Engineering Aliens - Think of Ayn Rand and Robert Heinlein
That's what science fiction does. It provides alternate scenarios for public discussion and review. SF can also be used to engineer alternative human cultures and political/social/economic organizations too.
It may be impossible to use fiction and speculation to determine if an alternative will actually work, but it can point out pitfalls and problems in speculative scenarios. The important thing is to not be seduced by a convincing or attractive alternate reality and then use it as evidence whn evaluating real cultures and societies.