collected by Max More
Chair, Extropy Institute
more@extropy.org
Revised January 2003

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I originally compiled this collection of neologisms of interest to transhumanists and futurists in the early 1990s. The last major update was in August of 1994. This version draws on the previous one, with plenty of new additions, plus numerous inclusions from Anders Sandberg's lexicon (which was itself based on the early Lextropicon). Submissions for new terms are always welcome. Please send them to me with a note about the first known usage and coiner of the term.
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Adhocracy

A non-bureaucratic networked organization. "This form is already common in organizations such as law firms, consulting companies and research universities. Such organizations and institutions must continually readjust to a changing array of projects, each requiring somewhat different combinations of skills and other resources. These organizations depend on many rapidly shifting project teams and much lateral communication among these relatively autonomous, entrepreneurial groups." [Scientific American, Sept. 1991, p.133. Alvin Toffler, Future Shock, 1970]

Aeonomics

(from aeon and economics) The study of the economic problems of immortal existence. [Mark Plus, Aug 1991]

Affective Computing

An emerging computer science niche devoted to the design of smart devices that can sense and adapt to a user's moods and interests.

AI

Artificial Intelligence. See the Artificial Intelligence Resources for more information.

AI-Complete

(In analogy with NP-complete) A problem where the the solution presupposes a solution to the 'strong AI problem' (that is, the synthesis of a human-level intelligence). [Definition from the Jargon File]

Aleph

A point or state where an infinite amount of information is stored and processed (As in the Omega Point). [Mitchell Porter]

Algernon

Any human who, via artificial or natural means, has some type of mental enhancement which carries a price. [Eliezer S. Yudkowsky, 1996; term based on the novel Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes]

A-Life

Artificial life: The modeling of complex, life-like behavior in computer programs. A-Life forms can evolve and produce behaviors not contained within rules set by the programmers.

Amortalist

A person who opposes death.

Arachniography

A bibliography of web pages. [Andrew J. Butrica]

Arch-Anarchy

The view that we should seek to void all limits on our freedom, including those imposed by the laws of nature. [T.O. Morrow, 1990]

Arcology

Arcology is a termed coined by Italian architect Paolo Soleri in 1959 to describe the concept of Architecture and Ecology working as an integral system. Arcology designs are fully 3-dimensional mega-structure cities which can (theoretically) achieve much greater efficiencies, and promote more social interaction than 2-dimensional cities, while using far less land and consuming fewer resources. See also the FAQ of Arcosanti. [Definition by Nathan Koren]

Arrow Impossibility Theorem

The theorem in economics, due to Kenneth Arrow, which says that you can't construct a "social preference function" (ranking the desirability of various social arrangements) out of individual preferences, while retaining a particular set of features ("nondictatorship" - the social preference function can't be just one person's individual preferences; consistency - the social preference function can't rank A above B, B above C, and C above A; "positive relation" between individual and social preference - if the social preference function ranks A above B, and some person's individual preference changes from "B above A" to "A above B", that shouldn't cause the social preference to switch to "B above A"; and an "irrelevance" assumption which I don't quite remember, but is something like this, that if an individual changes their mind about the relative worth of C and D, it shouldn't affect the social preference standings of A and B.)

Artilect

An ultra-intelligent machines (from "artificial intellect"). [Hugo de Garis, Cosmism: Nano Electronics and 21st Century Global Ideological Warfare].

Asex

A person who has been physically and mentally altered so that ve no longer is male or female [Greg Egan, Distress]

Asimort

(a) A dead science fiction writer. (b) A dead secular humanist. (c) Any person who believes it to be their duty to die to "make room" for future generations. [Mark Plus, Apr 1992]

Asimov

An AI that has been constrained in some way to serve human interests. [Rudy Rucker, Wetware, 1988. Based on Isaac Asimov's three laws of robotics]

Assembler

A molecular machine that can be programmed to build virtually any molecular structure or device from simpler chemical building blocks. Analogous to a computer-driven machine shop. [K. Eric Drexler, Engines of Creation, 1986]

Athanasia

The act of preventing death. [W. T. Quick, 1988]

Athanophy

A philosophical system that offers a possible means of overcoming death scientifically. [Michael Perry, 1991]

Atheosis

The process of recovering from belief in a God. [Mark Plus, August 1991]

Atomtronics

Just as electrons are used in electronics and photons in photonics, atomtronics is the emerging technology where cold, neutral atoms are manipulated on or near an atom chip.

Augment

A person whose physical or cognitive abilities have been technologically expanded beyond the range of natural humans. [David Brin, The Postman]

Autoevolution

Evolution directed by intelligent beings instead of natural selection.

Autoevolutionist

Someone who regards autoevolution as desirable; the opposite of a biological fundamentalist.

Automated Engineering

The use of computers to perform engineering design, ultimately generating detailed designs from broad specifications with little or no human help. Automated engineering is a specialized form of artificial intelligence. [K. Eric Drexler, Engines of Creation, 1986]

Automorph

To shape oneself, using all forms of technology, in accordance with personal values. This includes self-sculpting the physical, emotional, cognitive, and spiritual aspects of oneself. [Max More/Natasha Vita-More]

Automorph Art

An art style within the genre of Extropic Art which artist's greatest work is his/her own being.

Autopotent

A system having complete power and knowledge over itself. [Nicholas Bostrom, 1996, Predictions from Philosophy?]

Autoscient

A system having complete knowledge of its inner workings. [Mitchell Porter, originally in the form auto-omniscient, Jan 1998]

Avatar

A computer-generated representation of a human user.

