3 ms·

There may be more than one Great Filter. We could have passed one of them, but we might not survive the next one.

• pc86 8y ago
  The entire point of a "Great Filter" is that there is one that wipes out the majority of species that make it that far. If there are multiple then they're just likely cataclysmic events.
  • Izkata 8y ago
    No, the Great Filter is more general than self-destruction. Some examples I've seen of possible Great Filters we've already passed include: * The formation of any life at all * The jump from single-celled life to multi-cellular organisms * The ability to create/use/pass on knowledge of tools
• jerf 8y ago
  The point of the Great Filter argument is that something seems to be preventing widespread intelligent life. If the Filter is behind us, then while that is not proof that there are no impassible obstacles in front of is, we have no particular reason to believe that there are impassible obstacles in front of us. That is in stark contrast to what has been the scientific dogma for the past several decades, which is that there is nothing special about us whatsoever, which does give us reason to believe there are impassible obstacles in front of us. To be able to put the filter way behind us is still a real change.
  • dwaltrip 8y ago
    It depends on how fully the initial Great Filter explains the lack of observed exolife. It may not be a binary thing.
• outworlder 8y ago
  There could be one factor, or several. What matters is if the species can or cannot survive at the end to spread out or at least to make their presence detectable. This aggregate of 'filters' is what's important.