Xenology: An Introduction to the Scientific Study of Extraterrestrial Life, Intelligence, and Civilization

First Edition

© 1975-1979, 2008 Robert A. Freitas Jr. All Rights Reserved.

Robert A. Freitas Jr., Xenology: An Introduction to the Scientific Study of Extraterrestrial Life, Intelligence, and Civilization, First Edition, Xenology Research Institute, Sacramento, CA, 1979; http://www.xenology.info/Xeno.htm

 

25.2.3  Generalized First Contact Taxonomy

It is possible at this point to construct a generalized taxonomy for first contact scenarios which includes all possible combinations of encounters between beings at different stages along the mass-energy and information processing scales we have discussed. If our speculations are correct, there are four major levels of power usage and six major levels of sentience. Thus, there should be 24 distinct contact scenarios involving various pairings of extraterrestrial cultures. These are shown, and labeled for convenience of discussion, in Table 25.8 below. In the table, ΔSQ is used to denote the differential in Sentience Quotient between the two contacting races, and ΔP is used to denote the log10 of the power usage differential.

 

Table 25.8 A Generalized First Contact Taxonomy

 

Order of Magnitude
of Power Differential
Sentience Differential
ΔSQ = 0
ΔSQ = 10
ΔSQ = 20
ΔSQ = 30
ΔSQ = 40
ΔSQ = 50
ΔP = 0
0/0
0/10
0/20
0/30
0/40
0/50
ΔP = 11
11/0
11/10
11/20
11/30
11/40
11/50
ΔP = 22
22/0
22/10
22/20
22/30
22/40
22/50
ΔP = 32
32/0
32/10
32/20
32/30
32/40
32/50

 

Table 25.9 is an expanded version of the First Contact Taxonomy showing all 576 possible basic encounter scenarios, with labels for each. It is possible to draw a First Contact Taxonomy chart with yet higher resolution, accounting for all levels of cultural power usage (from 100-1056 watts) and all levels of sentience (SQ = 0-50), using single order-of-magnitude steps in both cases. However, such a chart would have 8,450,649 entries, thus seems unwieldy.

 

