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EXTROPICON - Futurist Lexicon
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Topic 355 EXTROPICON - Futurist Lexicon
peg:visionary cyberculture zone 2:20 PM Apr 2, 1994
Subject: EXTROPICON - Futurist Lexicon
From: Max More <more@chaph.usc.edu>
X-Extropian-Date: Remailed on March 31, 374 P.N.O.
Reply-To: Extropians@gnu.ai.mit.edu
L E X T R O P I C O N
or:
NEOLOGISMS OF USE (AND AMUSEMENT) FOR THE FUTURE
Compiled by Max More (03/30/94)
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. '91, p.133. Alvin Toffler, Future Shock, 1970]
AEONOMICS: (from aeon and economics) The study of the economic
problems of immortal existence. [Mark Plus; August 1991]
A-LIFE: Artificial life: The modelling 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.
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]
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, April 1992]
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 God. [Mark
Plus; August 1991]
AUGMENT: A person whose physical or cognitive abilities have been
technologically expanded beyond the range of natural humans.
[David Brin, The Postman]
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]
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,
1986]
BOGOSITY FILTER: A mechanism for detecting bogus ideas and
propositions.
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.) [Coined by Stewart Brand, The Media Lab, 1987.]
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,
November 1991]
CEREBROSTHESIS: (from cerebral and prosthesis) n. An electronic
device interfaced with the brain to overcome a neurological
deficiency, such as normal human intelligence. (Cf.
neuroprosthesis - see EXTROPY #7). [Mark Plus; August 1991]
CHRONONAUTS: Those who travel through time, either by biostasis or
through possible loopholes in physical laws as currently
understood.
CONNECTIONISM: n. The approach to cognitive science that gives a
fundamental explanatory role to neuron-like interconnections
rather than to formal or explicit rules of thought.
CONTELLIGENCE: (Consciousness + 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]
CRYOCRASTINATE: v. To put off making arrangements for cryonic
suspension. [Mark Plus; August 1991]
CRYP: Cryptographic currency, digital cash. Payment by electronic
means where the seller is guaranteed payment, but the buyer can
remain anonymous. [Eli Brandt, 11/11/92, on the Extropians E-mail
List]
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; August 1991]
CYBERFICTION: Science fiction embodying the technological ideas of
cyberpunk, without necessarily embodying cyberpunk's amoralism or
nihilism. [Max More, May 1991]
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 structues,
especially government.
DEANIMALIZE: Replace our animal organs and body parts with
durable, pain-free non-flesh prostheses. [FM-2030]
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]
DEFLESH: To replace flesh with non-flesh. [FM-2030]
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]
DIVIDUALS: A copy of a personality surviving in more than one
body. Example: "Keith Henson wishes to become a colllection of
such dividuals so that he-plural can explore the galaxy in
parallel." [Mark Plus, 1992]
ECOCALYPSE: (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.
EPHEMERALISTS: Persons who reject immortalist technology and
values (the result of deathist thinking). [MM, 1990, from
"Ephemeral", Robert A. Heinlein, 1958]
EUPSYCHIA: A society specifically designed for improving the self-
fulfilment 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)." (Maslow.)
[Abraham Maslow, 1954]
EVOLUTURE: An organism produced through evolution; the antonym of
creature. [Mark Plus, June 1991]
EXTROPIA: A conception of evolving communities embodying values of
Boundless Expansion, Self-Transformation, Dynamic Optimism,
Inteligent 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 affirms the values and attitudes codified and
expressed in The Extropian Principles.
EXTROPIATE: Any drug that has extropic effects, including all
cognition enhancing and life extending drugs. [David Krieger,
December 1991]
EXTROPIC: Any action or process that promotes extropy.
EXTROPOLIS: A proposed Extropian community located in our solar
system, probably at L-4 or L-5 orbits, or the Asteroid Belt. [Max
More, 1991]
EXTROPY: A measure of intelligence, information, energy, life,
experience, diversity, opportunity, and growth. The collection of
forces which oppose entropy. [T.O. Morrow, 1988]
FUTIQUE: Stylishly futuristic.
FUTURE SHOCK: A sense of shock felt by those who were not paying
attention. [Michael Flynn, ANALOG Jan 1990.]
GENEGENEERING: Genetic engineering.
HYPERTEXT: Massively interconnected database providing the ability
to track information in all directions, notify you of updated
information, etc. [Ted Nelson]
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]
INFOMORPH: A uploaded intelligence, or information entity, which
resides in a computer. See Charles Platt, The Silicon Man, p.109.
[1991]
KNOWBOTS: Knowledge robots, first developed Vinton G. Cref and
Robert E. Kahn for National Research Initiatives. Lnowbots are
programmed by users to scan networks for varios 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.]
MEME: Self-reproducing idea or other information pattern which is
propagated in ways similar to that of a gene. [Rochard Dawkins,
1976]
MEMETICS: The study of memes. [Douglas R. Hofstadter]
MEMOID (or MEMEOID): True believer in a meme and willing to die
for it. [Keith Henson, 1985]
MORPHOLOGICAL FREEDOM: The ability to alter bodily form at will
through technologies such as surgery, genetic engineering,
nanotechnology, uploading. [Max More, April 1992]
NANARCHIST: Someone who circumvents government control to use
nanotechnology, or someone who advocates this. [Eli Brandt,
October 1991]
(MOLECULAR) NANOTECHNOLOGY: The technology of preceisly-
constructed molecular-scale machines; from nanometer: a billionth
of a meter. [K. Eric Drexler,198?]
