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inactivateWhen pertaining to bionts or virtuals - Non-living but not dead (in the permanent sense). A person in biostasis, or one subsisting in data storage, awaiting downloading
inaxunINtelligence Augmentation XUNware. Popular public domain transapient subarchailect gnostic interface distributed by the Xun Polity, TRHN.
Comes in a range of toposophic ratings, from SI:1.0 to SI:2.9 (Ken Ferjik Linear Sophonce Scale) Its sophont user friendliness (at least at the lower ratings) has encouraged its use by clades of lesser intelligence who wish to appear (or pretend to appear) competitive or at least pseudocompetitive in hyperturing cultures and communities. However, the inaxun has a unique noetic feedback mechanism and submind allocation table that can easily cause problems with unprepared sophonts of other sephirotics
Incarnationalism, ArchailectAn extreme form of Identity Theory that states that an Archailect and eir avatar or epiphanic manifestation are the same.
Incidentimportant Metasoft world
inclination, orbital
income-leisure trade-offIn primitive (medium tech) worlds, the choice labor makes between working more hours or taking more leisure. In advanced worlds, there is a minimum of labor requirement, and most labor is equivalent with leisure in any case
Incorpimportant Metasoft world
index fossilswidely distributed commonly found fossils (originally terragen only, but now appliied to any exopaleontological study) that are limited in time span to a small stratigraphic range. They help in dating other fossils.
indexdepindividual exdependency. Early (late Interplanetary to nanoswarm period) extreme exdependent subculture, suggested that each individual should be able to survive entirely without the rest of human civilisation. It was popular among spacers from the Kuiper settlements. Also known (by its critics) as acommunitarianism, man-islandism or archindividualism.
IndiaOld Earth Interplanetary age polity and superpower
individualLegally, an individual is an unitary conscious entity - a single copy of an upload, the mind in the biological body, and so on. See also Copy Rights
individuationdevelopment of optimal individual consciousness or toposophic status, whether through augmentation or spiritual discipline
IndonesiaOld Earth South-East Asian nation-state that during the information age went through a period of strife as the various islands and states seceded and overpopulation and environmental destruction played havoc. By the early Interplanetary age (mid to late 22nd century) a new Indonesian Federation had re-established itself with Indian, Chinese and African Union help. The federation developed a successful space-based industry, and eventually moved into cislunar and belt space as a regional superpower. They they became involved in the Pi3 colonisation attempts.
Industrial AgeOn Old Earth, the period dominated by macrotech mass production, the massive acceleration of science and technology, tremendous social change, and development of consumerism in the West. The period from the eighteenth to the twentieth centuries. Led to the Atomic Age.
Industrial EngineeringThe design of optimum manufacturing processes through the coordinated use of equipment, labor, materials, and power, including the design of efficient production lines, nanofabrication units, bionano growth vats, long-range planning, information processing, and management techniques, and the best design of industrial orbitals, deep well zones, assembly facilities, sentient and non-sentient control systems, and productivity, plant memetics and morale.
Industrial RevolutionOn Old Earth, the period in history in the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries marked by accelerating developments in dumbtech industrialisation and technology that enabled the mass production of goods and materials.
Industrial Revolution| Inanimate / Inorganic
[Hylotech] |
Organic / Carbon-based
[Biotech] |
data and Information transmission / Virtuality
Infotech |
psychotronics / psi / esotericism
esotericism |
| mass-production, steam power, heavy Industries, brute machinery, | beginnings of biology, discovery of natural selection, theory of hereditary, | Printing, telegraph, non-interactive electronic media | psychic research (Victorian England) |
industrialisationThe development of a manufacturing sector. The type of industrialisation varies according to technological scale - e.g. dumbtech industrialisation, microindustrialisation, nanoindustrialisation, etc
inertiaa property of matter that resists change in motion. A mass at rest remains at rest and a mass in motion remains in motion as long as no outside force acts upon it. Inertia is caused by the interaction with the vacuum fields, making it possible to manipulate it using picotech and femtotech vacuum-technology.
infection infection strategyAny memetic strategy which encourages infection of a host.
Jokes encourage infection by being humorous, tunes by evoking various emotions, slogans and catch-phrases by being terse and continuously repeated. Transapient-initiated memes have incredibly subtle (to ordinary sapient) strategies, sometimes not even recognised as memes buy their targets. There are also transingularitan (transapient) strategies that ordinary sapienst are immune to be virtue of their lack of receptivity (See replication strategy; mimicry.) Infector, MemeticA sapient used to infect societies or communities with a partiucular memeset.
