Anticipation of Judicial Inquisition of Humans by Extraterrestrials pt 1 & 2

 

Anticipation of Judicial Inquisition of Humans by Extraterrestrials

Introduction

In the midst of a global pandemic widely framed as a war, there is a strong case for recognizing both the civilian fatalities and those whose lives are at stake on a daily basis -- in order to reduce the risk to greater numbers of humans. Humans are called upon by authorities to take shelter in their homes to avoid any risk (Cowering for One's Country in the War against Coronavirus, 2020). It is therefore appropriate to honour those -- effectively "on the front line" -- who are dying in far greater numbers in the hope of ending the pandemic as soon as possible. As in conventional warfare, they have little choice in performing this duty, having been conscripted and trained to that end.

In the spirit of the cenotaphs in many small towns in the former British Empire, the concern here follows from the inscription on those monuments: Lest We Forget. Beyond the immediate focus in that regard is a wider concern here with the potential implications of those involuntary fatalities as they may be perceived from a more universal perspective.

This follows from the possibility that humanity may eventually make contact with intelligent extraterrestrials -- whose existence is variously considered hypothetical, despite the massive investment in detecting extraterrestrial life and the exoplanets which they may inhabit (Daniel Clery, How big money is powering a massive hunt for alien intelligence, Science, 10 September 2020; Parmy Olson, The Hunt For Extraterrestrial Life Just Got A Groundbreaking, $100 Million Investment, Forbes, 20 July 2015). The possibility of such contact is acquiring political dimensions (Abhijnan Rej, What Would Happen If China Made First Contact With Extraterrestrials? The Diplomat, 11 March 2020).

The possibility of the existence of ETs has been given greater credibility with recently reported government decisions (Harmeet Kaur, US intelligence agencies have 180 days to share what they know about UFOs, thanks to the Covid-19 relief and spending bill. CNN, 10 January 2021; Natalie Musumeci, Details of leaked Pentagon reports mention â-"e;unidentifiedâ-' UFOs, New York Post, 4 December 2020; Brandon Specktor, CIA releases entire collection of UFO-related documents to truth-seeking website, Space.com, 14 January 2021).

So framed, the focus here is on the non-human species conscripted into the process of testing the many possible vaccines considered vital to a viable response to COVID-19, or to the mutations which may succeed it. Although there are many efforts to document the number of cases of humans testing positive for the virus, and the fatalities which may result, the statistical methodologies and conclusions continue to be in dispute. Far more problematic is the determination of the number of non-human species conscripted into the process of testing vaccines, irrespective of the consequences of their testing positive.

There is a degree of awareness of the number of animals used in biological laboratories for a wide variety of purposes -- whether the testing of any drug or product that may be fatal to humans or in preparations for biochemical warfare. It has been estimated that the annual use of vertebrate animals in animal experimentation -- from zebrafish to non-human primates -- range up to 100 million per year. In the European Union, vertebrate species represent 93% of animals used in research, and 11.5 million animals were used there in 2011. By one estimate the number of mice and rats used in the United States alone in 2001 was 80 million. Mice, rats, fish, amphibians, and reptiles together account for over 85% of research animals. In addition, there is extensive experimentation on invertebrates typically excluded from such statistics.

The proportion of animals specifically used in the development of a vaccine for COVID-19 is seemingly either unknown or unavailable -- but may emerge in years to come. Descriptions of the experience of animals in such laboratories, and the manner of their death, have been dramatically presented by those specifically opposed to such treatment, notably People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Humane Society International, and Cruelty-Free International. There is a degree of sensitivity on the part of some laboratories to such treatment and the possibilities of alleviating suffering through alternatives to animal testing.

The purpose of this exercise is however to reframe the relation of humans to non-human species -- as it may be perceived from an extraterrestrial perspective, now or in the future. Humans are naturally skilled in framing their treatment of animals -- notably justified by particular interpretations of religious scriptures held to be beyond question, as with interpretations of the Bible regarding human dominion over all animals (Bible Verses About Dominion). These interpretations are also held to justify the extent to which animals may be consumed by humans, as well as the treatment accorded to them to enable this, possibly prescribed as ritual practices.

There is however a degree of sensitivity on the part of humans to animal welfare, to the conditions of transport of live animals, and to slaughterhouse procedures. This extends to the procedures of animal husbandry, especially in regard to the conditions experienced by animals in intensive farming installations.

It is questionable whether extraterrestrials -- however hypothetical -- will appreciate the justifications offered by humans for the treatment of non-human animals. There is also the possibility that human society will itself come to view such treatment as barbaric in some future period -- potentially as a consequence of contact with extraterrestrials (or as a condition of such contact).

The argument here follows from related speculations in this regard, given their probable dependence on quite distinctive values and principles -- potentially meaningless to humans (Communicating with Aliens: the psychological dimension of dialogue, 2000). Extraterrestrials may have reached the conclusion that any civilization should be encountered on its own terms, according to its own rules.

As previously argued, every effort might then be put in place by ETs to determine what those rules were -- just as human colonial powers and missionaries might have chosen to do in their encounter with other cultures (Writing Guidelines for Future Occupation of Earth by Extraterrestrials,  2010). In practice this might be interpreted as the Golden Rule: Be done by as you did. It is of course uncertain whether extraterrestrials would seek the rules in order simply to apply them as such, to use them to develop a higher degree of 'rapport' with humans for mutual benefit or to use such rapport in order to "entrain" humans in unsuspected ways

Humanity has enabled considerable investment in biochemical warfare -- and the development of protective measures -- with the aid of animals tested for that purpose. There is therefore the additional possibility that a virus such as COVID-19  is an unrecognized form of "contact" initiated by extraterrestrials in response to human under-development -- according to principles valued throughout the universe. Colonial powers have not been averse to such forms of "contact" with the indigenous species they have encountered.

