[ExI] Fermi Paradox vs. Copernican Principle?

[Stuart LaForge]

My question is kind of simple, but it really belies a pretty strong 
philosophical tension that seems strangely unaddressed. The Copernican 
principle is a cornerstone of the science that says that we are in no 
way special and instead represent an average and unremarkable place 
within the universe. The Fermi paradox, on the other hand, seems to 
strongly imply that we are the only life form in the galaxy that is both 
intelligent enough to understand physics and dexterous enough to build 
technology capable of leaving the planet and sending signals to other 
stars. Obviously, if we are the only technologically sophisticated 
lifeforms in the galaxy, or perhaps even the universe, then that means 
that the Copernican principle is patently false, and humanity holds a 
privileged position as the first technological sapient species to evolve 
in our light cone, or the subject of a cosmic simulation or experiment 
focused on us i.e. God's ant-farm.

I would love to hear everyone's thoughts on the matter.

Stuart LaForge