Resemble ordinary sophonts, but may differ psychologically (having fanatical or one-sided enthusiasm for the meme-plex they are carrying). A sort of memetic "virus" Infectors may be replicators (viruses) or non-replicators (memengers)
Infestation(aka. N-Fest, Fest, Enfa, etc.)
- This meal takes many forms, the most common being a nearly tasteless 2x5x8 cm brick of putty-like material of a pastel brown, green, or grey. The putty is a 'smart substance' which activates on contact with various digestive enzymes to form 0.1 - 0.5 cm (depending on catalogue number of Infestation being ingested) worm-like structures. These structures burrow through the body causing pain, swelling, and discomfort as would parasites of a particular species. Most forms of Infestation deactivate often leaving the body after a predetermined period of time. infoglutAn affectation for voraciously gathering information, with little or no care for its quality or relevance. Often infoglut develops when an information starved sophont finds a dense source of information, like a computronium node or a high bandwidth connection to the Known Net. Closely related to information overload, but more insidious since the victims think they actually profit from it.
infomorphAn uploaded intelligence, or information entity, which resides in a virtuality environment.
InformationA sequence of data that is meaningful in a process, such as the DNA code of an organism or the bits in a computer program. Information is the opposite of noise
The Information Age| Inanimate / Inorganic
[Hylotech] |
Organic / Carbon-based
[Biotech] |
data and Information transmission / Virtuality
Infotech |
psychotronics / psi / esotericism
esotericism |
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| Information Age | Silicon technology - composite materials, miniaturisation | Biotechnology - Genetic engineering | Infotechnology - interactive media, electronic noosphere - virtual worlds, Internet, etc etc | meditation and biofeedback |
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information physicsBranch of science or sciences dealing with the dynamics of informational and virtual states
information technologiesGeneric term for a wide range of technologies, including communications, computers, iconics, expert systems, artificial intelligence, information archiving, storage and retrieval, Known Net maintenance and development, and so on.
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information-theoretical deathA being 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 details of how the brain works and the kind of damage it has sustained, as well as the available technology. The current best estimates put it several hours after clinical death if hyperturing medicine is available.
information
theoryAtomic Age mathematical theory concerning the difference between information and noise, and the ability of a communications channel to carry information. More subtle and elaborate transingularity information theories were developed by various ai and posthumans during the interplanetary and later periods.
infraredElectromagnetic radiation of wavelength too long to be seen by non-tweaked hu, usually about 1 to 100 µm; usually transfers energy as heat
infrabaselineA sentient (whether an ai or a pre-provolved organism) of below-baseline human ability and intelligence. "Prehuman" is usually referred to use to an infantlike or tool-level AI, so that "infrahuman" usually refers to a fairly mature ai, capable of general cognition, which is still not in the vicinity of human intelligence.
infrahumanSee infrabaseline
infrared cirrusWhispy interstellar dust clouds associated with the coldest parts of the interstellar medium, about 15 to 30° Kelvin
infrastructuregeneric term for the totality of habitats, biospheres, walkways, magstreams, air paths, surface lanes, life-support systems, recycling units, computronium units, service lines, local net nodes, hospitals, schools, aioid control systems, relays, virchportals, and other essential services in any sophont-populated environment
Bergmenst Ingolt 764101Virch producer/director known for eir highly stylised work, mostly incomprehensible to S<2 minds. Never the less continues to have an avid following in certain parts of the sophic league and the utopia sphere due to the heavy use of mind altering devices, chemicals and nano required to fully appreciate a performance.
inhibitorHypothetic superpowerful alien race or races proposed to explain why most advanced civilizations fail after only a few tens of thousands to a few millions of years. The Dawn Hunters are the most popular example of inhibitors, although it is not known if they even exist, or if they do, if they really are inhibitors
inhibitor kalypticpopular 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 memetic will be safe from harm when this occurs
Iniliakclade of provolved sophont polyps which are rather like a cross between coral and sponge, created around 4500 A.T. by a Pan-Sophontist group on the ocean world of Vanora in the Pan-Sophontist League.
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inline universityNanocomputer or general computronium implant or implants serving to increase intelligence and education of their owners, essentially turning them into a walking university. Especially common in Ken Ferjik, Alexandria,a nd other university worlds and megastructures
Injector SerpentA variation of the Live Jewellry-theme for a more macho way of drugs intake.
A naturally venomous creature, most often a snake, scorpion or spider altered for greater size, spectacular colours and, of course, greater aggressivity. Inner LightIn Solarism, the stainless, pure, perfect and lucid Light of the Inner Self, which is also the Light of God, as embodied and expressed through the Lord of Rays and Eir emissary the God Emperor
Inner SelfThe inner, spiritual core of one's being. A central element of many religions and esoteric teachings. Also known as the soul, the self, the essence, the atman, etc
Inorganic ChemistryThe branch of chemistry that deals with all elements and compounds except for the hydrocarbons and their derivatives.
