  The so-called Fermi paradox claims that if technological life existed
anywhere else, we would see evidence of its visits to Earth-and since we do
not, such life does not exist, or some special explanation is needed. Enrico
Fermi, however, never published anything on this topic. On the one occasion he
is known to have mentioned it, he asked 'where is everybody?'- apparently
suggesting that we don't see extraterrestrials on Earth because interstellar
travel may not be feasible, but not suggesting that intelligent
extraterrestrial life does not exist, or suggesting its absence is paradoxical.
  The claim 'they are not here; therefore they do not exist' was first
published by Michael Hart, claiming that interstellar travel and colonization
of the galaxy would be inevitable if intelligent extraterrestrial life existed,
and taking its absence here as proof that it does not exist anywhere. The Fermi
paradox appears to originate in Hart's argument, not Fermi's question.
  Clarifying the origin of these ideas is important, because the Fermi paradox
is seen by some as an authoritative objection to searching for evidence of
extraterrestrial intelligence-cited in the U. S. Congress as a reason for
killing NASA's SETI program on one occasion-but evidence indicates that it
misrepresents Fermi's views, misappropriates his authority, deprives the actual
authors of credit, and is not a valid paradox.
  Keywords: Astrobiology, SETI, Fermi paradox, extraterrestrial life
