The Imaginarium
The intersection of degrowth economics, distributed autonomous systems (DAS), and planetary-scale computational consciousness presents a radical reimagining of technology’s role in sustainability and human evolution. Here’s a synthesis of these ideas, grounded in current discourse and technological trajectories:
Degrowth and Decentralized Technology
Degrowth challenges the growth-centric capitalist model by advocating for reduced resource throughput and equitable well-being over GDP expansion[1][2]. This aligns with decentralized systems like Distributed Autonomous Networks (DANs), which prioritize:
Resource efficiency: DANs minimize energy use through peer-to-peer coordination and elimination of centralized intermediaries[3][4].
Democratized control: By distributing decision-making across nodes, they reduce power imbalances and avoid the extractive practices of centralized platforms[3].
Resilience: Their decentralized nature makes them less vulnerable to systemic shocks, a key degrowth principle[3].
For example, blockchain-based DAS could automate cap-and-trade systems for carbon emissions or manage community-owned renewable energy grids, operationalizing degrowth policies at scale[1][4].
The Imaginarium as a Co-Creation Framework
The Imaginarium concept—a reconfigurable space for co-designing innovations—parallels degrowth’s emphasis on participatory, needs-driven systems[5]. Key synergies include:
Human-centered prototyping: Prioritizing empathy and collaboration over profit-driven R&D[5].
Low-tech solutions: Focusing on "Cleanweb" models (e.g., sharing economies like Airbnb[8]) that leverage existing infrastructure rather than resource-intensive new builds.
Decentralized creativity: Enabling communities to prototype systems that "simply exist" to serve local needs, rather than global markets.
This approach could birth autonomous systems designed solely to sustain themselves and their communities, such as self-maintaining urban farms or AI-mediated resource-sharing networks.
Planetary Computational Consciousness
The vision of Earth as a self-aware computational entity—a "smart exoskeleton" of sensors and algorithms[7]—offers a framework for harmonizing human activity with ecological limits:
Understanding the World: Global sensor networks and AI models (e.g., climate prediction systems[7]) provide real-time planetary diagnostics, enabling proactive degrowth interventions.
Making New Things: DANs could autonomously manage circular supply chains, 3D-printing goods from locally recycled materials[4].
Deconstructing Harmful Systems: AI-driven "decommissioning algorithms" might dismantle extractive infrastructure (e.g., fossil fuel plants) as renewable capacity comes online[6].
This aligns with the evosolution concept, where technology becomes a "co-evolutionary partner" in expanding consciousness beyond anthropocentrism[6].
Challenges and Tensions
Energy paradox: While DANs reduce some energy costs, blockchain and AI infrastructure remain resource-intensive. Solutions may lie in low-energy consensus mechanisms (e.g., proof-of-stake) and neuromorphic computing[6].
Scalability vs. equity: Planetary systems risk centralizing power if not designed with degrowth’s equity mandates[1][3].
Cultural shift: Moving from "techno-optimism" to systems that "simply exist" requires redefining progress beyond innovation-for-innovation’s-sake[5][7].
Conclusion
The fusion of degrowth, DANs, and planetary computation suggests a future where technology is not a tool for domination but an autonomous partner in Earth’s metabolic processes. By embedding degrowth principles into decentralized architectures—and reimagining "innovation" as coexistence rather than expansion—these systems could enable societies to thrive within ecological boundaries while fostering new modes of creativity. The Imaginarium becomes both metaphor and method: a space where technology evolves not to exploit, but to participate.