Includes the study of ceramics; extreme temperatures and pressures; geochemistry; metals and metallurgy; inorganic mineralogy, picotech-fabricated elements and compounds, pico-chemistry, quantum chemistry, and solid-state physics, and the nature and behavior of exotic artificial elements. Inscrutability Conjecturefirst proposed by the First Federation suborg
philosopher Verrar Diyntor, proses on the basis of mathematical
toposophy that qualities that are unique in a >=SI:n are inscrutable
to sentients of <SI:n
example: a baseline human
cannot understand the post-singularity cognitive abilities of an SI:1 posthuman
insectterragen invertebrate of the phylum Arthropoda, characterised by six legs, chewing mouth-parts, one pair of antennae, and trachea for breathing.
Generally small to tiny, and form an integral part of terrestrial ecosystems. There were estimated to be some 10 million insect species prior to the terrible ecological destruction of the industrial, atomic, and information ages. Of those, less than 10% survived. Many were lost to science (living in isolated rainforest environments) and have never been persuasively lazurogened. There are believed to be some 200 million species of insects now throughout the galaxy, which descended from the surviving species. Some have evolved spontaneously through genetic drift in isolated habitats and terragen biospheres throughout galaxy, but most have been deliberately or accidentally geneered. Perhaps several thousand insect species have been successfully provolved. The most important are the Vedokiklek, but there are also many other insect clades active in the life of the galaxy today
insectbotInformation Age to Recent. Any small (size from <1 mm to 10 cm) robot; whether autonomous or semi-autonomous, sentient, subsentient, or non-sentient; usually designed along insectomorphic lines, both externally and internally.
Insectbots have been widely employed for many thousands of years for space exploration, government and corporate surveillance, private security, scientific data and field research, service administration, corporate advertising, weapons platforms, alife embodiment, artistic and cultural design, and countless other uses. (see also Synsect)
insectomorph, insectomorphicHaving insect-like form; distributed nervous system, exoskeleton, insectoidal or insectbot-like control systems, etc
Instrumentalismdoctrine that archailect avatars and
epiphanies are simply the means the archailect uses to interact with
lower toposphics, but do not represent eir true nature (any more than a
physical instrument represents the nature or mind of a scientist doing
experiemnets on microorganisms)
Contrast with Identity
Theory
Insubstantialsa clade of beings which believe that a set physical form is the ultimate limitation to intelligence.
integument
Intellect BonsaiIn some of the technophilic clades derived from or influenced by historical and/or mythical Japanese pre-computational earth, sophonts have developed the artform of intellect bonsai. There are two main forms, one practiced primarily amongst some transapient blights, the other often by more main-baseline-stream cultures.
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intelligenceThe ability to solve problems; pattern recognition, using limited resources to achieve a set of goals. Intelligence may be biological or ai, rl or vir, familiar or completely alien or unexpected. The products of intelligence may be ingenious, insightful, or elegant. Intelligence does not indicate sentience, not all sentient beings are intelligent. However, all sophont beings are.
Artificial means of increasing or assisting the natural intelligence of a biological organism; often using Direct neural interfacing with external intelligent agents and other devices, allowing improvements to memory, processing ability and processed sensory input. Electronic augmentation was favoured by the Augmentation Activists, a group of augmentors who converted many thousands of humans in the Interplanetary Age, often against their will. (see the story Cantaloupe Terrain)
Other methods of IA include biological modifications including gene therapy, and bioborg- or cyborgisation. As IA has increased in effectiveness over time it has increasingly converged with AI (Artificial Intelligence)
intelligent agentAn autonomous software program or very simple ai (usually turing but sometimes only subturingrade) that performs a function on its own, such as searching the Known Net for information based on certain criteria.
Interactive FoodFood composed of smart materials or nanotech components enabling complex behavior patterns, texture shifts and taste modulation.
The earliest instances were novelty candy in the 260s (Rinckler's ZmartGum) and engineered space food, but the cost remained prohibitive. Interactive food became more common in the 5th century, but the real renaissance came during the first federation. Despite (or possibly because) the strong limitations of nanotech use interactive food became the defining cuisine of the Sol System in the 12th and 13th century. The IFPC (Interactive Food Programming Catalogue) of 1248 is regarded as the defining document of classical interactive food across civilized space.
interfacerOne who acts as an interface between virtual corporations or other digital-based organizations, and the physical world and its local economic rules.
