The Library of Consciousness

Abiogenesis

8 documents

The process by which life arose from non-living matter on early Earth, marking the transition from chemistry to biology.

Accelerating Change

86 documents

The observed exponential nature of the rate of technological and social change over time.

Architecture

9 documents

The art and science of designing and constructing buildings and other physical structures to serve human needs and purposes.

Artificial Intelligence

49 documents

Engineered non-biological systems which can perform functions and behaviors typically requiring intelligence when performed by humans, such as reasoning, planning, learning, perception, creativity, and problem-solving.

Astronomy

16 documents

Scientific study of celestial objects, space, and the physical universe as a whole.

Autopoiesis

29 documents

The concept that living systems self-organize by creating their own components and subsystems such that the network of production processes recursively generate the system’s identity.

Consciousness

141 documents

The subjective experience of internal and external existence as processed by the mind, marked by awareness, perception, reasoning, knowledge, and judgment arising from sensory input and sophisticated brain functions.

Cosmic Consciousness

136 documents

An intuitive sense of the universal order, unity, and connection which arises through elevated spiritual awareness and mystical experience of the cosmic whole.

Cosmology

65 documents

A field studying the birth, layout, development and potential end states of the physical universe encompassing all matter and energy through scientific models and observation.

Eastern Philosophy

108 documents

Philosophical traditions originating in Asia and the Indian subcontinent, characterized by concepts such as nondualism, enlightenment, karma, and the transitory nature of the world.

Ecology

56 documents

The scientific study of the interactions between organisms and their environment.

Economics

21 documents

The study of how people and systems manage resources, make decisions, and balance needs with scarcity, focusing on production, trade, and the flow of goods, services, wealth, and energy.

Emergence

68 documents

Novel and coherent structures, patterns, and properties arising during the process of self-organization in complex systems.

Entropy and Syntropy

27 documents

The inevitable progression towards randomness and disorganization, and the counteracting emergence of order, complexity, and structured systems from chaotic states.

Epistemology

70 documents

A branch of philosophy focused on the nature and justification of knowledge, including the study of its scope and validity.

Evolution

144 documents

The process through which biological populations undergo transgenerational genetic change over time through mechanisms like natural selection and genetic drift.

Extended Mind

31 documents

A theory that cognitive processes extend beyond the brain and skull, incorporating external items such as computers to multiply the mind’s abilities.

Futurism

101 documents

A philosophy focused on envisioning, articulating, evaluating, and guiding the current epoch towards generating maximal thriving for the whole of humanity and nature across all time horizons.

Global Brain

83 documents

The emergent network of information and communication technologies linking humans and machines into an integrated, collective intelligence.

Identity

54 documents

The sense of who you are, shaped by your thoughts, feelings, experiences, and how you see yourself in relation to the world and others.

Information Theory

26 documents

The study of how information is measured, transmitted, and preserved, focusing on optimizing communication by addressing uncertainty, noise, and efficiency in data exchange.

Meaning

55 documents

The guiding thread that connects experiences, choices, and aspirations into a coherent direction, shaping one's role in the greater whole and offering a sense of fulfillment in the journey of existence.

Memetics

9 documents

The study of how ideas, behaviors, and cultural phenomena spread and evolve through communication, imitation, and social networks, much like genes or viruses in a biological system.

Metaphysics

127 documents

A branch of philosophy concerned with the fundamental nature of reality, being, and existence.

Mindfulness

82 documents

Focusing conscious awareness on the present moment non-judgmentally, observing sensations, thoughts, and feelings as they unfold to gain greater clarity, insight, and self-understanding.

Mythology

44 documents

The collective narratives, symbols, and beliefs of a culture or civilization, often explaining natural phenomena, origins, and societal values through symbolic storytelling.

Neuroscience

16 documents

The scientific study of the nervous system, encompassing its structure, function, development, and the relationship between brain and behavior.

Noösphere

72 documents

The sphere of human thought and collective consciousness that emerges from the interaction of minds on a global scale.

Numinous

36 documents

An overwhelming encounter with a presence or reality that is both awe-inspiring and beyond human understanding, evoking reverence, wonder, and an unsettling awareness of the divine.

Omega Point

58 documents

A spiritual concept describing the maximum level of complexity and consciousness which the universe is evolving towards.

Ontology

116 documents

The philosophical study of being, existence, and reality.

Overview Effect

7 documents

A cognitive shift in awareness and perspective reported by some astronauts while viewing the Earth from orbit, often leading to profound changes in how they understand and relate to the planet and humanity.

Psychedelics

69 documents

Psychoactive substances that profoundly alter perception, mood, cognition, and other mental processes by activating brain receptors and causing changes in cognitive functioning and connectivity.

Social Science

62 documents

A branch of science devoted to the study of societies and the relationships among individuals within them.

Superorganism

62 documents

A highly interconnected and organized community of individuals functioning as a single organism.

Systems Theory

84 documents

An interdisciplinary field that studies complex systems in nature, society, and science, analyzing the relationships between the parts and how they give rise to the collective behaviors of a system as a whole.

Technology

110 documents

The practical application of aggregated scientific knowledge and tools by organized human enterprise to leverage control over aspects of reality for solving problems and achieving desired outcomes.

Telepathy

20 documents

Linking multiple minds to share thoughts and subjective states amongst each other, both indirectly through spoken and written language, as well as directly with various sophisticated technologies.

Transhumanism

53 documents

Enhancing human capacities through technology to transcend biological constraints and evolve into a superior, post-human state.

Virtual Reality

8 documents

An immersive experience that simulates presence in interactive, computer-generated environments, extending human imagination into virtual spaces.

Zen

45 documents

A school of Mahayana Buddhism that aims to awaken enlightenment by directly pointing to the inherent wakefulness of the mind through meditation, practice, and transcendental wisdom passed from master to disciple.