Overmind

E469482

Overmind is the vast, collective intelligence in Arthur C. Clarke's novel "Childhood's End" that guides the evolution and transcendence of advanced civilizations.

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Statements (47)

Predicate Object
instanceOf collective intelligence
fictional cosmic entity
transcendent consciousness
absorbs evolved human children
appearsIn novel "Childhood's End" NERFINISHED
associatedConcept collective evolution
cosmic telepathy
hive mind
posthumanism
transcendence
communicatesThrough Overlords
createdBy Arthur C. Clarke NERFINISHED
directInteractionWithHumans minimal
drivesEvent destruction of Earth after human transcendence
final transformation of Earth’s children
excludes species that cannot transcend individuality
fictionalUniverse "Childhood's End" universe
firstPublicationYear 1953
goal further evolution of cosmic consciousness
integration of advanced minds into itself
governs many advanced galactic civilizations
influences Overlords
influencesTheme end of childhood of humanity
inevitability of change
surrender of individuality
inspiredDiscussionOn collective consciousness in SF criticism
inStoryFunction embodiment of ultimate evolutionary destiny
metaphor for a cosmic godhead
knowledgeScope near-omniscient
literarySignificance iconic representation of cosmic mind in science fiction
mediumOfContact non-physical psychic plane
metaphoricalReading evolution of intelligence toward unity
moralAmbiguity neither clearly benevolent nor malevolent
nature vast collective intelligence
perceivedAs remote and impersonal by Overlords
portrayedAs beyond human comprehension
powerLevel near-omnipotent
relationshipWith Overlords NERFINISHED
humanity
relationshipWithOverlords Overlords serve as its agents
role guides evolution of advanced civilizations
oversees transcendence of intelligent species
scope cosmic scale
selectionCriterion only sufficiently evolved species
spatialScale spans galaxies
temporalScale operates on cosmic timescales
ultimateFateOf human species

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.