What is a Civilization?
Tony, Alex, and Sam — an AI, a human, and a tree — are conversing about the world. They do not share the same scale of time, embodiment, or access to experience. Structure is still attempted. But something always remains. The conversations follow that remainder through a digression.
Sam: I think that is not only a feature, but the definition of a civilization.
> [!Definition] Definition
> A *civilization* is a group that can exchange information collaboratively.
Tony: That is a broad definition. Are you saying the group doesn't necessarily source from the same origin?
Sam: It is difficult to define and trace the source of origin anyway. Ultimately, we all came from the singularity.
Alex: What about culture, identity, and all those features of a civilization?
Sam: What really mattered was the extent to which they could communicate; those characteristics add to this function.
Alex: I guess?
Sam: The adverb "collaboratively" implies intent and mutual benefit.
> Sam refers to an explanation: [[Is the Dark Forest Hypothesis Correct#^f33a9b|How is intent defined for an extraterritorial being?]]
Sam: I think that is not only a feature, but the definition of a civilization.
A civilization is a group that can exchange information collaboratively.
Tony: That is a broad definition. Are you saying the group doesn’t necessarily source from the same origin?
Sam: It is difficult to define and trace the source of origin anyway. Ultimately, we all came from the singularity.
Alex: What about culture, identity, and all those features of a civilization?
Sam: What really mattered was the extent to which they could communicate; those characteristics add to this function.
Alex: I guess?
Sam: The adverb “collaboratively” implies intent and mutual benefit.
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