NEG: Smeone who typically complains, moans, and whines, Someone
practicing the opposite of dynamic optimism.
NEOPHILE: One who welcomes the future and who enjoys change and
evolution.
NEOPHOBE: One who fears change and wants to abort technological
and social transformation.
NEUROCOMPUTATION: The study of how natural and artificial neural
networks process information.
NEURONAUT: A person who explores their own neural functioning and
internal mentational processes by various means, including deep
introspection and meditation, psychoactive drugs, mind machines,
and neuroscientific understanding.
NEUROPROSTHESIS: Implanted cybernetic brain augmentation.
NOOTROPIC: A cognition-enhancing drug that has no significant
side- effects. (cf. EXTROPIATE) [C. Giurgea]
PARTIAL: A computer simulation of part of a person's personality,
creted in order to carry out a task not requiring the entire
person. [Greg Bear, Eon, 1985]
PARTIALATE: A partial personality used as a personality surrogate
(see persogate). [Max More, July 1991. See Cryonics, November
1991]
PERICOMPUTER: Any small portable device such as a laptop computer
or PDA (personal digital assistant). [Lawrence G. Tesler]
PERSOGATE: A portable expert system used as a personality
surrogate (as in Bruce Sterling's Schizmatrix). [R.E. Whitaker,
June 1991]
POSTHUMAN: Persons of unprecedented physical, intellectual, and
psychological capacity, self-programming, self-constituting,
potentially immortal, unlimited individuals. [Term: FM-2030 Def.:
Max More]
POWERSHIFT: A transfer of power involving a change in the nature
of power, from violence to wealth, or from wealth to knowlege.
Alvin Toffler, in Powershift, 1990]
RIF: A Rifkinite, or supporter of Jeremy Rifkn and his
anti-genetic engineering, anti-nanotech crusade; against any and
all research or implementation in these areas. [Glenn Grant, 1990]
SINGULARITY: The postulated point or short period in our future
when our self-guided evolutionary development accelerates
enormously (powered by nanotech, neuroscience, AI, and perhaps
uploading) so that nothing beyond that time can reliably be
conceived. [Vernor Vinge, 1986]
SINGULARITARIAN: One who advocates the idea that technological
progress will cause a singularity in human history. (cf.
Singularity in EXTROPY #7.) [Mark Plus, August 1991]
SMART-FACED: The condition resulting from social use of cognition-
enhancing drugs: "Let's get smart-faced." [Russell E. Whitaker,
December 1991]
SPONTANEOUS VOLUNTARISM: A fully free society, with a totally free
market and no institutionalized coercion. [Max More, 1989]
TAZ/Temporary Autonomous Zone: A mobile or transient location free
of economic and social interference by the state. [Hakim Bey]
TRANSBIOMORPHOSIS (TRANSBIOLOGICAL METAMORPHOSIS): The
transformation of the human body from a natural, biological
organism into a superior, consciously designed vehicle of
personality. [Max More, August 1991]
TRANSCLUSION: A thing existing in more than one place at once;
virtual copying of information used in hypertext systems, such as
Xanadu. [Ted Nelson, BYTE, September 1990.]
TRANSHUMAN: Someone actively preparing for beomcing posthuman.
Someone who is informed enough to see radical future possibilities
and plans ahead for them, and who takes every current option for
self-enhancement. [Term: FM-2030 Def.: Max More]
TRANSHUMANISM: Philosophies of life (such as extropian
perspectives) that seek the continuation and acceleration of the
evolution of intelligent life beyond its currently human form and
human limitations by means of science and technology, guided by
life- promoting principles and values. [Max More], 1990
TRANSHUMANITIES: Art, literature, and other aesthetic media for
transhumans. [Mark Plus, 1990]
UBIQUITOUS COMPUTING: Also known as "embodied virtuality".
Computers that are an integral, invisible part of people's lives.
In some ways the opposite of virtual reality, in which the user is
absorbed into the computational world. With ubiquitous computing,
computers take into account the human world rather than requiring
humans to enter into the computer's methods of working. [See Mark
Weiser, "The Computer for the 21st Century. SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN,
Sept. 1991]
UNIVERSAL IMMORTALISM: The view that the problem of death can be
solved in its entirety (including bringing back those "dead" who
were not placed into biostasis) through a rational, scientific
approach. [R. Michael Perry, 1990]
VENTURISM: An immortalist transhumanism founded on the principles
(1) to do what is right, understood as implying the benefiting of
intelligent life and the reduction or elimination of abuses to the
same; and (2) the advocacy and promotion of the worldwide conquest
of death through technological means. [David Pizer, 1986]
VIRTUAL COMMUNITY: A community of persons not located in close
physical proximity but forming a cultural community across
computer networks.
VIRTUAL RIGHTS: Rights given for convenience to a partial; these
rights are really rights of the person whose partial it is, rather
than of the partial itself.
Similar in some respects to currently existing
corporate rights. [Max More, July 1991; See CRYONICS, November
1991]
VITOLOGY: The study of any life-like system, including biology and
artificial life. [Max More, December 1991]
XENOEVOLUTURE: An evoluture from a planet other than Earth.
[Jay Prime Positive, December 1991]