VELARA-VANDERBERG LIFEFORM CLASSIFICATION SCALE
OBJECTIVE & TERMINOLOGY
The goal is to provide an objective evaluation resulting in the broad categorization of a potential life form by level of Federation legal recognition. The scale’s primary aim is advisory in nature, and is therefore generally inferior to more nuanced metrics in the context of scientific research.
Note: While the scale is designed to be suitable to a wide range of potential forms of life, it should not be considered an absolute. Always consider each potential new life form on its own merits.
Basic Life
Definition: Score ≥1 in each criteria.
This category represents forms of life which are neither sentient nor sapient. Their treatment is most likely governed only by environmental regulations.
Intelligent Life
Definition: Score ≥3 in each criteria.
This category represents higher forms of life which demonstrate some level of sentience and/or sapience, without rising to the level of personhood. Ethical treatment of intelligent lifeforms is mandated by Federation law, but they are not afforded individual rights nor are their communities considered to be protected civilizations.
Sentient Life
Definition: Intelligent Life AND Score ≥20 total AND Subjective Experience = 5
This category (named colloquially) represents higher-order life forms that are both sentient and sapient, which are likely to be considered individuals under the law. They must be assumed to have personal rights and to be members of civilizations to which the Prime Directive may apply.
CRITERIA
Subjective Experience
The capacity to have internal, first-person experiences (e.g., feeling pain, pleasure, or other sensations). This is the defining feature of sentience, marking the difference between merely reacting to stimuli and truly experiencing the world.
- 0: No internal experience; purely reactive. (e.g., simple organisms reacting reflexively to environmental stimuli).
- 1: Basic sensory awareness, with the ability to respond to environmental stimuli in ways that indicate basic awareness (e.g., movement toward or away from light, temperature changes, or gravity).
- 2: Some differentiation of stimuli based on simple emotional states or basic preferences. Responses may suggest basic aversion to harmful stimuli or comfort-seeking behaviors. Example: Simple organisms or plants that demonstrate simple avoidance behavior.
- 3: Clear evidence of internal experience, which may include differentiating between types of stimuli and responding to them in ways that suggest a subjective experience (e.g., adaptive behaviors based on long-term memory or complex sensory experiences).
- 4: Ability to experience and evaluate internal states in relation to external conditions. May show anticipation of environmental changes and some level of problem-solving or emotional expression. Example: Mammals, like dogs or elephants, displaying clear emotional responses to situations.
- 5: Rich and nuanced internal experiences, possibly including self-awareness, emotions, and complex sensory integration (e.g., sophisticated problem-solving or social behaviors).
Perception and Awareness
The ability to sense and process information about the environment. Perception provides the raw input for subjective experience, while awareness allows for a meaningful interaction with the external world.
- 0: No sensory perception; no awareness of the environment (e.g., simple organisms with purely reflexive behaviors).
- 1: Basic perception through simple mechanisms like light, touch, temperature, and gravity (e.g., growth toward light or changes in environmental factors).
- 2: Ability to respond to simple environmental changes using basic sensory input. There is some coordination of responses across environmental stimuli, but there is no complex integration. Example: A plant exhibiting phototropism or an insect avoiding light.
- 3: Moderate sensory awareness with the ability to process and integrate multiple stimuli. Can adjust behavior based on environmental factors, such as changes in light, temperature, moisture, or chemical signals.
- 4: Advanced integration of multiple sensory inputs, with the ability to respond to complex, multi-modal stimuli. The organism shows higher-order processing of sensory data and adjusts behavior to complex conditions. Example: Animals like dogs or crows using sight, smell, and hearing to navigate or solve problems.
- 5: Advanced integration of multiple sensory modalities and awareness. Ability to coordinate responses to complex stimuli or long-term environmental changes, demonstrating multi-sensory processing and adaptive behavior.
Valenced Responses
The ability to assign value to experiences (positive or negative) that motivate behavior. Includes experiencing pain, pleasure, or similar feelings and acting accordingly to seek, avoid, or adapt. These responses are what give meaning to experiences and drive purposeful actions based on internal states.
- 0: No emotional or evaluative response; purely reflexive behavior.
- 1: Simple responses indicating basic preference or aversion to stimuli (e.g., moving toward nutrients or away from harmful conditions).
- 2: Basic emotional responses, such as simple comfort-seeking or avoidance behaviors based on environmental factors. Example: A plant moving away from harmful stimuli or an insect avoiding predators.
- 3: Clear emotional or evaluative responses, such as adjusting behavior based on preferences or aversions (e.g., changing growth patterns or social bonding behaviors).
- 4: Highly complex emotional responses, demonstrating the ability to reflect on or adapt behaviors based on complex internal states. May include social bonding, complex motivations, or long-term affective states. Example: Elephants showing mourning behaviors or dogs forming social bonds with humans.
- 5: Highly complex, long-term evaluative responses. Behaviors demonstrate a deeper understanding of environmental feedback, such as empathy or cooperation.
Learning and Adaptation
The capacity to learn from experience and adjust behavior over time. Shows that the organism processes experiences in a way that affects future decisions and actions. This trait demonstrates the ability to go beyond reflexes, adapting to changing environments through memory and problem-solving.
- 0: No evidence of learning; behavior is purely instinctual or reflexive.
- 1: Simple adaptive responses to stimuli, such as changing behavior based on basic environmental inputs (e.g., adjusting growth patterns or avoiding harmful conditions).
- 2: The organism can modify responses based on past stimuli, demonstrating basic memory or learning capabilities. May alter behavior after exposure to novel stimuli. Example: A dog learning to avoid a shock or a plant responding differently to temperature.
- 3: Ability to adjust behavior based on past experiences, such as changing responses over time or retaining information (e.g., learned behaviors in response to specific environmental conditions).
- 4: Complex adaptation to environmental factors and learning from previous events, including problem-solving and the application of learned behaviors in new situations. Example: A crow using tools, or an animal modifying its behavior after repeated experiences.
- 5: Complex adaptation, with evidence of learning from past events and making strategic decisions for future behavior (e.g., adjusting behavior based on long-term memory or complex problem-solving).
Goal-Directed Behavior
The ability to pursue objectives or preferences (e.g., avoid harm, seek food, find shelter). This reflects a sense of agency or internal drive, showing that actions are not purely reflexive but shaped by intention or purpose.
- 0: No purposeful behavior; purely reflexive.
- 1: Basic goal-directed behaviors for survival (e.g., moving toward food, seeking shelter, or growing toward light).
- 2: Simple goal-directed behaviors with some degree of planning or anticipation of basic needs. May involve exploratory behavior for resource acquisition. Example: A plant reaching toward a light source or a dog foraging for food.
- 3: Goal-directed behaviors beyond basic survival, such as social behaviors or exploration. The organism may act to optimize resource acquisition or engage in exploratory behavior beyond simple survival needs.
- 4: Complex, strategic goal-directed behavior, including long-term planning or non-survival-related goals. This may involve the organism engaging in behaviors based on social needs or long-term environmental adjustments. Example: Elephants migrating over long distances, or dolphins cooperating to hunt.
- 5: Complex, strategic goal-directed behavior. The organism may plan, make future-oriented decisions, or pursue non-survival-related goals (e.g., long-term relationships, artistic expression). Example: Humans making complex plans for future generations, or a dolphin working with other species to hunt.