Ersnt Mayr
Ernst Mayr, an opponent of Carl Sagan, in his article "Space Topics: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence - Response to "The Abundance of Life-Bearing Planets", states that the likelihood of highly intelligent lifeforms developing in other worlds is quasi-impossible. Mayr anchors his points using statistical and quantative data and concrete examples. The purpose of Mayr's article is to convince people not to support SETI in order to save people huge amounts of money that are going to projects by SETI. The people that Mayr intends to have read this article are people who have money to give to SETI but are on the fence about whether or not to give their money to SETI. Mayr creates a respectful tone with the audience by giving a rebuttal to an argument that Carl Sagan had previously given in this debate.
Carl Sagan
Carl Sagan, an opponent of Ernst Mayr's ideas on Seti, in his response to Mayr: "Space Topics: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence - Is Earth-Life Relevant? A Rebuttal", refutes claims that Mayr had previously made. He does this by giving concrete examples and showing flaws in Mayr's process of thinking for his argument. Sagan wishes to convince people to support SETI in order to persuade them to give sums of money to fund SETI, to SETI. Sagan intends for this article to be read by those people who have money to donate to SETI, but aren't sure whether or not they should. Sagan does this by setting a refined tone with the audience.