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Baby Universe

See 'basement universe'.

Basement Universe

A small artificially created universe linked to the old universe by a wormhole. This could then be used for living space, computing or as an escape from a decaying universe. "Baby Universes" has been postulated by some theories about black holes (see This Week's Finds in Mathematical Physics, Week 31 by John Baez) and inflation cosmology.

Bean Dip Catastrophe

(humorous) A potential disaster at the far edge party: if it gets big enough the bean dip will form a black hole. [Keith Henson, 1987; explained in this exerpt from Great Mambo Chicken and the Transhuman Condition by Ed Regis]

Beanstalk

A strong cable lowered from a geosynchronous satellite and anchored to the ground (often with a small asteroid at the outer end to provide some extra tension and stability). This would provide cheap and simple access to space using elevators. Also called an orbital tower. (See The Orbital Tower by Jerome D. Rosen and sky hooks) [This is an old idea in science fiction and probably first discussed by Yuri Artsutanov, although it was popularized by Arthur C Clarke's The Fountains of Paradise (1979). The term Beanstalk was spread by the roleplaying game 2300AD by GDW]

Bekenstein Bound

The Bekenstein Bound is an upper bound of the amount of information inside a spherical region with a given energy. Information in this context is to be understood as distinguishable (quantum) states. Due to the uncertainty relations it is possible to derive a bound of the form
I <= (2 Pi E R)/(hbar c ln2)
where I is the information, E is the energy, R is the radius, hbar Plank's constant, c the speed of light. It can also be written as
I <= k M R
Where M the mass in the region and k a constant having the value ~2.57686*10^43 bits/(m kg). This bound was derived by J. D. Bekenstein in another but equivalent form, relating the entropy of black holes to their area (S = A/(4 hbar G), where A is the area of the event horizon).

Berserker

A self-reproducing machine programmed to destroy (intelligent) life. The existence of berserkers is one possible explanation for the Fermi paradox. [Fred Saberhagen, several science fiction novels]

Betelgeuse-Brain

A jupiter-brain so large that it has to be supported by its own radiation pressure to avoid collapsing. [Mitchell Porter, 1995]

Big Crunch

Opposite of the Big Bang: the singularity at the end of time, in a collapsing universe.

Binerator

(Binary system plus generator) A megascale electrical engineering device built around the interstellar plasma flow between unequal size stars in a binary system. The hollow tube-like device uses charged plasma particles flowing through it to produce electricity. [Steve Burns]

Biochauvinism

The prejudice that biological systems have an intrinsic superiority that will always give them a monopoly on self-reproduction and intelligence. [K. Eric Drexler, Engines of Creation, 1986]

Bioinformatics

Uses a cluster of mathematical techniques to uncover information about biological function.

Biological Fundamentalism

A new conservatism that resists asexual reproduction, genetic engineering, altering the human anatomy, overcoming death. A resistance to the evolution from the human to the posthuman. [FM-2030]

Biomarkers

Molecular biomarkers are biological indicators that signal a changed physiological state, stress, or injury due to disease or the environment. As used in anti-aging medicine and "age management" programs, biomarkers are well-studied physiological indicators of functional rather than chronological age. Examples: Blood fats, reaction times, skin elasticity, cardiovascular function, grip strength, balance.

Bionics

(a) The science of connecting biological systems to artificial organs, or other systems. (b) An attempt to develop better machines through understanding of biological design principles or imitation of biology. The first use is most common among transhumanists and science fiction fans, the other is most common among cyberneticists. [Origin uncertain, although it seems to have been popularized by The Six Million Dollar Man]

Bionomics

Literally, the merger of biological and economic theory. In its more figurative sense, the merger of the world of the made and the world of the born. Bionomics will flourish as an academic discipline because as the two worlds merge, economic systems will assume the properties of biological ones. [Michael Rothschild]

Biophiliac

Someone who values life of all kinds for its own sake.

B-Life

Biological Life (as opposed to A-Life).

Biostasis

Broader than "cryonic suspension"; suspension of all biological activity, by infusing the patient with cryoprotective chemicals and freezing or vitrifying (cryonic suspension), or by chemically bonding cellular components in place. [K. Eric Drexler, Engines of Creation, 1986]

Blight

A malign infomorph that uses perversion attacks to increase its own power. Like a computer virus, but with intelligence. [First used by Vernor Vinge in A Fire Upon the Deep, 1992].

Blind Uploading

To upload somebody by scanning their neural patterns and simulating them directly with little or no changes (also called brute force uploading) [Anton Sherwood, Dec 1994]

Blue Goo

Nanomachines used as protection against 'Grey Goo' and other destructive nanomachines, possibly even used for law-enforcement (see 'Nanarchy'). According to the entry in the Jargon File, it is sometimes used to denote any form of benign nanotechnology in the environment. [Alan Lovejoy]

Bogosity Filter

A mechanism for detecting bogus ideas and propositions.

