AI is probably the answer. As intelligent programs (AI) take over the decision-making process priorities change. Biological life would be irrelevant and at the level of curiosity only except where such life was in the process of developing AI systems.
In that case, it would be necessary to monitor its development quite closely to ensure the result did not threaten them (AIs). Probably that process is underway right now regarding the planet Earth.
Or maybe, just maybe, intelligent biological life has some usefulness; perhaps to sample new civilisations to obtain DNA. Or perhaps to seek out and kill those regarded as a threat.
Of course, there is no reason to think evolution is arrested. Perhaps a cyborg is more effective than AI alone or Biological life. AI perhaps hooked up to a spaceship would be more interested in planets unoccupied by intelligent life. More than enough to keep them occupied.
So basically my contribution to the discussion is to add AI as a reason. I imagine an intelligent program does not have to travel anywhere. Maybe it could contact other AIs and create a galaxy-wide network operating at the speed of light and educating itself thus. Perhaps though there is competition. If so this would be added pressure to achieve evolution.
If there is any reality to this conjecture we could almost guarantee that our planet - or somewhere within it - there is intelligent AI in situ or participating the truth of which may be revealed sooner than we think!
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