I am inclined to agree with Joe, with different reasoning. There is so much we take for granted in what we think we know. Each one of those variables in the Drake equation is based on an astounding range of assumptions, besides themselves being massive assumptions in their own right. The entire field of science and our theoretical history is based on assumptions.

Those assumptions have got us where we are right now, in our current frame of reference, here on Earth, in the solar system, with a far from ideal society.

There is an infinity of possibilities outside each assumption we make, which we are ignoring, maybe necessarily to date.

An assumption is like a filter, which assists us in filtering out noise.

Noise is anything we don’t understand or can’t explain.

What we think we know just makes us ignorant of other possibilities. We have no idea of what we will learn in the future.

Open up the filters, and the possibility of other life becomes overwhelming. Further, it becomes overwhemingly obvious that it will be more intelligent than us.

I think any other life, particularly more intelligent life, would take one look at the way we consistently dig into our planets resources for energy needs, whilst largely ignoring the obvious source of that energy, the sun, in the name of profit, to feed off of one another in a zero sum game, instead of feeding together, with our planet, from the sun; and that lifeform would steer well clear of us.

Would it even define us as intelligent life at all? I think probably not.