The 'Sixth Loop' Hypothesis: Informational Collapse as a Scalable Great Filter

This working paper proposes a novel solution to the Fermi Paradox, hypothesizing that the "Great Filter" is not an external event but an internal, informational collapse. The theory, named the "Sixth Loop" hypothesis, posits that advanced technical civilizations inevitably face a threshold where the costs of managing their own internal complexity and informational overload (Seff) redirect resources inward, effectively silencing their external technosignatures (X(t)). The paper formalizes this concept using a civilization-scale Genesis ODE to model the dynamics of a global coherence field (C(t)). It operationalizes the theory by specifying a set of measurable, "hard proxies" for the equation's drivers, allowing the model to be calibrated against Earth's own macroeconomic and social data. Crucially, the paper derives two unique and falsifiable predictions that distinguish it from rival Fermi solutions: Technosignature Flicker: The hypothesis predicts that signals from such civilizations would be intermittent, turning on and off over multi-year cycles, rather than steady beacons. Domestic-Use Waste-Heat Morphologies: It predicts that their energy signatures would appear as patchy, city-like waste heat rather than complete K-II/K-III Dyson spheres. The paper concludes by outlining preregistered experiments, including Earth-calibration tests and specific SETI search protocols, complete with pass/fail criteria and ethical governance guidelines to ensure scientific rigor. Keyword Search Primary Concepts: Fermi Paradox Great Filter Sixth Loop Hypothesis Informational Collapse Civilizational Coherence Genesis ODE Zeno Trap Technosignatures Methodology & Frameworks: Coherence Field Virtual Ego Framework (VEF) SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) State-Space Model Falsifiable Predictions Preregistration Red Teaming Specific Terms & Variables: dC/dt C(t) (Civilizational Coherence) Seff (Effective Stress / Overload) A(t) (Prosocial Alignment) X(t) (External Technosignaling) Technosignature Flicker Waste-Heat Morphology Kardashev Scale (K-II, K-III) Broader Fields: Astrobiology Cosmology Systems Theory Existential Risk Futures Studies Macroeconomics Sociology Consciousness Studies