BY LETTER
Eschatology
 Image from Bernd Helfert |
Eschatology is a term for all studies dealing with the ultimate fate of the cosmos. This includes extrapolation into the future of observations or hypotheses about the present cosmic order, and various projections, speculations or beliefs pertaining to the ultimate destiny of mindkind and the universe.
Articles
- Agnostic Deliverance Speculation - Text by Glen Finney
A speculation that it would be possible for an omnipotent being to arise in another spacetime continuum, and then "observe" the entirety of our spacetime continuum, which would be a holistic unity from eir perspective (from the "Big Bang" all the way to the "Heat Death"). - Alphaism - Text by Steve Bowers
A counterpoint to Omega point theology that arose during the Second Federation. Alphaists maintain that intelligence arose extremely early during the universe, and that an advanced civilisation, entity, or group of entities existed at that time. - Annihilationism - Text by Frogworld5
he philosophical belief that the universe must be erased entirely, leaving no existence at all. - Backup of Last Resort - Text by Ian Campbell
- Benisolism - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Omegist philosophy of Mahara Benisol. - Chaos, The - Text by Anders Sandberg
Myth of impending collapse in the Terragen Sphere. - Church of Crisis, The - Text by John B
A social and cultural phenomenon found in both extreme hider clades and autotopias, each with different interpretations on the 'True Works' of one "G'nt ValParadizo", a semi-mythical baseline from around 2,000 a.t., who was convinced that transapients at the highest toposophic level of the day had made significant errors and were under some form of external control. - Classical Omega Point Theory - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Assertion that the future c-boundary of the universe is an Omega Point. Although a number of Tiplerite clades and religions hold this view, it is not widely accepted, especially in the face of evidence that the universe is open rather than closed. The theory originates with information age transhumanist Frank Tipler. - Cosmic Omega Point - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
An Omega Point on the future c-boundary of the entire universe. - Enlightenment - Text by Michael LaTorra and M. Alan Kazlev
In some belief systems, a metaphysical state characterized by great compassion, a high level of awareness, and a certain indifference to phenomena that are deemed to be transitory. - Entropy (metaphysics) - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
In Negentropist cosmology, metaphysics, and eschatology, the essentially "flaw" in the universe, which is to be opposed through encouraging and nurturing of negentropy, and avoidance of wasteful activity; the ultimate goal being the negentropization of the universe. - Evanescence - Text by Steve Bowers
Unexplained disappearances, also sometimes called vanishings. - Fermi Paradox - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Essentially the question: "If there are other intelligent beings in the Universe, why aren't they here?" After the discovery of alien races this was rephrased as "Why haven't such civilizations that did appear continue to expand until they colonized the entire galaxy?" - Ginnungagap Theory, The - Text by Anders Sandberg
Theory advanced to explain why the entire universe has not been converted to a single technosphere by the earliest intelligent beings or any of their successors. - Godhead - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
The ineffable Absolute Reality, the Ground of being; the goal of the mystic path. - Great Toposophic Filter, The - Text by David Jackson, some comments by Steve Bowers
Why are there apparently no greater minds than the S:6 Archailects? No evidence of the emergence of greater minds in the past can be found in the archaeological record, and there is little indication of such minds elsewhere in the universe. Is there some barrier or filter which prevents the emergence of such minds, or do such minds become undetectable when and if they emerge? - Immanent Omega - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
In Tiplerian Omegism, the developing Omega-being in the last moments of the Omega Point Theory, as it becomes more and more godlike but is still finite. - Incremental Omega Point Hypothesis - Text by Alphadon
The incremental Omega Point hypothesis is the idea that Terragens or other civilizations will eventually convert the entire universe into computronium. - Inhibitor, Kalyptic - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Popular kalyptic mythological matrix which claims terragen civilization will eventually be destroyed by inhibitors. Often with naive religious overtones and strong messianic elements; in that those who accept a particular teacher or memeplex will be safe from harm when this occurs. - Kalyptic - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Eschatological belief that cosmic, galactic, or just Terragen history is moving towards a frightening or disastrous consummation, which will result in the death or destruction of civilization or even current mindkind, usually along with the physical and/or supernaturalist transformation and salvation of a chosen few. - Light Speed Paranoia - Text by Steve Bowers
