[olmideso]

> If we detect life close to us, it makes it more likely that there is tons of life around the galaxy, which makes it more likely that the filter is ahead of us.

Isn't is the other way around? I though that the main argument for the filter ahead of us is that we haven't found any civilization, which means civilizations cannot develop past some level at which they can be detected by us. But if we'll have found one, this means that such level of civilization can be passed, and therefore reduces the chances that there is a filter.

[bdamm]

I think by "life" the parent was talking about microbes on Mars or waterbears on comets or something. Technology developing life is a different thing entirely. If we find primitive life nearby, then there probably is primitive life everywhere, and very little technology developing life (because of the "filter").