't meaning it's right. I just note some of his "founding" in drake equation, giving me 'different' message)

A lecture by Michael Crichton Caltech Michelin Lecture January 17, 2003
(part of it...)
...In 1960, Drake organizes the first SETI conference, and came up with the now-famous Drake equation:

N=N*fp ne fl fi fc fL

Where N is the number of stars in the Milky Way galaxy; fp is the fraction with planets; ne is the number of planets per star capable of supporting life; fl is the fraction of planets where life evolves; fi is the fraction where intelligent life evolves; and fc is the fraction that communicates; and fL is the fraction of the planet's life during which the communicating civilizations live.

This serious-looking equation gave SETI an serious footing as a legitimate intellectual inquiry. The problem, of course, is that none of the terms can be known, and most cannot even be estimated. The only way to work the equation is to fill in with guesses. And guesses-just so we're clear-are merely expressions of prejudice. Nor can there be "informed guesses." If you need to state how many planets with life choose to communicate, there is simply no way to make an informed guess. It's simply prejudice.

As a result, the Drake equation can have any value from "billions and billions" to zero. An expression that can mean anything means nothing. Speaking precisely, the Drake equation is literally meaningless...

(but, This serious-looking equation gave SETI an serious footing as a legitimate intellectual inquiry.)