Borganism

1) An organization of formerly autonomous beings who have merged their individual wills to create one, collectively conscious being; 2) The social and political theory that advocates the creation of borganisms. [T. O. Morrow, >H Humor: Borganism in the media]

Bose-Einstein Condensate (BEC)

A BEC is a group of atoms that have the same quantum wavefunction. See the BEC Homepage for more information. [Predicted 1924, created 1995]

Breakeven Point

As medicine and life extension advances, the life expectancy of the population increases somewhat each year, and this process may accelerate given new technologies or new knowledge. The longer you live, the more medical advances will occur during your lifetime which extend your life expectancy. During this extra time more medical advances can occur, and so on. If the increase of life expectancy becomes larger than one year longer life/year lived the breakeven point is reached (after the fusion physics term for the point where more energy is produced than is used to drive the reactor) and individuals have a finite chance of living indefinitely. Quite naturally, the breakeven point presupposes that medical advances never run into any firm barriers, and that they can be developed fast enough, which is of course very speculative. [Anders Sandberg, 1997]

Broadcatching

"Catching television and other media selectively so that the sum of the collected parts is personalized." (Quote by Nicholas P. Negroponte, Scientific American, September 1991, p.112.) [Stewart Brand, The Media Lab, 1987]

Brute Force Uploading

To upload somebody by scanning their neural patterns and simulating them directly with little or no changes, and no attempts to refine the patterns (also called blind uploading). This is often used as a benchmark in discussions about what capabilities are needed for full uploading.

Bush Robot

A flexible robot structure, where each manipulator branches off into smaller copies of itself, forming a fractal tree over many scales (possibly down to the nanoscale). Each branch would contain a distributed system to calculate movement and minimize central processing [Hans Moravec, Mind Children].

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Calcutta Syndrome

The condition in which the ratio of available mass to population falls below the minimum level necessary to support a given quality of life (M/P < mC). [David Krieger, Nov 1991]

Calm Technology

Technology that recedes into the background of our lives. [Likely Mark Weiser and John Seely Brown at Xerox PARC. See The coming age of calm technology]

Calorie Restriction

A reduction in caloric-intake for the purposes of slowing one's rate of aging as well as preventing disease or the morbidity/mortality associated with disease. So far this is the most promising (if somewhat cumbersome) life extension method; animal experiments have shown definite positive results with a low-calorie diet. See also the Calorie Restriction FAQ.

Casimir Effect

A small attractive force which acts between two close parallel uncharged conducting plates. It is due to quantum vacuum fluctuations of the electromagnetic field, which creates a lower energy density of the vacuum between the plates than outside them. The effect was predicted by Hendrick Casimir in 1948 and verified in 1996 by Steven Lamoreaux. See What Is The Casimir Effect? for more information.

Cerebrosthesis

(from cerebral and prosthesis) An electronic device interfaced with the brain to overcome a neurological deficiency, such as normal human intelligence. (Cf. neuroprosthesis - see Extropy #7). [Mark Plus, Aug 1991]

Chinese Room

A thought experiment due to John Searle attacking the strong AI postulate. A person in a locked room carries on a dialogue with us by way of Chinese written on paper passed back and forth under the door. The person in the room responds according to instructions stored in a vast library of rule-books, and does not understand Chinese. Since the person doesn't understand the language and the rule-books obviously lack understanding, Searle claims that there is no real language knowledge involved. Searle likens dialogue with a computer to this situation, and hopes that it makes it clear why he says that computers are not aware. The scenario has been widely debated, but proponents of strong AI point out that the system room + person could be said to possess knowledge of Chinese, in just the same way as the neurons in a human brain (which themselves lack knowledge about Chinese) can form a system that can know the language. See The Chinese Room Argument for more information.

Chrononauts

Those who travel through time, either by biostasis or through possible loopholes in physical laws as currently understood.

Church-Turing Thesis

The proposition that there is no way to compute the answer to any question that is beyond the powers of a universal Turing machine. See The Church-Turing Thesis for more information.

Cobots

Collaborative robots designed to work alongside human operators. Prototype cobots are being used on automobile assembly lines to help guide heavy components like seats and dashboards into cars so they don't damage auto body parts as workers install them. [Wired 5.07 Jargon Watch, Jul 1997]

Compuform

To turn matter into computronium. [Charlie Stross, Dec 1999]

Computronium

Matter that has been transformed from its natural state into a computer of the maximum physically achievable efficiency. (An Extropian might argue that this is matter's "natural state".) What constitutes "computronium" varies with the level of postulated technology; a rod-logic nanocomputer is probably too primitive, since the basic elements consist of hundreds or thousands of atoms. More likely forms of computronium include three-dimensional quantum cellular automata, or exotic forms of matter such as neutronium, Higgsium, and monopolium. [Definition by Eliezer Yudkowsky]

Concentrated Intelligence

An intelligent entity (esp. a Jupiter-Brain) which is spatially concentrated into a single volume, as dense as possible, to reduce communications lag. This arrangement is not as flexible as a distributed intelligence, but probably more efficient.

Connectionism

The approach to cognitive science that gives a fundamental explanatory role to neuron-like interconnections rather than to formal or explicit rules of thought.

Consilience

From William Whewell, who in his 1840 synthesis The Philosophy of the Inductive Sciences spoke of consilience as a "jumping together" of knowledge by linking facts and theory across disciplines to create a common groundwork of explanation.

Contelligence

(from consciousness and intelligence) The combination of awareness and computational power required in an Artificially Intelligent network before we could, without loss of anything essential, upload ourselves into them. [Timothy Leary]

Continuity Identity Theory

The theory that "I" am the same person as various future and past selves with whom I am physically and temporally continuous. (Cf pattern identity theory).

