Great Filter
E31694
concept in astrobiology
concept in philosophy of science
hypothesis
proposed solution to the Fermi paradox
The Great Filter is a proposed explanation for the Fermi paradox suggesting that one or more extremely improbable steps in the evolution of life or civilizations drastically limit the number of advanced, spacefaring societies in the universe.
Observed surface forms (4)
| Surface form | Occurrences |
|---|---|
| Great Filter hypothesis | 3 |
| Great Filter explanation of the Fermi paradox | 1 |
| The Great Filter | 1 |
| the Great Filter hypothesis | 1 |
Statements (49)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
concept in astrobiology
ⓘ
concept in philosophy of science ⓘ hypothesis ⓘ proposed solution to the Fermi paradox ⓘ |
| addressesQuestion | Why we do not observe many advanced extraterrestrial civilizations ⓘ |
| coreIdea | There exists at least one extremely improbable step in the development from lifeless matter to advanced spacefaring civilization ⓘ |
| dependsOn |
assumptions about feasibility of interstellar colonization
ⓘ
assumptions about typicality of human civilization ⓘ |
| earlyFilterDefinition | improbable steps that occur before or during the emergence of intelligent life ⓘ |
| epistemicStatus | speculative ⓘ |
| exampleOfEarlyFilter |
emergence of eukaryotic cells
ⓘ
evolution of complex multicellular life ⓘ evolution of intelligence ⓘ origin of life ⓘ |
| exampleOfLateFilter |
failure to achieve sustainable space colonization
ⓘ
global ecological collapse ⓘ nuclear war ⓘ uncontrolled artificial intelligence ⓘ |
| field |
SETI research
ⓘ
astrobiology ⓘ existential risk studies ⓘ futures studies ⓘ |
| hasAlternativeName |
Great Filter
ⓘ
surface form:
The Great Filter
|
| hasComponent |
early filters
ⓘ
late filters ⓘ |
| hasDebate |
whether multiple moderate filters can replace a single extremely hard step
ⓘ
whether the filter is mostly in the past or in the future for humanity ⓘ |
| hasScenario |
filter distributed across many steps
ⓘ
filter mostly ahead of humanity ⓘ filter mostly behind humanity ⓘ |
| ifAheadHumanityImplies | Humanity faces high existential risk before becoming interstellar ⓘ |
| ifBehindHumanityImplies | Human civilization is unusually lucky or early ⓘ |
| implies |
Most civilizations never reach long-lived interstellar expansion
ⓘ
The observable universe may contain very few advanced spacefaring civilizations ⓘ |
| influenced |
discussions at the Future of Humanity Institute
ⓘ
effective altruism community thinking about existential risk ⓘ |
| involves |
civilizational self-destruction risks
ⓘ
constraints on interstellar colonization ⓘ improbable evolutionary steps ⓘ |
| lateFilterDefinition | improbable steps or barriers that occur after a civilization becomes technologically capable ⓘ |
| proposedBy | Robin Hanson ⓘ |
| publicationContext | originally discussed in an online essay by Robin Hanson in the 1990s ⓘ |
| relatedTo |
Drake equation
ⓘ
Fermi paradox ⓘ Rare Earth hypothesis ⓘ existential risk ⓘ longtermism ⓘ |
| usedInArgument |
for prioritizing existential risk reduction
ⓘ
for studying low-probability high-impact global catastrophes ⓘ |
Referenced by (8)
Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.
this entity surface form:
The Great Filter
this entity surface form:
the Great Filter hypothesis
this entity surface form:
Great Filter hypothesis
this entity surface form:
Great Filter hypothesis
this entity surface form:
Great Filter hypothesis
this entity surface form:
Great Filter explanation of the Fermi paradox