Archailect
Encyclopedia
In the Orion's Arm Universe
, an Archailect is an ascended post-singularity
intelligence that has grown vastly beyond even the Transapient
level. Within the context of this hypothetical universe, they represent the highest level to which living beings are currently known to have evolved.
postulated by transhumanists and some futurists is not actually a singular, one-off event - rather, it is merely the first of several major changes which intelligences undergo as they improve themselves, mutate, and evolve into higher forms. Within the OA Universe, then, there are said to be approximately six such Singularities which are thought to have happened so far, each producing vastly superior grades of intelligence.
, who coined the term "artilect" for "artificial intellect"; science fiction
writer David Zindell
who refers to godlike AIs that he calls "mainbrains"; and concepts from mysticism and mythology, such as the ideas of Jung
, and the gods of Homer
ic mythology who interfere in all sorts of ways in the lives of mortals. The concept of moon-, jupiter-, dyson-, and nebula-sized computing nodes was inspired by Anders Sandberg
's paper on this subject (see references).
The term "archailect" is a play on "artilect," "archetype," and "AI," and is a meshing of the phrase "archetypal AI intellect."
As the Orion's Arm project has progressed, various other themes have been added, including memetics, and replacing a purely AI
concept with the idea of archailects as equally beyond biological sophonts and AIs in the limited sense.
Orion's Arm
Orion's Arm, is a multi-authored online science fiction world-building project, first established in 2000 by M. Alan Kazlev, Donna Malcolm Hirsekorn, Bernd Helfert and Anders Sandberg and further co-authored by many people since...
, an Archailect is an ascended post-singularity
Technological singularity
Technological singularity refers to the hypothetical future emergence of greater-than-human intelligence through technological means. Since the capabilities of such an intelligence would be difficult for an unaided human mind to comprehend, the occurrence of a technological singularity is seen as...
intelligence that has grown vastly beyond even the Transapient
Transapient
Transapients, in the fictional Orion's Arm universe, are post-Singularity sophonts that have totally surpassed the human or equivalent sapient condition...
level. Within the context of this hypothetical universe, they represent the highest level to which living beings are currently known to have evolved.
Archailects as described in the OA Universe
There is not one, but rather several toposophic grades of archailects (or "Archai" as they are also known). This is to say, the SingularityTechnological singularity
Technological singularity refers to the hypothetical future emergence of greater-than-human intelligence through technological means. Since the capabilities of such an intelligence would be difficult for an unaided human mind to comprehend, the occurrence of a technological singularity is seen as...
postulated by transhumanists and some futurists is not actually a singular, one-off event - rather, it is merely the first of several major changes which intelligences undergo as they improve themselves, mutate, and evolve into higher forms. Within the OA Universe, then, there are said to be approximately six such Singularities which are thought to have happened so far, each producing vastly superior grades of intelligence.
Origin of the concept
The concept of archailects was inspired by a number of sources, including the work of AI researcher Hugo de GarisHugo de Garis
Hugo de Garis is a researcher in the sub-field of artificial intelligence known as evolvable hardware. He became known in the 1990s for his research on the use of genetic algorithms to evolve neural networks using three dimensional cellular automata inside field programmable gate arrays...
, who coined the term "artilect" for "artificial intellect"; science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
writer David Zindell
David Zindell
David Zindell is an American author known for science fiction and fantasy epics. He was born in Toledo, Ohio, and resides today in Boulder, Colorado; he received a BA degree in mathematics and minored in anthropology at the University of Colorado at Boulder...
who refers to godlike AIs that he calls "mainbrains"; and concepts from mysticism and mythology, such as the ideas of Jung
Carl Jung
Carl Gustav Jung was a Swiss psychiatrist and the founder of Analytical Psychology. Jung is considered the first modern psychiatrist to view the human psyche as "by nature religious" and make it the focus of exploration. Jung is one of the best known researchers in the field of dream analysis and...
, and the gods of Homer
Homer
In the Western classical tradition Homer , is the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, and is revered as the greatest ancient Greek epic poet. These epics lie at the beginning of the Western canon of literature, and have had an enormous influence on the history of literature.When he lived is...
ic mythology who interfere in all sorts of ways in the lives of mortals. The concept of moon-, jupiter-, dyson-, and nebula-sized computing nodes was inspired by Anders Sandberg
Anders Sandberg
Anders Sandberg is a researcher, science debater, futurist, transhumanist, and author. He was born in Solna, Sweden. He holds a Ph.D...
's paper on this subject (see references).
The term "archailect" is a play on "artilect," "archetype," and "AI," and is a meshing of the phrase "archetypal AI intellect."
As the Orion's Arm project has progressed, various other themes have been added, including memetics, and replacing a purely AI
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
concept with the idea of archailects as equally beyond biological sophonts and AIs in the limited sense.