An advanced alien observer functions as the big Other of the human species

Evidence

Sartre, towards the end of his gigantic unfinished Critique of Dialectical Reason from 1960, suddenly launches into a discussion of Martians. “For [the] Martian…who has long known the technique of inter-planetary navigation, we are… an animal species whose scientific and intellectual development have been retarded by certain circumstances [the Martian] will note that the inhabitants of this underdeveloped planet have certain behavioural patterns orientated towards certain objectives…” Because the hypothetical Martian will be at a particular scientific level (the assumption here is that it will be a much higher one), when the extent of human knowledge is revealed to the alien, there enters into the conceptual arena an exterior agent who for the first time knows what we do not know as a species — the Martian thus serves as the big Other for the entire collective enumeration of human beings. — Mark Fisher (edited by Darren Ambrose), K-Punk, 627

Categorization

• QUESTION: Why would Sartre, the philosopher of chosen freedom, posit an exterior agent who objectively knows our species better than we do? The passage seems to contradict Sartre’s own anti-foundationalism — worth chasing.
• STORYSTEM: An alien observer who can scientifically enumerate the patterns of an entire species without understanding its interiority offers a useful narrator or frame device for first-contact or anthropology-of-humans fiction.
• XREF: connects to: Belief in supernatural watchers enables stranger-to-stranger cooperation — Norenzayan, Ara, Big gods - how religion transformed…, 206; The Other’s look proves a beyond-the-world realm irreducible to spatial relations; Potent supernatural monitors must balance transcendence with human-like graspability (+2 more)

Broader Connections

• The Other’s look proves a beyond-the-world realm irreducible to spatial relations #expands (0.80)
• Gods who see everything derive from humans who watch each other #corroborates (0.80) — Norenzayan, Ara, Big gods - how religion transformed…, 103
• People apply the same mental machinery to supernatural watchers as human watchers #corroborates (0.78) — Norenzayan, Ara, Big gods - how religion transformed…, 93
• Belief in supernatural watchers enables stranger-to-stranger cooperation #expands (0.75) — Norenzayan, Ara, Big gods - how religion transformed…, 206
• Potent supernatural monitors must balance transcendence with human-like graspability #qualifies (0.75)