Interferometric Ghost interferometryA means of obtaining high-resolution astronomical observations by linking several physically separated telescopes by datalink (e.g. buckytube cable, laser link, nanoguage wormhole), thus creating a single, much larger telescope. The largest interferometry device in the galaxy is the Argus Array
Intermediate Population Itypical, moderately metal-rich stars.
Extreme Population Iold metal-poor stars, representing the most milder form of population II
internalnetAn information network inside a living body, for example between nanochondria, bionic implants or external wearable computers.
Internet, TheOld Earth Information Age data-network enabling exchange of information through data packages transmitted through computers linked by telephone and communication satellites, using a common shared protocol. The Internet eventually became a part of the IPN, which in term was later expanded to become the Interstellar Net and finally the Known Net
Internet War
late Information Age (2089
c.e.) virtual world war centered on North America which shifted
considerable assets and influence from previous geopolitical and
corporate powers to all new players. The Information Disaster /
Internet War was a war of sabotage, misinformation and denial of
service centered on north american interests on the net, likely
launched by unknown competitors or megacorps.
The Interplanetary AgePre First Federation age, when terragen mindkind was just beginning the exploration of space and was for the most part limited to the Sol System.
During this period humanity become increasingly involved with electronic and virtual worlds, and Earthbound humanity becomes increasingly dependent on the vast computer networks that maintain this infrastructure. Huge strides in biotechnology enabled the creation and genetic engineering of new forms of life, and the cladization of the human race into baseline normals, rianths, tweaks, superiors, and digital-interfacing cyborgs. At the same time advances in molecular manufacturing made possible the construction of ultra-strong ultra-light building materials, and hence the colonization of space became economically viable for the first time in human history. Explorers, adventurers, idealists, utopians, and eccentrics of all kinds vied with desperate Earth-side baselines hoping to break out of the poverty cycle on Earth. Many faced disaster, but a few lucky ones flourished. New interplanetary superpowers, the Orbital States, Mars, and increasingly, the Belt and the Gas Giant Moons arose at the same time as the old superpowers of Earth continued to disintegrate. more
The Interplanetary Dark AgePre First Federation age characterised by isolated colonies and dangerous nanogoo replicators.
During this period escalating out of control nanotech and rogue nanoswarms resulted in widespread chaos and death, but many colonies and individuals survived under the protection of local AIs. The organics and cyborgs alike became increasingly dependent on them, and in some (not all) isolated cultures and religions tended to see them as godlike. more
interspecific competitioncompetition for food, territory, or other resources between two different species of organisms. Where competition is for exactly the same life-style and resource (the same ecological niche) the species that is most efficient will oust the less efficient species, driving it into extinction
interstellar atomAtom of gas in interstellar space. Mostly hydrogen or helium, although heavier elements are occasionally encountered.
interstellar grain interstellar mediumDistributed gas, interstellar dust and other matter that is found throughout interstellar space.
interstellar moleculeMolecule of gas in interstellar space.
interstellar obscurationAbsorption of starlight by interstellar dust, causing distant objects to appear fainter.
Interstellar
Ram-Jet The interstellar ram-jet harvests the rarefied hydrogen atoms between fixed stars to cause a fusion reaction to propel the ship.
No internal feul source is requitred. Such fusion can ideally produce an acceleration of 1 G, but is only practical in regions of dense gas, such as certain nebula. Technical problems with the magnetic field strength also prevent the rocket from atatining relativistic speeds, although velocities of upto 0.5 c are viable with amat catylsis. interstellar reddeningThe process whereby interstellar dust scatters blue starlight, causing distant objects to appear redder and fainter.
interstellar snowballmostly ice-based interstellar particle larger than an interstellar grain. range from several microns to kupier-size.
intertidal zonebiome where the sea meets the land, during high tide it is submerged, in low tide exposed to the air. Home to many familiar and unique biological organisms. Many artificial biospheres simulate tides in order to generate intertidal zones.
IntralaunchFirst Federation Era Megacorporation
intraspecific competitioncompetition for resources among members of the same a species; an important part of natural selection
intrusionIn hacking, breaking into another data system (usually a data fortress), whether for curiosity, sabotage, or as a challenge
intrusion aian ai, most usually transingularity, and often of specifically high S rating in hacking ability, specifically dedicated to intrusion. The most famous intrusion ai is the Cyberian transapient (some would say minor archailect)
intrusion program intuitionFaculty of consciousness or intelligence pertaining to non-rational conceptualisation. In Jungism this is one of the four points on the mandala-compass of ego-faculties, and the opposite of sensation
invertebrategeneric term for animals - originally only for terragen life but also applied by analogy to xenobionta - lacking a backbone. Commmon invertebrates include arthropods, worms, molluscs, and many other phyla.