Although speculative, the argument is consistent with philosophical intuitions regarding panpsychism, karma, and reincarnation, as well as emerging implications with respect to the quantum mind. Whilst severe disruptions to the atmosphere by the arrival of extraterrestrial vessels is now characteristic of fictional representations, it could be argued that this is only suggestive of disruption to the "memetic atmosphere" which could herald any contact. Such disruption is potentially consistent with the increasing chaos of global governance and its leadership (Surreal nature of current global governance as experienced, 2016).

Indicative clarification of human use of animals

Anticipation of Judicial Inquisition of Humans by Extraterrestrials (Part #2)

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The following table is a tentative attempt to cluster human uses of animals (columns) in terms of a rough indication of the species concerned (rows). The clustering of species, and those detailed, could clearly be much refined.

Indicative summary of human use of animals (tentative)
Non-human animals		Experiment Testing	Consumption By-products	Transport Work/War	Recreation Sport	Companion Pets/Display	Zoos Circuses	Trophy Hunting	Sacrifice Ritual
Quadripeds (domestic)	cattle	Y	Y	Y	Y	?	N		Y
	horses	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
	sheep	Y	Y			?	N		Y
	goats	Y	Y	Y		?	N		Y
	guinea pigs	Y	?			Y	N
	pigs (mini)	Y	Y			Y	N		Y
	rabbits, hare	Y	Y		Y	Y	N
	cats	Y	N			Y	N
	camels				Y		Y
	dogs	Y	?	Y	Y	Y	N
	other
Quadripeds (semi-wild)	primates	Y	?		?	?	Y	Y
	monkeys	Y	?		?	?		?
	bison			Y				Y
	tigers, lions						Y	Y
	elephant			Y			Y	Y
	deer		Y	Y				Y
	rats, mice, gerbils	Y				?
	hamsters	Y	?			Y
	ferrets	Y	N
	bats	Y	N
	other
Birds (domestic)	chickens		Y						Y
	ducks, geese		Y
Birds (semi-wild)	pigeon	Y		Y		Y
	partridge, grouse		Y		Y			Y
	eagles, falcons				Y
	other
Water-dwelling	whale		Y
	dolphin			Y
	herring		Y
	tuna		Y		Y
	salmon		Y		Y
	cod		Y
	frogs	Y
	other
Invertebrates	crustacea
	octopus
	crabs, lobsters		Y
	other
Insectoid	flies
	butterflies
	spiders
	cockroaches
	ants
	other

Distinguishing the animals to be included in such a table  is notably a concern of the American Anti-Vivisection Society (Which Animals are Used). It is especially valuable for its critical commentary on the annual reports of the US Department of Agriculture Research Facility Annual Reports. With respect to the 2017 report, for example: Twenty-two percent of all regulated animals used in labs are guinea pigs, by far the most used animal in research and testing, followed by rabbits (17%) and hamsters (11%). Since 2016, the numbers of dogs in labs increased 12%, rabbits over 16%, and sheep 19%. Additionally, nearly 20% of all animals held in labs fall into either the "all other covered species" category, like gerbils, bats, ferrets, and chinchillas or the â-"e;Other Farm Animals,â-" like goats and horses.

Only animals covered by the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) are however included in such reports. Since fish and rats, mice, and birds, bred for research, do not fall under the umbrella of the AWA, laboratories are not required to count them. It has been estimated that they comprise 93 percent of all animals in labs. Unlike the U.S., the European Union and Canada provide regulatory and legal protection for these animals. (The USDAâ-'s removal of information about animal research is a step backward for transparency, Speaking of Research).

Naturally, it is appropriate to assume that any extraterrestrial inquiry would require far greater detail -- if this had not already been obtained by other means.

Although seemingly unrelated to direct human treatment of non-human species (as indicated in the table above), ETs would clearly be especially concerned with evidence of the massive extinction of species associated with human activity. Known as the Anthropocene extinction (or the sixth mass extinction), this includes extinctions spanning numerous families of plants and animals, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fishes, and invertebrates. The 2019 Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, published by the United Nations' Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, posits that roughly one million species of plants and animals face extinction within decades as the result of human actions.

There is every possibility that extraterrestrials may consider the distinction made between humans and non-human animals as arbitrary -- simply contrived for human convenience, namely an exercise in "conceptual gerrymandering". From that perspective, the environmental stress engendering massive extinction of animals may be readily interpreted by ETs as an extension of structural violence. As articulated by Johan Galtung, this refers to a form of violence wherein some social structure or social institution may harm people by preventing them from meeting their basic needs (Violence, Peace, and Peace Research, Journal of Peace Research, 6, 1969, 3).

The relevance of structural violence to animals has been considered by various authors (Erika Cudworth, Killing Animals: sociology, species relations, and institutionalized violence, The Sociological Review, 1 February 2015; Kathryn Asher,  Unpatients: the structural violence of animals in medical education, FAunalytics, 8 November 2013; Amy Liszt, Animal Liberation as a Valid Response to Structural Violence, Between the Species, Fall 1990).

Faced with the global threat of a pandemic to human civilization, ETs are likely to find it strange that humans are required by their authorities to cower behind the range of species used for vaccine testing -- conscripted as they are for front line action in the war against the coronavirus virus. Humans of future generations may themselves find it cowardly in the extreme that those of the present time should shelter behind mice, rats, and rabbits -- exposed as they are to the mortal danger of front-line action in order to safeguard human lives.

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