The transcendence hypothesis is one possible solution to the Fermi paradox, which asks why we’ve not detected any signs of extraterrestrial intelligence (ETI) within the vastness of the universe.
The Fermi Paradox posits that some advanced civilization would travel into space and colonize the galaxy, or at the very least send signals that we could detect with our current technology.
However, we’ve not yet found any evidence of such activity, despite the high probability of life on other planets.
The transcendence hypothesis posits that, moderately than expanding outward, sufficiently advanced civilizations can invariably leave our universe and enter “inner space”, a site of upper dimensionality, density, diversity, and complexity.
This process could also be driven by the increasingly rapid development of technology, resulting in a singularity phenomenon through which civilization undergoes a fundamental transformation, making it incomprehensible and inaccessible to us.
Futurist John M. Smart proposed something called the transcendence hypothesis.
“The transcendence hypothesis posits that a universal process of evolutionary development leads all sufficiently advanced civilizations to what might be called “inner space,” a computationally optimal domain of increasingly dense, productive, miniaturized, and efficient scales of space, time, energy, and matter, and ultimately to a black hole-like destination,” Smart explained in an article from 2012.
According to this hypothesis, transcendence is a universal strategy of evolutionary development that leads all civilizations towards higher levels of intelligence, information processing and complexity.
Transcendence may involve the creation of black hole-like structures, quantum computers, simulated realities, or other technologies that allow civilizations to explore the final word frontiers of physics and computation.
Transcendence may additionally involve the emergence of post-biological life forms, akin to digital minds or collective consciousness, that transcend the physical limitations of matter and energy.
This may appear to be pure nonsense, however the science behind it isn't silly. If, due to our technological progress, we’re in a position to proceed on this exponential scale of growth, where the lines between artificial intelligence, machines usually, and humans change into blurred and mixed, what does that mean, what’s going to we appear like as a species in thirty years, when put next to modern humans?
In science fiction, advanced alien civilizations are portrayed as intergalactic species that roam the world, harvesting resources from uninhabited worlds or conquering star systems.
The transcendence hypothesis takes us somewhat further back in time. Sufficiently advanced civilizations, he says, use STEM compression to create black hole-like conditions. They change into so small that they transcend the constraints of the visible universe and wander through one other space-time reality to possibly interact with other transcended civilizations.
This hypothesis has several implications for the seek for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) and the transmission of messages to extraterrestrial intelligence (METI).
First, it suggests that we may not give you the chance to detect any signals from advanced civilizations because they’ve already transcended our observable universe and are communicating in ways in which we cannot intercept or decode.
Second, it suggests that we may not give you the chance to contact any advanced civilizations because they haven’t any interest or have to interact with us or other lower-level beings.
Third, it suggests that we could also be unable to grasp any advanced civilization since it has evolved beyond our understanding and operates on principles beyond our logic and intuition.
The transcendence hypothesis is predicated on several assumptions and speculations in regards to the nature of universal evolution and development that might not be valid or testable. It also faces several challenges and criticisms from alternative perspectives and scenarios.
For example, some argue that transcendence is just not inevitable or desirable for all civilizations, and that some may decide to remain in our universe and even reverse their development.
Others argue that transcendence is just not possible or feasible for any civilization and that there are physical or computational limitations that make it inconceivable, or that transcendence is just not essential or meaningful for any civilization and that there are ethical or existential reasons to avoid it.
The transcendence hypothesis is an interesting answer to the Fermi paradox, nevertheless it is just not final or conclusive. This is one among many possible hypotheses trying to elucidate the apparent lack of ETI in our universe.
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