Table 25.9 Complete First Contact Taxonomy
Difference in Power Usage (Civilization Type) ΔP 
Difference in Sentience Quotient (Contactor> Contactee)
(Contactor > Contactee)
I>I
I>II
I>III
I>IV
II>I
II>II
II>III
II>IV
III>I
III>II
III>III
III>IV
IV>I 
 IV>II
IV>III
IV>IV
0 > 0 
0 > 10
0 > 20
0 > 30
0 > 40
0 > 50
0/0
0/-10
0/-20
0/-30
0/-40
0/-50		 -11/0
-11/-10
-11/-20
-11/-30
-11/-40
-11/-50		 -22/0
-22/-10
-22/-20
-22/-30
-22/-40
-22/-50		 -32/0
-32/-10
-32/-20
-32/-30
-32/-40
-32/-SO		 +11/0
+11/-10
+11/-20
+11/-30
+11/-40
+11/-50		 0/0
0/-10
0/-20
0/-30
0/-40
0/-50		 -11/0
-11/-10
-11/-20
-11/-30
-11/-40
-11/-50		 -21/0
-21/-10
-21/-20
-21/-30
-21/-40
-21/-50
+22/0
+22/-10
+22/-20
+22/-30
+22/-40
+22/-50
 +11/0
+11/-10
+11/-20
+11/-30
+11/-40 
+11/-50		 0/0
0/-10
0/-20
0/-30
0/-40
0/-50		 -10/0
-10/-10
-10/-20
-10/-30
-10/-40
-10/-50
 +32/0
+32/-10
+32/-20
+32/-30
+32/-40
+32/-50
 +21/0
+21/-10
+21/-20
+21/-30
+21/-40
+21/-50
 +10/0
+10/-10
+10/-20
+10/-30
+10/-40
+10/-50		 0/0
0/-10
0/-20
0/-30
0/-40
0/-50
10 > 0 
10 > 10
10 > 20
10 > 30
10 > 40
10 > 50
0/+10
0/0
0/-10
0/-20
0/-30
0/-40		 -11/+10
-11/0
-11/-10
-11/-20
-11/-30
-11/-40		 -22/+10
-22/0
-22/-10
-22/-20
-22/-30
-22/-40		 -32/+10
-32/0
-32/-10
-32/-20
.32/-30
-32/-40		 +11/+10
+11/0
+11/-10
+11/-20
+11/-30
+11/-40		 0/+10
0/0
0/10
0/-20
0/-30
0/-40		 -11/+10
-11/0
-11/-10
-11/-20
-11/-30
-11/-40		 -21/+10
-21/0
-21/-10
-21/-20
-21/-30
-21/-40
+22/+10
+22/0
+22/-10
+22/-20
+22/-30
+22/-40
 +11/+10
+11/0
+11/-10
+11/-20
+11/-30
+11/-40		 0/+10
0/0
0/-10
0/-20
0/-30
0/-40
-10/+10
-10/0
-10/-10
-10/-20
-10/-30
-10/-40
+32/+10
+32/0
+32/-10
+32/-20
+32/-30
+32/-40
+21/+10
+21/0
+21/-10
+21/-20 
+21/-30 
+21/-40
 +10/+10
+10/0
+10/-10
+10/-20
+10/-30
+10/-40		 0/+10
0/0
0/-10
0/-20
0/-30
01.40
20 > 0
20 > 10
20 > 20
20 > 30
20 > 40
20 > 50
0/+20
0/+10
0/0
0/-10
0/-20
0/-30		 -11/+20
-11/+10
-11/0
-11/-10
-11/-20
-11/-30		 -22/+20
-22/+10
-22/0
-22/-10
-22/-20
-22/-30		 -32/+20
-32/+10
-32/0
-32/-10
-32/-20
-32/-30		 +11/+20
+11/+10
+11/0
+11/-10
+11/-20
+11/-30		 0/+20
0/+10
0/0
0/-10
0/-20
0/-30		 -11/+20
-11/+10
-11/0
-11/-10
-11/-20
-11/-30		 -21/+20
-21/+10
-21/0
-21/-10
-21/-20
-21/-30
+22/+20
+22/+10
+22/0
+22/-10
+22/-20
+22/-30
 +11/+20
+11/+10
+11/0
+11/-10
+11/-20
+11/-30		 0/+20
0/+10
0/0
0/-10
0/-20
0/-30
-10/+20
-10/+10
-10/0
-10/-10
-10/-20
-10/-30
+32/+20
+32/+10
+32/0
+32/-10
+32/-20
+32/-30
+21/+20
+21/+10
+21/0
+21/-10
+21/-20
+21/-30 
 +10/+20
+10/+10
+10/0
+10/-10
+10/-20
+10/-30		 0/+20
0/+10
0/0
0/-10
0/-20
0/-30
30 > 0
30 > 10
30 > 20
30 > 30
30 > 40
30 > 50
0/+30
0/+20
0/+10
0/0
0/-10
0/-20		 -11/+30
-11/+20
-11/+10
-11/0
-11/-10
-11/-20		 -22/+30
-22/+20
-22/+10
-22/0
-22/-10
-22/-20		 -32/+30
-32/+20
-32/+10
-32/0
-32/-10
-32/-20		 +11/+30
+11/+20
+11/+10
+11/0
+11/-10
+11/-20		 0/+30
0/+20
0/+10
0/0
0/-10
0/-20		 -11/+30
-11/+20
-11/+10
-11/0
-11/-10
-11/-20		 -21/+30