Every star is separated from every other star by a distance on the order of light years, and so all information any one star-system can have about its neighbours is years out of date. This makes each star system paranoid about what the others are thinking and planning, so they have to assume the worst. - Local Omega Point - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
In Classical Tiplerism, an Omega Point on the future c-boundary of a part of the universe (such as an Omegon civilization). - Maximum Toposophic Level - Text by Daniel Eliot Boese
The belief that further toposophic advancement is impossible or dangerous. - Omega - Text by Anders Sandberg in his Omega Point Theory List
The Omega Point seen as a single being, archailect, or God. - Omega Manifold - Text by Mitchell Porter, in Anders Sandberg's Omega Point Theory List
In Omegist theologies, a limit state of the universe where the amount of information stored and processed is infinite (an Omega Point is a pointlike Omega Manifold). - Omega Point - Text by Anders Sandberg in his Omega Point Theory List
A future c-boundary which is a single point or state (referred to as an Aleph) where an infinite amount of information is stored and processed. - Omega Point Theology - Text by Anders Sandberg, some modifications and additions by M.Alan Kazlev and Steve Bowers
Religio-philosophical evolutionary cosmology that states all consciousness and existence is evolving towards a singularity of limitless perfection and consummation known as the Omega Point. - Omega Point Theory - Text by Anders Sandberg in his Omega Point Theory List
Also called the Quantum Omega Point Theory. In Classical Tiplerism, Quantum general relativity with the Omega Point as a boundary condition. - Physical Eschatology - Text by Anders Sandberg in his Transhuman Terminology
Branch of science studying how intelligent life could affect and survive in the remote future. - Redux Strategy, The - Text by David Jackson
A fall-back position in case of the collapse of civilization. - Sabinian Kalyptism - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Form of kalyptism that asserts all stable civilizations eventually disintegrate, according to specific variables. - Semperism - Text by Stephen Inniss
A broad and loosely connected but highly persistent set of memes in Terragen society. A Semperist is anyone who has given serious thought to the direction of and ultimate fate of Terragen civilization, considering the implications of the Fermi Paradox. Semperists consider the various proposed Great Filters and in light of those what might be done to prolong, preserve, or revive either Terragen society or some fraction of Terragen society against existential threats. - Technological Afterlife - Text by Steve Bowers
While many sentients choose to stay in a physical body and experience physical immortality, others like to explore various - usually technologically mediated - afterlife options. There are a great many alternatives, and the question of toposophic ascent makes things even more unpredictable. - Thanatology - Text by Steve Bowers
The study of life and death as experienced in the Sephirotic Empires. - Transcendent Burn-out Theory - Text by Todd Drashner
Theory that states that that Fermi's Paradox arises from civilisations transcending right out of the universe before they have a chance to expand across cosmologically significant distances. - Universal Immortalism - Text by M. Alan Kazlev after R. Michael Perry in Anders Sandberg's Transhuman Terminology
The belief that death can be overcome completely, even for people already dead (including bringing back those "dead" who were not placed into biostasis) through a rational, scientific approach. Although popular with some religions and eschatologists, and even a few cliologists, it is not a widely held memeticity. - Universe - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A self-contained cosmos or a part of a cosmos. Alternatively, the entirety of what naturally exists, including the galaxies and intergalactic space, all matter and energy, and space-time generally. A bounded virch environment that cannot be breached by its inhabitants may be referred to as a universe. The archailects have created so-called 'baby' or 'basement' universes for purposes of their own. Whether our own universe is part of a larger multiverse remains a subject of debate, while the question of if other universes have been contacted is a matter of rumour, occasionally fueled by statements made by one archailect or another.
Development Notes
Text by M. Alan Kazlev
modified by Stephen Inniss
Initially published on 24 October 2001.
modified by Stephen Inniss
Initially published on 24 October 2001.
Additional Information
