Rich wrote:

Do you expect SETI to succeed?

I assume that "succeed" in this context means to detect
signs of ET civilizations, but maybe you could tell me
what success would be to you. The phrase 'the operation
was a success but the patient died' comes to mind for
some reason. Seems that doctors have a different definition
for the success of an operation than patients (and their
families) do. Perhaps SETI insiders do as well.

I do not care if the ET has four or eight limbs. 
I want to know if it has a teleology that is
attractive to intelligent creatures.

ET is silent because it has nothing to say. It
is passive because it has nothing to do except
consuming narcotics.

SETI will be a success if it proves that some
civilizations are diverse, expanding, devoid of
narcotics, and durable. It will be a failure if
it detects no ETIs, or confirms that all ETIs
commit suicide.