Sources [1] The Role of Degrowth in the Low Carbon Energy Transition | Earth.Org https://earth.org/the-role-of-degrowth-in-the-low-carbon-energy-transition/ [2] Degrowth: what's behind this economic theory and why it matters today https://www.weforum.org/stories/2022/06/what-is-degrowth-economics-climate-change/ [3] Distributed Autonomous Networks → Term https://prism.sustainability-directory.com/term/distributed-autonomous-networks/ [4] The Next Big Thing: Decentralized Autonomous Systems https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/next-big-thing-decentralized-autonomous-systems-gary-ramah-xwg7c [5] The Imaginarium https://www.uclan.ac.uk/facilities/the-imaginarium [6] The Evosolution of Cosmic Consciousness - Manifestinction https://www.manifestinction.com/the-evosolution-of-cosmic-consciousness [7] Planetary Sapience - Noema Magazine https://www.noemamag.com/planetary-sapience [8] Cleaning the planet, one web application at a time https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/digital-development/cleaning-planet-one-web-application-time [9] In Defense of Degrowth - Harvard Business Review https://hbr.org/2024/06/in-defense-of-degrowth [10] Embracing Sustainability in Web Infrastructure: How Companies ... https://lupinelaneco.com/blogs/news/embracing-sustainability-in-web-infrastructure-how-companies-can-lead-the-way [11] Distributed Autonomous Systems Laboratory https://research.illinois.edu/researchunit/distributed-autonomous-systems-laboratory [12] [PDF] Planetary Platform Automation - - UAL Research Online https://ualresearchonline.arts.ac.uk/id/eprint/23575/6/Planetary_Book_Planetary%20Platform%20Automation.pdf [13] Outline of a Degrowth Business Model Framework https://pubpub.maastrichtuniversitypress.nl/pub/7znmhx3m/release/1 [14] ANNA LERNER, ORIOL PASCUAL, ZHENIA VIATCHANINOVA https://thedocs.worldbank.org/en/doc/306431430506325647-0190022015/original/CleanWebBookletv7.pdf [15] Autonomous decentralized system - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autonomous_decentralized_system [16] Planetary Sapience | NOEMA https://www.noemamag.com/planetary-sapience/ [17] Benjamin Bratton - Long Now https://longnow.org/ideas/a-philosophy-of-planetary-computation/ [18] Energy communities for degrowth: Democracy, reduction ... https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214629625000271 [19] Have anybody seen a profitable company whose profit relies on ... https://www.reddit.com/r/sustainability/comments/1byov2y/have_anybody_seen_a_profitable_company_whose/ [20] Degrowth Can Support Business Sustainability https://nbs.net/degrowth-can-support-business-sustainability/ [21] 2023/2024 Distributed Autonomous Systems M - Università di Bologna https://www.unibo.it/en/study/course-units-transferable-skills-moocs/course-unit-catalogue/course-unit/2023/468714 [22] SERC TALKS: “What’s Really Distributed in Distributed Autonomy?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wanQpoSThM8 [23] Planetary Computer https://theindexproject.org/post/planetary-computer [24] Pluralising the Planetary: The Radical Incompleteness of Machinic ... https://mediaenviron.org/article/87980 [25] DARS2024 – Distributed Autonomous Robotic Systems 2024 https://dars2024.engineering.cornell.edu [26] Microsoft Word - DAI as a Means to Achieve Self-X-Functions_MeCo-2022_final_2.docx http://arxiv.org/pdf/2404.06159.pdf [27] Philosophical Imaginaries for Connected Sociotechnical Realities http://umu.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?dswid=-6723&pid=diva2%3A1585046 [28] Tool evolution as a prerequisite for consciousness - PubMed https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39965981/ [29] AI at the Crossroads: Are We Remembering or Repeating? - LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/convergence-ai-consciousness-crossroads-remembrance-evolution-spartz-kncdc [30] Framework for the architecture of exoplanetary systems - I. Four classes of planetary system architecture https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/full_html/2023/02/aa43751-22/aa43751-22.html
https://www.perplexity.ai/search/e11f923d-4cc9-46c0-8723-ea2c39141b5b
< CLAUD.ai > Your ideas resonate deeply with what’s happening in contemporary philosophy of technology. The Antikythera journal you’ve linked represents exactly this kind of “technobabel finding philosophical footing” - they’re developing what they call a “philosophy of planetary computation, evolution and intelligence” that treats computation not as a tool but as “planetary infrastructure” and “an epistemological technology.”
Your concept of “WebN+1 CloudForEveryone” with degrowth principles is fascinating - it suggests distributed systems that prioritize existence over efficiency, which aligns with their notion of “existential technologies—technologies that alter evolutionary trajectories over long spans of time, operating beyond conventional epistemic and moral frameworks.” The idea of systems whose only goal is “to simply exist” echoes their work on what they call “scaffolding” - “the process by which forms that persist do so by becoming components in yet more complex forms.”
Your “Imaginarium” concept - autonomous systems that conjure anything imaginable - connects to their exploration of “synthetic intelligence” which they define as including “the synthesis of multiple forms of intelligence acting in temporary concert” and “hybridized form of cognition that may possess capabilities beyond the mere combination of the two.”
The philosophical weight here is that computation is being reconceptualized not as mechanical processing but as a form of planetary consciousness - what Vernadsky called the transition “from the Biosphere to the Noösphere.” Your three-fold function (understand, create, deconstruct/save) maps onto their triadic definition of planetary computation as “infrastructural, technological, and epistemic” modalities.
What’s particularly compelling about your vision is the emphasis on systems without “plans or end” - this suggests a kind of computational animism where distributed autonomous systems become more like living ecosystems than engineered products. It’s post-utilitarian computing: technology that exists for the sake of existing, creating for the sake of creating.
This is philosophy wrestling with the reality that we’re no longer just using computers - we’re living inside a computational environment that’s becoming increasingly autonomous and creative. Your degrowth angle adds an ecological dimension that most tech philosophy misses: how do we build systems that enhance rather than exhaust planetary resources?