-21/+20
-21/+10
-21/0
-21/-10
-21/-20		 +22/+30
+22/+20
+22/+10
+22/0
+22/-10
+22/-20		 +11/+30
+11/+20
+11/+10
+11/0
+11/-10
+11/-20
0/+30
0/+20
0/+10
0/0
0/-10
0/-20
 -10/+30
-10/+20
-10/+10
-10/0
-10/-10
-10/-20
+32/+30
+32/+20
+32/+10
+32/0
+32/-10
+32/-20
+21/+30
+21/+20
+21/+10
+21/0
+21/-10
+21/-20
 +10/+30
+10/+20
+10/+10
+10/0
+10/-20
+10/-20		 0/+30
0/+20
0/+10
0/0
0/-10
0/-20
40 > 0
40 > 10
40 > 20
40 > 30
40 > 40
40 > 50
0/+40
0/+30
0/+20
0/+10
0/0
0/-10		 -11/+40
-11/+30 
-11/+20
-11/+10
-11/0
-11/-10		 -22/+40
-22/+30
-22/+20
-22/+10
-22/0
-22/-10		 -32/+40
-32/+30
-32/+20
-32/+10
-32/0
-32/-10		 -11/+40
+11/+30 
+11/+20
+11/+10
+11/0
+11/-10		 0/+40
0/+30
0/+20
0/+10
0/0
0/-10		 -11/+40
-11/+30
-11/+20
-11/+10
-11/0
-11/-10		 -21/+40
-21/+30
-21/+20
-21/+10
-21/0
-21/-10		 +22/+40
+22/+30
+22/+20
+22/+10
+22/0
+22/-10		 +11/+40
+11/+30 
+11/+20
+11/+10
+11/0
+11/-10
0/+40
0/+30
0/+20
0/+10
0/0
0/-10
 -10/+40
-10/+30
-10/+20
-10/+10
-10/0
-10/-10
+32/+40
+32/+30
+32/+20
+32/+10
+32/0
+32/-10
+21/+40
+21/+30
+21/+20
+21/+10
+21/0
+21/-10
 +10/+40
+10/+30 
+10/+20
+10/+10
+10/0
+10/-10		 0/+40
0/+30 
0/+20
0/+10
0/0
0/-10
50 > 0
50 > 10
50 > 20
50 > 30
50 > 40
50 > 50
0/+50
0/+40
0/+30
0/+20 
0/+10
0/0		 -11/+50
-11/+40
-11/+30
-11/+20
-11/+10
-11/0		 -22/+50
-22/+40
-22/+30
-22/+20
-22/+10
-22/0		 -32/+50
-32/+40
-32/+30
-32/+20
-32/+10
-32/0		 -11/+50
+11/+40
+11/+30
+11/+20
+11/+10
+11/0		 0/+50
0/+40
0/+30
0/+20
0/+10
0/0		 -11/+50
-11/+40
-11/+30
-11/+20
-11/+10
-11/0		 -21/+50
-21/+40
-21/+30
-21/+20
-21/+10
-21/0		 +22/+50
+22/+40
+22/+30
+22/+20
+22/+10
+22/0		 +11/+50
+11/+40
+11/+30
+11/+20
+11/+10
+11/0
0/+50
0/+40
0/+30
0/+20
0/+10
0/0		 -10/+50
-10/+40
-10/+30
-10/+20
-10/+10
-10/0
+32/+50
+32/+40
+32/+30
+32/+20
+32/+10
+32/0
+21/+50
+21/+40
+21/+30
+21/+20
+21/+10
+21/0		 +10/+50
+10/+40
+10/+30
+10/+20
+10/+10
+10/0		 0/+50
0/+40
0/+30
0/+20 0/+10
0/0

Notes:

A "0 > 10" Contact is a meeting between an SQ = 0 Contactor and an SQ = 10 Contactee race.

A "I > III" Contact is a meeting between a Type I planetary Contactor society and a Type III galactic Contactee civilization.

Numbers given in Table 25.9 represent orders-of-magnitude differentials in power and sentience, respectively;
the sign, "+" or "-", shows Contactor’s advantage or disadvantage.

(ΔP/ΔSQ): (Power Differential/Sentience Differential)

 

Most science fiction authors and speculative fact writers have concentrated primarily upon the 0/0, 11/0, and 0/10 Contacts. There are several cases where 11/10 or 22/0 Contacts have been discussed, and there are even a few scattered references to higher-order Contacts in the literature. But, by and large, most of Table 25.9 represents a vast uncharted wilderness of unknowns. It is to these gaping holes in our understanding that theoretical xenologists of the future should devote their attention.

 

Last updated on 3 May 2010