Rich <someone@somewhere.com> writes:

In infinite wisdom Joseph Lazio answered:

Only if you assume that the "looking" we can do is of sufficient
sensivity to detect ET life. And indeed, if ET is out there
trying to contact us, would we not have detected them already?

This is not at all clear.  Let's suppose ET does exist and is
at this very moment trying to catch our attention by sending us
an enormously strong (by radio astronomy standards) monochromatic
signal on 23.456789 GHz (to pick a random example).  We've never
even looked at this frequency range, to my knowledge, much less
done any sort of systematic search.  Almost surely we would not
have detected them already, even though they are trying to contact us.

Once we've searched the whole sky, in all likely frequency bands,
then we can make the statement you made above.  But this is
exactly what the SETI searches are trying to do!

Are SETI searches worth the small amount we spend on them?
Absolutely, this is one of those high risk, high payoff gambles.

R> High payoff? How so?

Do you think of everything in terms of money? 

Did I use the word "money"? I suggest that this is your paradigm, not
mine.

No, you are the one who defined vested interest as a monetary stake.
Most scientists would define it differently (see below).

"Payoff" here is used in a broader sense. 

Absolutely.  I've answered what I considered a high payoff in another
message.

I'm not at all certain that you can know what a high payoff would be
for Mr. Scheffer. And it's somewhat disturbing that you seem ready
to speak for him. Has he granted you permission to do so?

Even though we have never spoken, Mr. Lazio represents my views
perfectly.  I am honored that he has chosen to do so.

One of the reasons many scientists are scientists
is not because of the monetary rewards.

Absolutely.  To most scientists, 'having a vested interest in X' means
'published a paper claiming X is true'.  Having a monetary interest
in X being true or not is possible in medicine, but rather unlikely
in astronomy.  No one gets rich off astronomy discoveries, or even
building astronomy facilities.  In fact universities and non-profits
like the SETI Institute are pretty much limited in their hiring to
those who do the work for the joy of it, since with relatively low
salaries and no stock possibilities, they cannot hope to attract 
those who are motivated by money.

I have friends who have moved
from astronomy to other careers and obtained much higher salaries as a
result.  I like the reward of being (or trying to be) the first to
find something that nobody else has seen.

Do you expect to see ET?
If you did, what would the payoff be for you? Or perhaps you've answered
that already, money.

Look at the last sentence he wrote - "I like the reward of being 
(or trying to be) the first to find something that nobody else has 
seen."  That's his payoff.

    Lou Scheffer