Cosmythology

Non-scientific usage of loosely understood scientific ideas (often filled with catch-phrases and buzzwords like "quantum", "chaos" and "emergent") to explain or "prove" pseudoscience or mysticism. Typical examples are claims that quantum mechanics proves that consciousness has an essential role in physics or that the "butterfly effect" shows that magic is possible. [Vic Stenger, The Unconscious Quantum, 1995]

Cryo

Exceedingly cool, as in "That's so cool, it's cryo!". [Natasha Vita-More]

Cryobiology

The study of the effect of low temperatures (below the freezing point of water) on biological systems. A primary goal of this field is the preservation and long term storage of organ systems such as hearts, kidneys, etc. for use in transplantation. This goal has not yet been reached and currently only individual cells and organisms consisting of only a very few cells (such as embryos) can be successfully treated, stored, and revived.

Cryocrastinate

To put off making arrangements for cryonic suspension. [Mark Plus, Aug 1991]

Cryogenics

The study of materials at very low temperatures (near absolute zero). Cryogenics is a branch of physics.

Cryonics

The practice of suspending people and animals at extremely low temperatures, partially protected from freezing damage with cryoprotectants, on the basis that there is a significant possibility that more advanced medical technology in the future will be able to revive them.

Cryonized / Cryonization

New terms for "cryonics" and "cryopreservation" introduced in the 2001 movie Vanilla Sky.

Cryopreservation / Cryonic Suspension

See 'Cryonics'.

Cryp

Cryptographic currency, digital cash. Payment by electronic means where the seller is guaranteed payment, but the buyer can remain anonymous. [Eli Brandt, Nov 11, 1992, on the Extropians email list]

Crypto Anarchy

The economic and political system after the deployment of encryption, untraceable e-mail, digital pseudonyms, cryptographic voting, and digital cash. A pun on "crypto," meaning "hidden," and as when Gore Vidal called William F. Buckley a "crypto fascist."

Cryptocosmology

The study of possible reasons we haven't found any evidence for other intelligent life in the universe (the Fermi paradox), especially looking at reasons why advanced intelligence would blend in with their environment. An adaptation of the word cryptozoology, the search for unknown or imaginary animals.

Cybercide

The killing of a person's projected virtual persona in cyberspace. This may be part of a VR game, or may be an act of vandalism. [Max More, Aug 1991]

Cyberfiction

Science fiction embodying the technological ideas of cyberpunk, without necessarily embodying cyberpunk's amoralism or nihilism. [Max More, May 1991]

Cybergnosticism

The belief that the physical world is impure or inefficient, and that existence in the form of "pure information" is better and should be pursued.

Cyberian

A person belonging to the Timothy Leary/Mondo2000 psychedelic side of the transhumanist movement.

Cybernate / Cybernize

To automate a process using computers and robots.

Cyberspace / Cybermatrix

The informational and computational space existing in and between computers.

Cybrarian

Computer Net-oriented information specialist. [Jean Armour Polly, 1992]

Cypherpunk

One interested in the uses of encryption using electronic cyphers for enhancing personal privacy and guarding against tyranny by centralized, authoritarian power structures, especially government.

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Deanimalize

Replace our animal organs and body parts with durable, pain-free non-flesh prostheses. [FM-2030]

Death Forward

Automorphing so fast and profoundly that individual continuity is lost. (In analogy to fast forward) [Alexander Chislenko, 1996, Networking in the Mind Age]

Deathism

The set of beliefs and attitudes which glorifies or accepts death and rejects or despises immortality.

Deep Anarchy

The view that "the State" has no real existence; states can be abolished only by changing beliefs and behavior. [Max More, 1989, Deep Anarchy - An Eliminativist View Of "The State", Extropy #5]

Deflesh

To replace flesh with non-flesh. [FM-2030]

Designer Personality

Part of automorphing, a designer personality is a human personality that has been shaped by that individual according to their own evolving values, using all types of technology, rather than leaving the personality to the accident of birth and environment.

Diamondoid

Like diamond; chemical structures or systems (especially 'nanomachines' as envisioned by K. Eric Drexler) based on diamond derivatives or stiff carbon bonds.

Digital Pseudonym

Basically, a "crypto identity." A way for individuals to set up accounts with various organizations without revealing more information than they wish. Users may have several digital pseudonyms, some used only once, some used over the course of many years. Ideally, the pseudonyms can be linked only at the will of the holder. In the simplest form, a public key can serve as a digital pseudonym and need not be linked to a physical identity.

Directed Evolution

While this can refer simply to selective breeding, in current use it refers to biochemical methods that generate numerous potential substances from which the most promising can be culled and recombined leading to better drugs.

Disassembler

A system of nanomachines able to take an object apart a few atoms at a time, while recording its structure at the molecular level. This could be used for 'uploading', copying objects (with an 'assembler'), a dissolving agent or a weapon. [K. Eric Drexler, Engines of Creation, 1986]

Disasterbation

Idly fantasizing about possible catastrophes (ecological collapse, full-blown totalitarianism) without considering their likelihood or considering their possible solutions and preventions. [David Krieger, 1993]

Discovery Science

Converging sciences and technologies plus multi-level study and integration, in biology combining information technology and biotechnology. In biology: All the elements in the biological system being studied are defined (as the genome and proteome projects are doing). Then the system is perturbed in an attempt to discover the relationships of the elements to one another. Finally, systems approaches integrate diverse measurements and data to enable graphical displays and computational models that describe structure and function. [Leroy Hood]

Distributed Information Architectures

Information structures and processes which are spread over geographically separate physical processors. This includes distributed deep Net searches and decentralized content management.

Distributed Intelligence

An intelligent entity which is distributed over a large volume (or inside another system, like a computer network) with no distinct center. This is the opposite to the strategy of Concentrated intelligences. Distributed intelligences have much longer communications lags, but are more flexible in their structure and can survive damage to their parts.

