However, we can expect that any civilization is sentient only for a short time in its development, analogous to the 19th-21st centuries. After that, it becomes controlled by non-sentient AI. Thus, it’s not surprising that aliens are not sentient during their grabby stage.
But one may argue that even a grabby alien civilization has to pass through a period when it is sentient.
For that, Hanson’s argument may suggest that:
a) All the progenitors of future grabby aliens already exist now (maybe we will become grabby)
b) Future grabby aliens destroy any possible civilization before it reaches the sentient stage in the remote future.
Thus, the only existing sentient civilizations are those that exist in the early stage of the universe.
Thanks, now I better understand your argument.
However, we can expect that any civilization is sentient only for a short time in its development, analogous to the 19th-21st centuries. After that, it becomes controlled by non-sentient AI. Thus, it’s not surprising that aliens are not sentient during their grabby stage.
But one may argue that even a grabby alien civilization has to pass through a period when it is sentient.
For that, Hanson’s argument may suggest that:
a) All the progenitors of future grabby aliens already exist now (maybe we will become grabby)
b) Future grabby aliens destroy any possible civilization before it reaches the sentient stage in the remote future.
Thus, the only existing sentient civilizations are those that exist in the early stage of the universe.