“it’s just a plausibility argument.”
Worse than that, it is a homo sapiens-centric plausibility argument.
Truly intelligent aliens will have broken all the “rules” of homo sapiens “science” millions if not billions of years ago...and they are not going to politely knock on the door.
“and they are not going to politely knock on the door.”
—
People of earth, your planet has been scheduled for demolition.”
(Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy trailer)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLdiWe_HJv4