Introduction:
The Kardashev scale originally was meant to describe the power of advanced civilizations, in particular, those that have achieved the ability of space flight. It uses a geometric progression based on the amount of power accessed by the species as it grows. The earliest emerging civilizations don't appear, except as fractional numbers, because their activity is not very significant on a cosmic scale. These only get a full count when they might be noticed by a theoretical "outside observer." As you will soon see, I am adding a few extra levels to the original three, since there was little use for those as a measuring stick to evaluate gradual progress. Let me start near the beginning, when the species and its cultures start to reveal the potential for cosmic significance.
I'm calling this revision the "Makarios Scale" and I hope you find it helpful for comparing the development of intelligent species in our Cosmos, in theory at least.
Type One: "Novice"
(original) beneath any level of observation.
(revised) intensive use of more than half of the planet's habitable surface area for urban dwelling, agricultural production, industry or resource extractive purposes. Oceans, ice caps and deserts are not usually viewed as habitable, although some oases may exist.
Type Two: "Unstable"
(revised) threatening the ecological health of the planet by careless practices, whether by stripping resources, excessive pollution, or loss of secondary species.
Type Three: "Emergent"
(revised) has acquired sufficient technology to make orbital space flight and nearby colonial ventures possible. Potential for mass self-destruction demands a quest for coexistence.
Type Four: "Maximized"
(original) Type One: intentional use of all the insolation received by the planet for food or power.
(revised) has accessed or made feasible all of the resources and energy available on the planet. Approaching a sustainable global regime for shared resources and political consensus or a tolerant balance of powers.
Type Five: "Outbreak"
(revised) has established self-sufficient populations, with trade routes, in multiple extra-planetary colonies, and continuing to spread. Industrial development of free-floating habitats, space infrastructure and specialized project construction begins.
Type Six: "Established"
(revised) has explored the entire stellar system in sufficient detail to map a super-majority of its geography and resources. Technological proficiency allows pioneers to colonize the frontiers at will, and choose between political independence or colonial enfranchisement.
Type Seven: "Expansive"
(original) Type Two: intentional use of all of the energy output of the star for habitation and industrial purposes.
(revised) complete access, not utilization, for all of the resources and energy available within the star system, including its planets, moons, and smaller satellites. Experimental robotic ships explore the nearer neighboring star systems and the conditions of intermediate space.
Type Eight: "Arrival"
(revised) first colonies established around other star systems. Ultrahigh-energy physics experiments explore the potential for travel at relativistic or supra-lightspeed velocities.
Type Nine: "Manifesto"
(revised) seeding the stellar neighborhood with many colonial ventures, discovering the range of variety of system formation and geography, and revealing the frequency of the origins of life.
Type Ten: "Epitome"
(original) Type Three: acquisition and use of the entire energy output of all of the stars in the whole galaxy.
(revised) technological capacity to range at will throughout the galaxy, planting colonies, developing resources and tapping unlimited energy as needed to sustain the presence and growth of the species in all its various iterations. Sophisticated modes of long distance travel and self-contained habitat ships allow for sporadic attempts to surpass galactic boundaries.
Conclusion:
As you can see, the original version of the Kardashev scale assessing the power use of a space-faring civilization was excessively over-simplified. Having only three tiers, it did not allow for any detail or description of the intermediate stages of development. At every stage, it required an "all or nothing" obvious achievement in order to advance to the next rung of the ladder, and totally lacked any descriptive or predictive powers.
This revised version does have more capacity for descriptions, and also allows for a certain amount of flexibility. It can be used to note and measure some fractional attainments, and can accept some skipping and mixing of non-linear development patterns, while still offering some definite levels of meaningful achievement for comparisons.
Nor does the new scale have to terminate at the edge of the galaxy, or proceed to such degrees as beggar the imagination. At Type Eleven, the colonization of another galaxy, and at Type Twelve, the colonization of the whole local group of galaxies is enough, while further expansion into the greater Super Cluster and beyond may be designated by more numbered levels. These do however go so far beyond the imagination that those technologies would likely appear magical to our sensibilities. And any further would simply involve the acquisition of the entire knowable Universe.
It seems probable that, at some point, even before we claim the far reaches of our own galaxy, we are likely to discover another intelligent, civilized and space-faring species and learn not only whether the scale is truly useful, but have the realization that we must share the Cosmos with our neighbors. And that will be a clear answer to one of the oldest questions we have ever thought to ask.
If you wish to adopt and promote this revised scale for theoretical comparison of developing civilizations and space-faring technology, you may be my guest. I ask only that you fairly acknowledge and attribute it to its source, and name it the "Makarios Scale." Makarios means "Blessed" in greek, and any species' civilization that this scale would measure should be well aware of their blessings.
And I thank you for your patience and kind consideration. Shalom.
