The hypothesis "intelligent life exists on other planets somewhere in the universe" can be considered scientific, but it possesses certain characteristics that influence its scientific status:
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Testability and Falsifiability: A key aspect of a scientific hypothesis is that it should be testable and falsifiable. While the statement makes a claim about the existence of intelligent life elsewhere in the universe, currently, we do not have the means to directly test or prove this hypothesis definitively. It is difficult to gather empirical evidence to support or refute it due to the vastness of space and the limits of our current technology.
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Basis in Observations: This hypothesis is grounded in the scientific understanding of the universe, particularly the fact that there are billions of stars in our galaxy alone, many with planets in the habitable zone. Given the sheer number of potentially habitable planets, many scientists consider it reasonable to speculate on the possibility of extraterrestrial intelligent life.
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Use of Inductive Reasoning: The hypothesis is also based on the principle of induction; since we know that intelligent life exists on Earth, it leads some to conclude that it could also exist elsewhere under similar conditions.
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Ongoing Research: The search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) and astrobiology are scientific fields dedicated to this question, continually seeking evidence through observations (e.g., studying exoplanets, searching for signals, examining extreme environments on Earth, etc.).
In summary, while the hypothesis itself is not currently testable or falsifiable in a direct way, it is scientific in that it is based on rational speculation supported by existing observational data and is a topic of ongoing scientific inquiry. It remains open to testing as our technology and understanding evolve.