The problem this idea addresses is the uncertainty surrounding how future civilizations—whether they're advanced human descendants or extraterrestrial "grabby aliens"—will define moral consideration. Current moral frameworks might not apply to intelligences with radically different cognitive architectures or values. This raises important questions about how we think about long-term future scenarios and interstellar expansion.

Potential Approach

One way to explore this could be through a systematic examination of moral circles in two contexts:

• Post-human civilizations that might evolve from humanity but could have fundamentally different values
• Hypothetical rapidly expanding alien civilizations and how they might approach moral consideration

The work could evaluate whether existing moral frameworks remain coherent when applied to such entities, explore alternative models of value assignment, and develop methods to assess different moral configurations among advanced civilizations. This might involve both conceptual analysis and modeling based on evolutionary theory and game theory.

Applications and Stakeholders

The insights could benefit several groups:

1. Long-term strategists making century-scale decisions
2. Space policy experts developing protocols for potential extraterrestrial contact
3. Philosophers working on frontier ethics questions
4. Researchers modeling future scenarios

For execution, a phased approach might begin with literature reviews and expert interviews, followed by developing typologies of possible moral configurations, and finally translating findings into practical heuristics for decision-makers. A minimal starting point could involve interdisciplinary workshops bringing together philosophers, astrobiologists, and futurists.

Relation to Existing Work

This would differ from similar efforts by specifically focusing on how moral consideration might transform when applied to radically different forms of intelligence. While existing research examines long-term risks or searches for extraterrestrial life, this approach would provide conceptual tools to understand how such beings might value different forms of existence, filling an important conceptual gap.

By developing frameworks to anticipate these possibilities, this work could inform current decisions about AI development, space exploration, and other technologies that might shape future civilizations.