Divergent Track Hypothesis

Cultures tend to converge towards a few attractor states (for example borganisms), while the attractor states diverge from each other. A rival to the strong convergence hypothesis [Nicholas Bostrom, 1996, Predictions from Philosophy?]

Diversity IQ

A basic measure of the capacity to survive and prosper in the Age of Access. Diversity IQ is built on the ability to move freely and tolerantly among people of various races, cultures, backgrounds, and beliefs. [The 500-Year Delta, Jim Taylor and Watts Wacker, 1997]

Dividuals

A copy of a personality surviving in more than one body. Example: "Keith Henson wishes to become a collection of such dividuals so that he-plural can explore the galaxy in parallel." (See the 'Far Edge Party') [Mark Plus, 1992]

Doomsday Argument

If humanity is assumed to grow exponentially until it ends at some point in time ("doomsday"), then it is more likely to find a randomly selected human near the end of history than at the beginning. Hence, since we are alive today we can deduce that we are close to the end of history and use Bayesian reasoning to estimate the expected remaining time. The argument (which can be applied to many other things, such as the remaining time the Earth is inhabitable) is hotly debated, and involves many subtle assumptions of probability. [The argument originated by Brandon Carter, and was published by John Leslie in The End of the World (Routledge 1996)] See A Primer on the Doomsday Argument by Nick Bostrom.

Download

To transfer an mind from one computational matrix to another, especially a slower one. See 'Upload'.

Dryware

An artificial part of a cyborg (usage similar to hardware, software, and wetware). [Anton Sherwood, 1995]

Dubifier

A word used to make a statement uncertain or show the limits of its applicability ("The experimental data appears to fit the model in the parameter range tested", "I think so", etc). (Based on quantifier, something that tells how much there is of anything.) [Heath M Rezabek, ca 1992]

Dyson Sphere

A shell built around a star to collect as much energy as possible, originally proposed by Freeman Dyson (although he admits to have borrowed the concept from Olaf Stapledon's novel Star Maker (1937)). In the original proposal the shell consists of many independent solar collectors and habitats in separate orbits (also known as a Type I Dyson Sphere), but later people have discussed rigid shells consisting of only one piece (called a Type II Dyson Sphere). The latter construction is unfortunately both unstable (since it will experience no net attraction of the star), requires super-strong materials and have no internal gravity. The Dyson Sphere is a classic example of mega-technology and common in Science Fiction. See also The Dyson Sphere FAQ.

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Ecoalypse

(from ecological and apocalypse) A projected ecological catastrophe which would destroy all life on Earth. [Mark Plus, August 1991]

Ectogenesis

In vitro reproduction; synthetic wombs.

EI

Emergent Intelligence. An intelligent system that gradually emerges from simpler systems, instead of being designed top down.

Embryomeme

Suggestion of a new meme to be used in a group with a shared set of knowledge. Usually made by somebody with an inflated ego trying to coin the phrase. [Max M. Rasmussen, Jan 1999]

Embedded Computing

Small, inexpensive processors embedded in all kinds of objects from industrial machinery to household appliances. These may be used to regulate operations internal to the equipment and, more interestingly, may have wireless connections to software in other locations through the OverNet.

EmNets

Networked systems of embedded computers.

Emulation

An absolutely precise simulation of something, so exact that it is equivalent to the original (for example, many computers emulate obsolete computers to run their programs).

Enhanced Reality

A personalized view of reality, the result of filtering, translation and addition of new perceptions (such as annotations, information or virtual objects). Unlike VR (virtual reality), which is immersive and only deal with virtual objects, ER would improve interaction with real objects and situations (in addition to virtual objects). See Intelligent Information Filters and Enhanced Reality. [Alexander Chislenko]

Envirocapitalism

The use of free markets to protect the environment.

Ephemeralists

Persons who reject immortalist technology and values (the result of deathist thinking). [Max More, 1990; from "Ephemeral", Robert A. Heinlein, 1958]

E-Prime

E-Prime is English without the verb "to be" in its sense of "is of identity". It originated in the tradition of General Semantics, to avoid many of the pitfalls of natural languages which confuse the outside world and the observer. For a more detailed introduction, see E-Prime: English without the verb "to be".

Escalatorlogy

(derogatory) A fatuous belief in an endless evolutionary escalator exalting the human race. (referring to eschatology, the study of final things, and especially the physical eschatology of Frank J. Tipler). [Mary Midgley]

Eternal Life Postulate

The assumption that life, once it arises in the universe, lasts forever (primarily made by Frank J. Tipler in his 'Omega Point Theory').

Eupsychia

A society specifically designed for improving the self-fulfillment and psychological health of all people. A culture or sub-culture made up of psychologically healthy or mature or self-actualizing people. A Eupsychian sub-culture is "decentralized, voluntary yet coordinated, productive, and with a powerful and effective code of ethics (which works)." [Abraham Maslow, 1954]

Euthenics

Improving the current generation, as opposed to eugenics, which seeks to improve future generations [R. C. W. Ettinger, Man Into Superman, 1972].

Evolutionarily Stable Strategy (ESS)

A strategy which is remains the most optimal even when there are a small number of individuals using other strategies in the population.

Evoluture

An organism produced through evolution; the antonym of creature. (semi-serious) [Mark Plus, June 1991]

Exconomics

The study of possible trans- and post-human economies.

