> The Great Filter hypothesis assumes that a society that has the capability to expand and colonize would do so without exception It doesn't assume that. (Expl

> The Great Filter hypothesis assumes that a society that has the capability to expand and colonize would do so without exception It doesn't assume that. (Explicitly doesn't; that's step 9 of 9, with modern humanity at step 8.) It just observes that we have no evidence of extraterrestrial life spreading out from their home system and colonizing the universe, and discusses some possible reasons for that.