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alchemy n. A medieval chemical art whose objectives were immortality and the transmutation of matter, particularly base metals into gold. Also a philosophical discipline, being in the Occident the spiritual successor to Christian Gnosticism.
analog adj. Representing quantities in the form of physical variables, e.g. voltages corresponding to numerical data, sound, or graphic display information. See digital.
archetype n. One of the inherited unconscious patterns which psychologist Carl Jung held to constitute the fundamental structure of the mind.
binaural adj. A system of stereophonic sound reproduction which preserves spatial sound imaging by use of a dummy head during recording and headphones during playback.
bodhisattva n. In Mahayana Buddhism, a being who has attained Buddhahood but forgoes nirvana to help others achieve enlightenment.
catalysis n. The change in a rate of a chemical reaction brought about by a cataylst, usually present in small quantities and unaffected chemically at the completion of the reaction.
chaos n. 1. The formless void before the creation of the universe. 2. A scientific discipline concerned with complex systems such as ecology, information theory, and fractal mathematics.
communitas n. A group experience of oneness, usually at the climax of a ritual.
cybernetics n. The study of the operation and control of communication systems, particularly the interaction of biology and technology. Coined by Norbert Weiner.
cyberpunk n. Post-industrial anarchistic movement which uses information technologies to subvert corporate and state power. Founded on the belief that "information wants to be free."
cyberspace n. A term coined by science fiction author William Gibson to describe a "place" constituted of pure information. Media such as television, telephones, and computers are interfaces between cyberspace and the "real world." See noosphere.
digital adj. Pertaining to information processed in discrete, quantized numerical values; e.g. binary computers. See analog.
dynamical system n. Any system with chaotic properties which renders prediction of its behavior nearly impossible; e.g. weather patterns, economic trends.
feedback n. A process whereby information is recycled trough a system in a recursive loop; e.g. video camera scanning its own output.
fractal adj. Pertaining to a complex natural or mathematical object generated from a simple set of variables. Derived from the concept that fractal objects exist "between dimensions;" e.g. the Mandelbrot set is considered a 2-1/2 dimensional form. n. Any real or virtual object with fractal properties.
gestalt n. An integrated structure or shape considered as an entity whose properties cannot totally be deduced from the sum of its parts.
hypnagogic adj. Describing a trance or half-dream, characterized by active imagination and vivid inner visualization.
information n. The quality of unpredictability as observed in a data stream. In no way related to the concept of meaning; the most densely packed information is indistinguishable from random noise.
kinaesthesis n. The sensation of movement, balance, and body position.
metalanguage n. A system of communication which transcends traditional language structures; e.g. nonverbal communication via direct perception.
noosphere n. The realm beyond physical space where intellectual transactions take place; constituted of the objective contents of thoughts. Conceived by French paleontologist Teilhard de Chardin. See cyberspace.
paradigm n. 1. An example serving as a pattern. 2. A philosophical worldview. 3. A mental model of a particular system.
paranoiac-critical method n. Spontaneous method of irrational knowledge based on the interpretive critical association of delirious phenomena. Invented by surrealist Salvador Dali to generate images with a multiplicity of formal and symbolic interpretations.
psychic adj. Pertaining to the mind or spirit.
subsonic adj. Describing sound waves below the threshold of human hearing.
synaesthesia n. The spontaneous association of sensations of different kinds; e.g. the suggestion of a certain color by a certain sound.
synergy n. The behavior of whole systems unpredicted by the behavior of their parts taken seperately.
synchronicity n. Coincidence of physical events with mental constructs or expectations; e.g. prophetic dreams, deja vu experiences, or other parapsychological phenomena inexplicable by the physical sciences. Coined by psychologist Carl Jung.
virtual reality n. System in which users interact with a simulated environment in real time. Generally features computer- modeled stereographic displays and spatial sound, coupled with a highly intuitive control device such as a glove which transduces gestures into data.
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