| Established | 1994 |
| Disbanded | 2003 |
| Known members |
Marilyn Foster Hector Macari Margaret Macari Rayleigh Ashby Emma Thorsby Joshua Currows |
Xeno-Organism Research Group
| Established | 1994 |
| Disbanded | 2003 |
| Known members |
Marilyn Foster Hector Macari Margaret Macari Rayleigh Ashby Emma Thorsby Joshua Currows |
Overview
The Xeno-Organism Research Group (XORG) was an experimental organization formed in 1994 by Marilyn Foster prior to her arrest in 2006. The group specialized in esoteric and controversial analyses of systems it deemed to show "simultaneously lifelike, intelligent, and inhuman" behavior, which it dubbed "xeno-organisms". Though this definition does not technically exclude intelligent animals and computer programs, the XORG are better known for their analyses of more abstract cases. A commonly cited example of such a system is the "invisible hand" of the market.
By 1997, the XORG had shifted its focus toward a more specific kind of xeno-organism related to its study of demoneurology. It is rumored that the group had access to exclusive documents from Afton Robotics, containing experimental data which inspired their theories.
Common subjects of interest include information theory, consciousness, emotion, zero-point energy, and the foundations of quantum mechanics. It is best known for its idiosyncratic study of Hypermanifestation, Electro-Dualism, Reverberative Wyrdic Quixology, and most famously, Dream Theory.
The group officially split up in December of 2003 after the breakdown and subsequent suicide of Rayleigh Ashby.
Notable Publications
The Four-Factor Method for Systems Modeling (1995)
A well-regarded text presenting a novel method for dimensional reduction of complex models.
Yogic Monism (1996)
An exploration of the concept of a universal underlying life-force as presented in Autobiography of a Yogi.
The Emergence of Qualia (1996)
A discussion of possible ways in which consciousness might emerge from inert matter. These writings picked up a small amount of attention from various philosophers, including Adelaide Fischer, who would be partly inspired by them when writing his popular book, The Thought Machine.
Autopoiesis in Psychic Systems (1997)
An analysis of the self-construction of the mind, as well as of the mind's individual components and constructs.
Psychosis, Metapsychosis, and Metempsychosis (1998)
A highly controverial exploration of various mechanisms by which the human mind may be extracted from the body.
Dream Theory (2000)
A complete guide to the XORG's theory of the same name, relating to the mechanics of dreams and memory. Its release was met with many mixed reviews, including accusations of pseudoscience and cultism.