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H

HALLUCINOMEMIC: An idea that induces hallucinations ("Some things have to be believed to be seen") [John McPherson July 1993]

HEAT DEATH: A cosmological end state of universal thermodynamic equilibrium - ie the same temperature everywhere, meaning there's no energy for anything except reversible interactions.

HIVE COMPUTING: Using unused computing resources in a network to speed up calculations or distribute parallel programs. [Probable origin: Hive Computing: working together for the common good by S teve G. Steinberg, Wired 3.11, November 1995]

HOMORPH: A transhuman or posthuman with a humanoid body [Greg Bear, Eon]

HPLD: Highest Possible Level of Development. This is a concept (and abbreviation) from a Stanslaw Lem story. The idea is that there is an end-state of technological evolution, when it is possible to carry out everything consistent with physical law, and that this end-state is essentially unique. Because of the uniqueness of this state, it is possible to theorize usefully about it, while the paths between here and there are shrouded by mind-boggling complexity (AKA the Singularity). [definition by Carl Feynman. The original story is "Altruizine, or A True Account of How Bonhomius the Hermetic Hermit Tried to Bring About Universal Happiness, and What Came of It", in The Cyberiad]

HYPERTEXT: Massively interconnected database providing the ability to track information in all directions, notify you of updated information, etc. [Ted Nelson]

HYPONEIRIA: Lack of dreaming, a pathological deficiency of imagination. [Dean Shomshak, January 1996]

HYPOTECH: Hypothetical technology [Michael M. Butler]


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Anders Sandberg / asa@nada.kth.se
2000-03-11