Civilization Levels, N.E.N.T.

This page outlines my own evolution “macro-model”: Nested Evolving Network Theory (N.E.N.T.). This model attempts to combine biological evolution with sociocultural evolution in a coherent framework (agents compete for resources, perish or survive and reproduce, mutate, navigate fitness landscapes, combine into superorganisms, etc.). I explain in more detail in the posts linked below.

I’ve also compared N.E.N.T. to other models from science-fiction and speculative philosophers. Comments welcome!

Nested Evolving Network Theory (N.E.N.T.)

A theoretical framework for modeling multilevel evolutionary simulations, with variable starting conditions/differing universal constants. N.E.N.T. models evolutionary processes as layers of networked spaces, with each layer or “level of reality” being completely dependent on structures and processes of all underlying layers for its existence. A network space emerges when an agent-level mutation results in a novel interaction class that facilitates a new level of information encoding and node type. Agents are considered to be nodes (irreducible, encoded structures, individuals) or supernodes (reducible, nonencoded structures, groups). In the Milky Way/Sol/Earth locality, nested networks or “levels of reality” could be classified according to the following table:

Network Level	Encoding Mutation	Node type	Supernode types
Space-time	Superinflation	Particle-wave	Plasma density variations
Atomic	Big Bang cooling	Element	Stars, gaseous clouds, galaxies
Molecular	Covalent bonds	Molecule	Planets, solar systems
Biological	Nucleotide sequences	Prokaryote	Crude ecologies, atmospheres
Somatic	Tissue specialization	Plant, animal	Ecosystems
Social	Neocortex	Social animal	Tribes, kin groups, cliques, territorial ecosystems
Memetic	Speech/song/poem	Person	Villages, towns, kingdoms, nomadic groups, farmed or managed vs. wild ecosystems, animal/slave economies
Symbolic	Symbol systems/writing	Literate citizen	Nations, governments, institutions, religions, managed ecoregions, specialization economies
Media	Printing/broadcast/analog replication	World citizen	Global culture groups, organizations, corporations, superpowers, mass production economies, protected vs. exploited ecoregions
Programmatic	Programmable systems/digital replication	Augmented citizen	Accelerated culture groups, networked data-reservoirs, automated economies, engineered ecoregions, game worlds/simulations, satellite systems
Gensynth	Genetic manipulation, synthesized lifeforms	Enhanced citizen	Intentional biology and evolution, engineered climate, sustainable energy and food systems, space stations
Mindsynth	Quantum neural nets, replicable intelligence	Autonomous entity	Human/machine hybrid societies, emergent/evolving simulated realities, engineered solar system, off-world colonies
Post-biological	Networked minds, non-fragile artificial bodies	Multi-mind entity	Deep space habitation, interstellar travel
Warp	Anti-matter control, wormhole networks	Matter-manipulating entity	Galactic societies, engineered stars, fabricated worlds
Galactic	?	?	Intergalactic networks

NENT compared to other civilization/evolution classifications:

NENT	Kardashev Scale	Iain Banks “Culture” Series	HALO Tech Advancement	Kurzweil Epochs	Traveller
Space-time				Epoch 1: Physics
Atomic				Epoch 1: Chemistry
Molecular
Biological				Epoch 2: Biology and DNA
Somatic
Social				Epoch 3: Brains	TL 0 (Stone Age)
Memetic		Level 0			TL 1-2 (Bronze, Iron Ages)
Symbolic		Level 1	Tier 7: Pre-industrial		TL 3 (Renaissance)
Media	Type 0	Level 2	Tier 6: Industrial	Epoch 4: Technology	TL 4-7 (Industrial)
Programmatic		Level 3	Tier 5: Atomic Age		TL 8-9 (Solid State Electronics, Internet)
Gensynth		Level 4	Tier 4: Space Age		TL 10 (Genetic engineering)
Mindsynth		Level 5	Tier 3: Space-Faring	Epoch 5: Tech-Intelligence Merger	TL 11 (Cybernetic human)
Metamind	Type 1	Level 6	Tier 2: Interstellar	Epoch 6: Superintelligence	TL 12-13 (Interstellar)
Warp	Type 2	Level 7	Tier 1: World Builders		TL 14-15 (Advanced Interstellar)
Galactic	Type 3	Level 8 (The Culture)	Tier 0: Transsentient		TL 16-17
		Level 9 (Sublimed)			TL 18-19