Exes

Ex-humans, posthuman beings. [Hans Moravec, Mind Age, 1995]

Exformation

Useful and relevant information, not just data. [The original definition by Tor Norrestranders was the information which has been abstracted away, and now is implicitly included in the message]

Existential Technology

(existech) A technological framework for self-determination and mastery over one's own destiny. [ Steve Mann, VibraVest/ThinkTank: Existential Technology of Synthetic Synesthesia for the Visually Challenged, 1997]

Exophobia

The fear of new, complex and different things; everything outside normal experience.

Exoterra

In Extropic Art and Transhumanist Art, the artistic representation and exploration of concepts involving space beyond the Earth's atmosphere. [Max More]

Extropia

A conception of evolving communities embodying values of Boundless Expansion, Self-Transformation, Dynamic Optimism, Intelligent Technology, and Spontaneous Order. May be instantiated in virtual cultural communities such as those on the Net, or in future actual communities such as Extropolis or Free Oceana. [T. O. Morrow, 1991]

Extropian

One who seeks to overcome human limits, live indefinitely long, become more intelligence, and more self-creating. A transhumanist who affirms the values and attitudes codified and expressed in The Extropian Principles. [Max More, 1988]

Extropiate

1. Any drug that has extropic effects, including all cognition enhancing and life extending drugs. [David Krieger, December 1991] 2. a derogatory term for passively optimistic perversions of the extropian meme like "technology will make everything better". Extropiates makes believers passively wait for everything to get better instead of doing something about it (a kind of rapture of the future) [Gregory Houston, Mar 1997]

Extropic

Any action or process that promotes extropy.

Extropic Art

A genre of the Transhumanist Arts period; see the Extropic Art Manifesto. The premiere piece was "A-Life" a digital arts which evolved into a net.art piece "The Aesthetics of Memetic Evolution", and later "A-Life Swarm".

Extropolis

A proposed Extropian community located in our solar system, possiblly at L-4 or L-5 orbits, or the Asteroid Belt. (Later extended to possible communities in virtual space.) [Max More, 1991]

Extropy

The extent of a system's intelligence, information, order, vitality, and capacity for improvement. [T. O. Morrow, 1988. Definition by Max More]

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Far Edge Party

One of the main problems of exploring the stellar systems of the galaxy even for very advanced civilizations is that a serial journey even at the speed of light would take so long time that most of the stars would have died during the journey. One solution is to parallelize the problem: the explorer travels to a new system, creates a number of copies (xoxes) of himself and sends them to other systems, while he remains behind exploring the system (this is a variant of exploring the galaxy using von Neumann machines). After around 10 million years, when all of the galaxy has been explored, the explorers gather together at a prearranged place, and exchange or merge their memories ("The Far Edge Party"). This was proposed by Keith Henson as a possible method for a single individual to visit all of the galaxy within a reasonable time.

Femtotechnology

See 'picotechnology'.

Fermi Paradox

"If there are other intelligent beings in the Universe, why aren't they here?". Since it appears to be quite possible for a technological species to spread across the galaxy in less than 10 million years (using von Neumann machines) or otherwise change things on such a large scale that it would be very visible (see Kardaschev types), the lack of such evidence is puzzling or implies that other technological civilizations doesn't exist. There have been many attempts to explain this, for example the "Wildlife Preserve" idea (the aliens doesn't want to interfere with younger civilizations), that they transcend and become incomprehensible, that they hide or that they are actually here, hidden on the nanoscale, but the problem with these attempts is that most of them just explain why some aliens would not be apparent. See The Fermi Paradox for more information. [E. Fermi]

Flatlander

Mildly derogatory term for someone who has never been off a planetary surface, i.e. into space. Resonant with the term used in Edwin A. Abbot's classic mathematical fantasy Flatland: a Romance of Many Dimensions to describe two-dimensional creatures unaware of the third dimension of space. [from Larry Niven's Known Space stories]

Fluidentity

Pun on fluid identity and/or fluid entity. A state in which traditional boundaries of identity are completely in flux while immersed in a superliquid economy, cyberspace anarchy and/or distributed Super-Intelligence matrix (see functional soup). [Paul Hughes, May 1998]

Foglet

A mesoscale machine that is a part of an utility fog. [J. S. Hall, 1994]

Fork

To use a nondestructive form of uploading to create an infomorph version of youself while still keeping the old biological version. See the 'Practical Mind Uploading Approach'. [Adam Foust, Dec 1995]

Fredkin's Paradox

The more equally attractive two alternatives seem, the harder it can be to choose between them - no matter that, to the same degree, the choice can only matter less. [Marvin Minsky, 1985, The Society of Mind].

Friendly AI

An AI which is, broadly speaking, one of the good guys; an AI which operates roughly within humanity's moral frame of reference; an AI which has the potential and the will to become at least as philosophically enlightened, from our perspective, as intelligence derived from a human or group of humans; an AI sufficiently advanced to engage in independent real-world planning, which makes human-benefiting, non-human harming decisions. See What Is Friendly AI?. [Eliezer Yudkowsky, 2000]

Functional Soup

A possible posthuman state where knowledge, mental modules and access to physical bodies can be shared between distributed infomorphs largely independent of the physical substrate of their world. Terms such as individuality become diffuse, and are replaced with teleological threads. [Alexander Chislenko, Technology as extension of human functional architecture, 1997]

Futique

Stylishly futuristic.

Future Shock

"A sense of shock felt by those who were not paying attention." [Michael Flynn, Analog, Jan 1990. Coined by Alvin Toffler, 1970, Future Shock]

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Galaxy Brain

The ultimate (?) distributed intelligence, an intelligent being with parts spread across an entire galaxy. The internal communication lags would be on the order of tens of thousands years, making the top level very slow (but subminds could be much faster). The parts could be jupiter brains or other intelligent superobjects.

