The Golden Transcendence

  The “neuroform” name identifies the internal mental structures in the same way that the Composition name identifies external mental structures. The neuroforms, for humans, tended to fall into one of four general categories.

  Basic: Hindbrain, midbrain, and cortex are organized into a traditional hierarchy.

  Warlock: Cortex and midbrain interconnected. Allows for a repeatable form of intuitive and lateral thought, as well as controlled dreamlike states of consciousness.

  Cerebelline (also called global): Cortex and hindbrain interconnected. Allows for a simultaneous integration of many points of view or data streams. Thinking is spontaneously organized rather than linear, and relies on pattern recognition rather than abstraction.

  Invariant: True unicameral consciousness, all segments of the brain at all levels massively interconnected. Allows for a tightly disciplined mode of thought, where all emotions, instincts, and passions are integrated into dispassionate sanity.

  The “school” identifies the particulars of a person’s culture, language, philosophy, and taste. In the time of the Golden Oecumene, all of these characteristics are voluntary. Traditions are adopted by individuals; individuals are not born into traditions.

  The “era” is the time of birth or deep-structure formation—though the custom of stating birth date suffers obloquy from reformers and egalitarians, it still is in use. Those favoring the custom assert that the historical period in which a man is born tells you much of his outlook, customs, and circumstances; those opposing say it is a form of elitism, where elders are given undue prestige, and that the scholastic name tells one all one needs to know about outlook, custom, and circumstance.

  THE END OF THE GOLDEN AGE

  Naturally, the economic and political liberty enjoyed during the Golden Age, the wealth, tolerance, and splendor, were sharply curtailed during the warlike colonial age that followed. A greater degree of uniformity in thought and conduct was required in order to preserve the Golden Oecumene from Silent Oecumene attacks, both physical and subtle. Certainly the worlds terraformed and colonies established by Phaethon of Rhadamanth, and, later, by his brothers Bellerophon and Icarus, would not for many generations have the capital available to create the machinery needed to organize their affairs as efficiently and happily as their mother world; even maintaining the infrastructure necessary for individual immortality was problematic for the unsuccessful colonies.

  It may be that the Transcendence of the Aurelian period anticipated the final outcome of these events, and knew whether they would, on the whole, involve the human race in weal or woe. But if so, no hint has descended from the aery realms of transhuman thought to tell the men who were to fight in that war whether their efforts were doomed to futility and defeat or would be graced with the plume of victory: even the Earthmind cannot see all outcomes.

  But no matter whether the future was destined to lead to joy or sorrow, after this period in history, civilization was destined to spread among the nearer stars; and no single disaster howsoever great, no war howsoever dread, vast, and terrible, would any longer have the power to eliminate mankind from the drama of cosmic history.