What is the Drake Equation?

[SSanf]

Frank Drake's own current solution to the Drake Equation estimates 10,000 communicative civilizations in the Milky Way.

http://www.setileague.org/general/drake.htmThe relevance to non-theism should be obvious.

[Infinite Grey]

While the Drake equation is a nice conversational piece, it isn't a theory or even a hypothesis as it is untestable. Very few rational scientific based theists will cite it as a proof against the existence of a god/dess or in a scientific discussion except to speculate in a fantastical manner. The other instance it is used (as is with the case of The Amazing Atheist) is when sparring with an intellectual inferior, especially when they're using the probability of the instances of "Earth-like" lifeforms existing outside of Earth as evidence towards a creator.

Dr Frank Drake intended the equation to stimulate dialogue between people about these topics, leading to focus and how to proceed experimentally - nothing more. It's really just science fiction in the terms of scientific merit... but it is an interesting line of thought.

[plumedsnake]

Sounds like a load of rubbish.

'the fraction of life supporting planets where intelligence develops'. This for example would be arguing in circles cos people who believe in god don't believe that intelligence develops but that intelligence actually predates the existence of the universe.

[Zibblsnrt]

Sounds like a load of rubbish.

'the fraction of life supporting planets where intelligence develops'. This for example would be arguing in circles cos people who believe in god don't believe that intelligence develops but that intelligence actually predates the existence of the universe.

Meh; I believe in some sort of higher management, but I also believe human intelligence arose through the requisite zillion years of natural selection.

There's another page out there (http://frombob.to/drake.html) which plays around with the equation a bit more, mainly adding variables to get some detail and secondary numbers out of one's estimates about the number of civilizations. As Peacock said, both are currently only really useful as conversation pieces, but going further than the original equation adds more fodder for same.