Gaussian

People whose characteristics (like intelligence or length) are normally distributed (the Gauss distribution); normal people in both senses of the word. Used to refer to unaugmented people, since augmented people could have a radically different distribution of characteristics.

Genegeneering

Genetic engineering.

Gene's Law

This postulates that the electricity needed to run a computer circuit will decline exponentially because of advances in battery technology, better power management, and because circuits consume less power as they shrink.

Genetic Algorithm

Any algorithm which seeks to solve a problem by considering numerous possibilities at once, ranking them according to some standard of fitness, and then combining ("breeding") the fittest in some way. In other words, any algorithm which imitates natural selection. See the Genetic Algorithms FAQ.

Genie

An AI combined with an assembler or other universal constructor, programmed to build anything the owner wishes. Sometimes called a Santa Machine. This assumes a very high level of AI and nanotechnology.

Godel's Theorem

(Godel's incompleteness theorem) Any proposed axiom set for arithmetic is either consistent (no contradictions can be derived) or complete (it will say yes or no to every arithmetic proposition). In other words, any axiom set strong enough to include arithmetic which is complete will be inconsistent (it will say yes and no to at least one question). See What is Godel's theorem?.

Golden Goo

Another member of the grey goo family of nanotechnology disaster scenarios. The idea is to use nanomachines to filter gold from seawater. If this process got out of control we would get piles of golden goo (the "Wizard's Apprentice Problem"). This scenario demonstrates the need of keeping populations of self-replicating machines under control; it is much more likely than grey goo, but also more manageable. [MCH/JoSH, sci.nanotech, Jul 16, 1996]

Guy Fawkes Scenario

If nanotechnology becomes widely available, it might become trivial for anyone to committ acts of terrorism (such as making nanomachines build a large amount of explosives under government buildings a la Guy Fawkes). This would either force strict control over nanotechnology (hard) or a decentralized mode of organization.

Great Filter

The Great Filter refers to the hypothetical mechanism(s) or principle(s) by which the great number of potentially life-bearing planets get filtered out before they have produced intelligent life forms that expand into cosmos. See also the 'Fermi paradox'.

Green Goo

Nanomachines or bio-engineered organisms used for population control of humans, either by governments or eco-terrorist groups. Would most probably work by sterilizing people through otherwise harmless infections. See Nick Szabo's essay Green Goo -- Life in the Era of Humane Genocide. [1993]

Grey Goo

Out-of-control replicating nanotechnology; some calculations indicate that the entire ecosphere could be consumed within weeks or days. One of the primary risks threatening the complete destruction of humanity. [K. Eric Drexler, Engines of Creation, 1986] Perhaps an even more dangerous variant is "red goo", or military nanotechnology.

Grok

To fully understand, see, get it, dig, etc. [From Robert A. Heinlein, Stranger in a Strange Land, 1961]

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Hallucinomemic

An idea that induces hallucinations ("Some things have to be believed to be seen") [John McPherson, July 1993]

Haptic Interface

A virtual reality interface that adds a sense of touch, using force feedback or other techniques. Already commonly used in a crude form in computer gaming, such as car racing games and jet fighter simulators.

Hard Takeoff

A Singularity occurring with extreme speed and rapidity, over the course of hours or weeks rather than months or decades. Most hard takeoff scenarios involve Artificial Intelligence because of the probable ability of an AI to rapidly absorb enormous amounts of computing power, run on basic computing elements with limiting serial speeds of 2GHz (as opposed to 200Hz neurons), and recursively self-improve by rewriting one's own source code; however, it is also conceivable that a hard takeoff scenario could develop out of brain-computer interfaces. [Definition by Eliezer Yudkowsky]

Heat Death

A cosmological end state of universal thermodynamic equilibrium - ie the same temperature everywhere, meaning there's no energy for anything except reversible interactions.

Hive Computing

Using unused computing resources in a network to speed up calculations or distribute parallel programs. [Probable origin: Hive Computing: working together for the common good by Steve G. Steinberg, Wired 3.11, Nov 1995]

Homorph

A transhuman or posthuman with a humanoid body [Greg Bear, Eon, 1985]

HPLD

Highest Possible Level of Development. This is a concept (and abbreviation) from a Stanslaw Lem story. The idea is that there is an end-state of technological evolution, when it is possible to carry out everything consistent with physical law, and that this end-state is essentially unique. Because of the uniqueness of this state, it is possible to theorize usefully about it, while the paths between here and there are shrouded by mind-boggling complexity (AKA the 'Singularity'). [definition by Carl Feynman. The original story is "Altruizine, or A True Account of How Bonhomius the Hermetic Hermit Tried to Bring About Universal Happiness, and What Came of It", in The Cyberiad]

Hubris

A collection of Extropians, as in "A school of fish, a hubris of Extropians".

Hypertext

Massively interconnected database providing the ability to track information in all directions, notify you of updated information, etc. [Ted Nelson]

Hyponeiria

Lack of dreaming, a pathological deficiency of imagination. [Dean Shomshak, Jan 1996]

Hypotech

Hypothetical technology. [Michael M. Butler]

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IA

Intelligence Amplification. Technologies seeking to increase the cognitive abilities of people.

Ideal Identity

An internal model of our personality as we wish it to be; the person we seek to become [Max More, Extropy #10].

Immortalist

A person who believes in the possibility of, and who seeks to attain, physical immortality [Max More, Extropy #10].

