The Debate on Extra-Terrestrial Life

             SETI plays an important role in the debate on whether extra-terrestrial life exists (“SETI”, 2007). SETI, traditionally, has supported theories that extra-terrestrial civilizations exist, contrary to the fact that there is no true evidence of any civilized life outside of Earth (“SETI”, 2007). Due to its radical theories, SETI has been subject to much criticism in its past (“SETI”, 2007). Called overly-optimistic, SETI has been referred to as a religion rather than a science (by famous science-fiction author Michael Crichton amongst others), or as a pseudoscience, or mythology (“SETI”, 2007). The article “SETI” has also pointed to the fact that some believe that directing signals randomly into space (a practice SETI has taken to in its past and present) is dangerous.