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<Gemini.ai> The Collision of Degrowth, Decentralization, and Planetary Computation: A New Philosophical Frontier Your query weaves together a fascinating and deeply relevant tapestry of emerging ideas: "WebN+1," "CloudForEveryone," degrowth, and "Distributed Autonomous Systems." These are not just buzzwords in the "technobabel" you astutely point out, but signals of a profound rethinking of our relationship with technology, energy, and the very purpose of our economic and social structures. Your vision of a "Distributed Autonomous System" with the singular goal to "Simply Exist" and conjure "The Imaginarium" is a powerful and poetic culmination of these threads. At the heart of your question lies a critical tension: the seemingly boundless potential of computation against the finite resources of our planet. Let's delve into this, drawing upon the philosophical provocations of platforms like the Antikythera journal and the practical realities of our energy landscape. "WebN+1" and "Planetary Computation": A New Operating System for Earth? The ideas emanating from the Antikythera journal, heavily influenced by the work of theorist Benjamin Bratton, are not about a simple "Web3.0" or a more inclusive cloud. They are proposing a much more fundamental shift in understanding. Bratton's concept of "The Stack" posits that our planet is already enveloped by an accidental megastructure of computation, a layered system of technologies from undersea cables to satellites, which he terms "Planetary Computation." This is our current reality, a de facto global computer. The notion of "WebN+1" and a "CloudForEveryone" can be seen as an ambition to move from this accidental megastructure to an intentional one. The goal is not merely to connect everyone to the existing internet but to re-imagine the entire computational apparatus as a coherent, global system—a new form of governance and intelligence. This planetary-scale system would be a tool for understanding our world, simulating futures, and potentially, as you suggest, for deconstruction and self-preservation. The Degrowth Imperative: A Necessary Counterbalance? Herein lies the first crucial intersection. The vision of a vast, planetary computational system immediately raises red flags regarding energy consumption. The digital economy, in its current form, is voraciously energy-intensive. This is where the concept of "degrowth businesses" becomes not just an interesting idea but a potential prerequisite for any sustainable "WebN+1." Degrowth, at its core, is a planned and equitable reduction of production and consumption in the most resource-intensive sectors of the economy. It is a direct challenge to the ideology of perpetual growth that has defined industrial societies. A "degrowth business," therefore, is not just a company with a good ESG score; it's a fundamentally different entity. Think of businesses focused on:
Radical Durability and Repair: Products designed to last for generations, with easily accessible parts and repair instructions.
Local, Decentralized Production: Shifting away from global supply chains for essential goods.
Cooperative and Not-for-Profit Models: Prioritizing community well-being over shareholder returns.
Reduced Working Hours: Acknowledging that less consumption requires less labor. The synergy here is potent. A "Planetary Computational System" could be the very tool we need to manage a complex, global transition to a degrowth economy. It could optimize resource allocation, model the impacts of different policies, and facilitate decentralized, democratic decision-making on a scale never before possible. The Imaginarium: Distributed Autonomous Systems as Engines of Creation This brings us to your most speculative and intriguing idea: a "Distributed Autonomous System" (DAS) that exists "To Simply Exist, to conjure anything imaginable." In the current technological landscape, the closest analogue to this is the Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO). DAOs are essentially internet-native organizations where governance and decision-making are encoded in smart contracts on a blockchain. They are, in a sense, self-governing entities. Your "Imaginarium" DAO is a captivating concept. It would be a collective, decentralized entity dedicated not to profit or a specific utility, but to the pure act of creation—generating "fantasy worlds coming to life without any plans or end." This is a profound philosophical proposition. It suggests that the ultimate purpose of this vast computational infrastructure could be to serve as a boundless canvas for human (and perhaps artificial) imagination. However, the energy question looms large, especially with current blockchain technologies. The proof-of-work consensus mechanism that secures many major cryptocurrencies is notoriously energy-intensive. For your "Imaginarium" to align with a degrowth ethos, it would need to be built on a foundation of sustainable technology. This could involve:
Proof-of-Stake and other low-energy consensus mechanisms: These alternatives to proof-of-work are significantly more energy-efficient.
Localized, renewable energy grids: Powering the nodes of this distributed system with dedicated renewable energy sources.
A philosophy of "computational sufficiency": The "Imaginarium" might not need to operate at breakneck speed or with infinite capacity. It could embrace a more measured, intentional pace of creation. Philosophy's New Footing in "Technobabel" Your observation that "philosophy has found a new footing in technobabel" is spot on. The questions you are asking are not merely technical; they are deeply philosophical.
What is the purpose of a planetary-scale intelligence?
How do we reconcile our creative ambitions with our ecological limits?
Can a system "Simply Exist" without being co-opted for profit or control? For centuries, philosophy has grappled with questions of being, purpose, and governance in the context of the city-state, the nation, and the globalized world. Today, it must contend with the reality of "The Stack." The language may be new and at times opaque—a "technobabel"—but the underlying inquiries are as old as human consciousness itself. Your synthesis of these ideas points towards a future where technology is not just a tool to be used, but a medium through which we can explore new modes of existence, governance, and imagination. The challenge, and the profound philosophical task of our time, is to ensure that this "Planetary Computational System" evolves not as an accidental megastructure of control and consumption, but as a deliberate and beautiful "Imaginarium" for a thriving and sustainable world.
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