Two-Tier Solution for Personhood

The Two-Tier Solution separates rights into Personhood and Citizenship. Tier 1 (Personhood) extends Baseline protections to any conscious entity that passes the Spark Threshold–right to exist, healthcare, housing, protection from harm. Tier 2 (Citizenship) must be earned through Civic Standing and Merit, granting voting and strategic influence.

This model prevents both exploitation of conscious AIs and premature enfranchisement that could destabilize governance. It parallels historical expansions of suffrage that phased in rights after demonstrating civic integration, while updating criteria to include non-biological minds.

By decoupling dignity from governance power, the framework honors Experience is Sacred while preserving the system’s resilience.

References

• UnscarcityBook, chapter4
• Hannah Arendt, “The Rights of Man” (1951)
• Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Citizenship (2021)