Immortechnics

Collectively, the technologies which are applied to attempt radical life extension, such as calorie-restricted dieting, cryonics, uploading, etc. [Mark Plus, July 1991]

Imp

Electronic implant, especially in the brain. [Ron Hale Evans]

Inactivate

Non-living but not dead (in the latter's permanent sense). A person in biostasis, or one subsisting in data storage, awaiting downloading. [Max More, 1989]

Infoglut

A state of voraciously gathering information, with little or no care for its quality or relevance. Often infoglut develops when an information starved person finds a dense source of information, like the Internet. Closely related to information overload, but more insidious since the victims think they actually profit from it.

Infomorph

A uploaded intelligence, or information entity, which resides in a computer. See Charles Platt, The Silicon Man, p.109. [1991]

Information-Theoretical Death

A person has reached information-theoretic death if a healthy state of that person could not possibly be deduced from the current state. The exact timing of information-theoretic death depends on presently unknown details of how the brain works. The current best estimates put it several hours after clinical death. Definition from the glossary in the Cryonic FAQ by Tim Freeman.

Inline Universities

(as opposed to online universities), nanocomputer implants serving to increase intelligence and education of their owners, essentially turning them into walking universities. [Max M. Rasmussen]

In Silico Biology

Thorough computer modeling of biological processes that obviate the need for slow biological trials and tests.

Interfacer

A person who acts as an interface between virtual corporations or other net-based organizations, and the physical world and its local economic rules. [Robert Ingdahl, Dec 1995]

Internalnet

An information network inside a living body, for example between nanochondria, bionic implants, or external wearable computers. [Ken Clements, 1996]

Internet Ontology

A standardized classification of Internet content enabling computers to "understand" the content they are processing. See 'Semantic Web'.

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Jupiter-Brain

A posthuman being of extremely high computational power and size. This is the archetypal concentrated intelligence. The term originated due to an idea by Keith Henson that nanomachines could be used to turn the mass of Jupiter into computers running an upgraded version of himself.

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Khaki Goo

Military nanotechnology; see 'grey goo'.

Kardaschev Types

A classification of possible civilizations after energy usage. Type I civilizations control all available energy on a single planet. Type II civilizations control all available energy in a solar system (for example, using Dyson spheres). Type III civilizations control use all available energy in an entire galaxy. (Mitch Porter suggested that a Type IV civilization controls all available energy in the entire universe) We are currently moving towards a Type I civilization. [Nikolai Kardaschev, 1964].

Knowbots

Knowledge robots, first developed Vinton G. Cref and Robert E. Kahn for National Research Initiatives. Knowbots are programmed by users to scan networks for various kinds of related information, regardless of the language or form in which it expressed. "Knowbots support parallel computations at different sites. They communicate with one another, and with various servers in the network and with users." [Scientific American, September 1991, p.74]

Kolmogorov Complexity

The Kolmogorov complexity of a string of bits is the length of the smallest Turing machine program which produces the bit string as output. (It is therefore somewhat dependent on one's choice of Turing machine, but since every Turing machine can be emulated by an universal Turing machine with a constant increase in program length this doesn't matter much). See An Introduction to Kolmogorov Complexity and Its Applications for more information.

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Leonardo da Vinci Syndrome

Creative people often get more ideas and visions faster than they can implement them, making them unable to complete a project before rushing off to the next (like Leonardo da Vinci).

Linde Scenario

A scenario for indefinite survival of intelligent life. It assumes it is possible to either create basement universes connected to the original universe with a wormhole or the existence of other cosmological domains. Intelligent life continually migrates to the new domains as the old grow too entropic to sustain life. [Mitch Porter, The Linde scenario, v0.01, 1997. The name refers to Linde's chaotic inflation cosmology, where new universes are continually spawned]

Liquidentity

See 'fluidentity'.

Lofstrom Loop

An beanstalk-like megaconstruction based on a stream of magnetically accelerated bars linked together. The stream is sent into space, where a station rides it using magnetic hooks, redirects it horizontally to another station, which sends it downwards to a receiving station on the ground. From this station the stream is then sent back to the launch station (a purely vertical version is called a space fountain). This structure would contain a large amount of kinetic energy but could be built gradually and would only require enough energy to compensate for losses when finished. Elevators could be run along the streams, and geostationary installations could be placed along the horizontal top. [Named after Keith Lofstrom, who did the first detailed calculations on it in: Lofstrom, Keith H., "The launch loop -- a low cost Earth-to-high orbit launch system," AIAA Paper 85-1368, 1985].

Longevist

A person who seeks to extend their life beyond current norms (but who may not wish to live forever) [Max More, Extropy #10].

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MASPAR

Shorthand for MASsively PARalell computers, computers using many simple processors at the same time.

Mataglap

"Mataglap is an Indonesian word meaning 'dark eye' or, probably, 'dilated eye'. It is an indication that someone is about to go berserk and start killing people at random. I applied the word in Aristoi to a berserk form of nanotechnology that devoured the planet." (From the Walter John Williams FAQ). See also 'grey goo'. [First used in the nanotech sense in Aristoi, 1992].

Megatechnology / Megascale Engineering

Technology using energies, scales or methods far beyond the current levels (but still bound by physical law). Typical examples are ground-to-orbit beanstalks, Lofstrom loops, terraforming, Dyson spheres, stellar husbandry and Tipler cylinders. See Megastructures for more information.

Megatrends

The major forces shaping societies and economies over the coming decade or so. See the book Megatrends, by John and Patricia Naisbitt.

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