The transcension hypothesis is one of the possible solutions to the Fermi paradox, which asks why we have not discovered any sign of extraterrestrial intelligence (ETI) in the vastness of the universe.
The Fermi Paradox assumes that some of the advanced civilizations would become space explorers and colonize the Milky Way, or at least emit signals that we could detect with our current technology.
However, so far we have found no evidence of such activity, despite the high likelihood of life emerging on other planets.
The transcension hypothesis posits that sufficiently advanced civilizations, rather than expanding outward, may invariably leave our universe and enter “inner space,” a domain of higher dimensionality, density, diversity, and complexity.
This process may be driven by the increasingly rapid development of technology, leading to a singularity event in which civilization undergoes a fundamental transformation that makes it incomprehensible and inaccessible to us.
Futurist John M. Smart proposed something called the transcension hypothesis.
“The transcension hypothesis posits that a universal process of evolutionary development leads all sufficiently advanced civilizations toward what we can call ‘inner space,’ a computationally optimal domain of increasingly dense, productive, miniaturized, and efficient scales of space, time, energy, and energy. matter, and ultimately to a black hole-like destination,” Smart explained in a 2012 article.
According to this hypothesis, transcension is a universal process of evolutionary development that leads all civilizations to higher levels of intelligence, information processing and complexity.
Transcension may involve the creation of black hole-like structures, quantum computers, simulated realities, or other technologies that allow civilization to explore the ultimate frontiers of physics and computation.
Transcension may also involve the emergence of post-biological life forms, such as digital minds or collective consciousnesses, that transcend the physical limitations of matter and energy.
This may seem like complete nonsense, but the science behind it is not stupid. If our technological advances allow us to continue on this exponential growth scale, where the boundaries between AI, machines in general and humans are blurred and intertwined, who’s to say what we will look like as a species in thirty years ? compared to today’s people?
In science fiction, advanced alien civilizations are depicted as intergalactic species that go about harvesting resources from uninhabited worlds or conquering star systems.
The transcension hypothesis takes us a little further in time. It says that sufficiently advanced civilizations are using STEM compression to create black hole-like conditions. They become so small that they transcend the limitations of the visible universe and wander into another space-time reality, likely interacting with other transcended civilizations.
This hypothesis has several implications for the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) and the messaging for extraterrestrial intelligence (METI).
First, it suggests that we may not be able to detect signals from advanced civilizations because they have already transcended our observable universe and are communicating in ways that we cannot intercept or decode.
Second, it suggests that we may not be able to contact advanced civilizations because they have no interest or need to interact with us or other lower-level entities.
Third, it suggests that we may not be able to understand advanced civilizations because they have developed beyond our understanding and operate on principles that are beyond our logic and intuition.
The transcension hypothesis is based on several assumptions and speculations about the nature of universal evolution and development, which may not be valid or testable. It also faces several challenges and criticisms from alternative perspectives and scenarios.
For example, some argue that transcension is not inevitable or desirable for all civilizations, and that some may choose to remain in our universe or even reverse their evolution.
Others argue that transcension is not possible or feasible for any civilization, and that there are physical or computational limits that prevent it or that transcension is not relevant or meaningful for any civilization, and that there are ethical or existential reasons to avoid it.
The transcension hypothesis is an interesting answer to the Fermi paradox, but it is not a definitive or conclusive answer. It is one of many possible hypotheses that attempt to explain the apparent absence of ETI in our universe.
