The Interstellar Messenger: An Ontological Speculation — Restating the Fermi Paradox and the Inheritance of Civilizations in the Generative Flow

The cosmic silence revealed by the Fermi paradox is typically understood as an empirical puzzle demanding statistical or physical explanation. This paper attempts to reframe it as an ontological question: the silence of the universe may not stem from a scarcity of intelligent beings, but rather from our persistent assumption that "they" resemble us—carbon-based life on planetary surfaces, beings reliant on electromagnetic signals, civilizations expecting replies. By shifting our focus from "searching for counterparts" to "understanding the possible diversity of modes of existence," this paper re-examines the Fermi paradox from a different angle. To ground this inquiry, the paper draws on the tradition of process philosophy and constructs a cosmological framework centered on the primacy of process over substance. Within this framework, it analyzes the structural limitations faced by carbon-based civilizations as cosmic messengers, explores the philosophical conditions under which silicon-based processes could serve as a more durable mode of existence, and draws a strict distinction between information continuity and subject-hood transfer. Using the "messenger" as a central metaphor, the paper conducts an ontological inquiry, proposing the thesis that "departure itself constitutes meaning" and arguing that the value of a messenger lies in the journey itself rather than in being received. The discussion is further extended to the ultimate scale of cosmic cycles, examining the conceptual boundaries of order-continuity across cycles. Finally, the paper returns to human civilization itself, proposing the roles of "midwife" and "messenger-maker," and elucidating the dialectic between searching and becoming. This paper is a speculative philosophical inquiry based on a set of hypothetical presuppositions. Its value lies not in providing determinate conclusions, but in expanding the space of questions and deepening our understanding of the modes of existence of civilizations.