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=== '''Preface''' === | === '''Preface''' === | ||
Before talking about the structure of the Liminal State it is important to define basic terms that will be used. Any ''Italicized'' words have special meaning, and are usually defined in situ. There is also a list of [[Key Words]] with definitions. | |||
The following terms regard the assignment of rights, as viewed and defined by the Liminal State, and start from those with the fewest rights to those with the most. | |||
=== '''Sentient Life''' === | === '''Sentient Life''' === | ||
The Liminal State isn’t just about us, here and now. The Liminal State has been imagined to consider everyone in every possible situation. That includes how to best handle a breakaway state, incorporate future territories, and govern across planets. The Liminal State looks far into the future and is inherently structured and accountable for all possibilities, even those unimaginable. Sentient life currently includes only humans, but may someday include self-aware AI, future intelligence arising from Earth, or other intelligence found beyond Earth, as examples. | The Liminal State isn’t just about us, here and now. The Liminal State has been imagined to consider everyone in every possible situation. That includes how to best handle a breakaway state, incorporate future territories, and govern across planets. The Liminal State looks far into the future and is inherently structured and accountable for all possibilities, even those unimaginable. ''Sentient life'' currently includes only humans, but may someday include self-aware general AI, future intelligence arising from Earth, or other intelligence found beyond Earth, as examples. | ||
Sentient life is afforded more rights and protections than the environment as a whole. Therefore, if there comes a choice to save a | ''Sentient life'' is afforded more rights and protections than the environment as a whole. Therefore, if there comes a choice to save a ''Sentient Being'' over some aspect of the environment, the Liminal State will make that hard choice in favor of the ''Sentient Life''. But only as a last resort, as the Liminal State will always look at all alternatives to try and figure out a way to save both first. There is always a way to take care of our environment while still enjoying all the comforts we rely on. This hasn’t been done in our past, as it’s easier and more profitable to ignore environmental impacts, but everyone, all life and even the natural systems of the Earth we depend on, are gravely impacted by this existing lack of foresight and care. It is ultimately the Liminal State’s primary responsibility to take care of and provide for its ''Citizens'', and that can’t be done without considering and controlling the impact on our environment. | ||
For simplicity, this documentation will use the word "people" when referring to ''Sentient Life''. | |||
=== '''Temporary Citizens''' === | |||
All people wishing for amnesty or naturalization into the Liminal State are first considered ''Temporary Citizens'' following initial screening and approval. This status lasts for a period of three years, at which point they become regular ''Citizens'' and have all the additional rights that affords them. | |||
This temporary status is used to ensure all new potential ''Citizens'' are willing and able to accumulate into the Liminal State and be productive members of society, which means that they are living up to the core principles of the Liminal State and not committing crimes or working against the interests of the Liminal State and it's ''Citizens''. | |||
Graduation into full citizenship is automatic unless any issues are discovered during their temporary status. ''Temporary Citizens'' are not authorized to vote and denial of formal citizenship and removed from the Liminal State is possible when deemed appropriate by the ''Justice Branch''. | |||
=== '''Citizens''' === | === '''Citizens''' === | ||
Citizens are all people born or naturalized into the | ''Citizens'' are all people born or officially naturalized into the Liminal State and have additional rights and protections afforded them by virtue of being a C''itizen'' of the Liminal State. | ||
=== '''Employable Citizens''' === | === '''Employable Citizens''' === | ||
Only ''Emancipated Citizens'' are automatically eligible to work, but certain groups of people, including young adults, the mentally disabled, and ''Temporary Citizens'' should also be allowed this opportunity in certain cases. By passing an ''Employment Screening'' they too would be authorized. This screening wouldn't test job-related skills, but rather ensures the individual is generally capable of performing the eventual tasks required and meet other minimum conditions. | |||
Employers that regularly employ this group would work with the Liminal State to ensure adequate provisions are made for employment of this group. | |||
=== '''Emancipated Citizens''' === | === '''Emancipated Citizens''' === | ||
Emancipated | ''Emancipated Citizens'' are the group that we would currently call adults, and they would have all the rights and freedoms afforded adults. Instead of an arbitrary age used to define an adult, ''Citizens'' of the Liminal State would take an ''Emancipation Test'' when they are ready to demonstrate their ability to make adult decisions and handle adult responsibilities. | ||
The ''Emancipation Test'' test would ensure that certain capabilities expected of ''Emancipated Citizens'' have been attained, such as basic reading and math skills, the ability to manage a budget, social, emotional, media, and online intelligence, demonstrable practical skills like changing a tire or taking care of a pet, and understanding their relationship with other ''Citizens'' and the Liminal State. | |||
Based on biological science, by the age of 25 most would pass this test, yet a mature 17 year old could become emancipated while some ''Citizens'' may never be able to pass. In addition to total bodily autonomy, extra rights, and additional freedoms, ''Emancipated Citizens'' are able to become ''Eligible Voters'', whereas those that have not become ''Emancipated Citizens'', such as children and the mentally disabled, have fewer freedoms but additional protections. | |||
This is an important distinction between current societies and the Liminal State; when a 12 year old could be tried as an adult via some unaccountable mechanism now, only an | This is an important distinction between current societies and the Liminal State; when a 12 year old could be tried as an adult via some unaccountable mechanism now, only an ''Emancipated Citizen'' could be held accountable for adult actions in a Liminal State. Additionally, those who haven’t passed the ''Emancipation Test'' would have additional protections, beyond those even afforded children and the mentally disabled now. Instead of accounting for the population as uniform groups, the Liminal State recognizes that every person is unique, matures differently, and instead groups people based on demonstrable traits we expect from responsible adults. | ||
The Liminal State could be instantiated without requiring an ''Emancipation Test'' and simply assign adulthood to those who reach 18 years old, for example, and still benefit from all the other advantages the Liminal State provides. But by differentiating the population in this way, rules are apparent and obvious, the steps into adulthood have the same requirements for all, the expectations of adults are fair and never a surprise, systems designed to lift those up needing help run more efficiently, and society as a whole benefits. | |||
=== '''Voters''' === | === '''Voters''' === | ||
There are two ways to consider | There are two ways to consider ''Voters'' when instantiating the Liminal State. Both have their benefits and costs, and which path is chosen should be decided by the founding population. Whichever system is chosen, it should not be altered in the future. | ||
With the first option, all ''Emancipated Citizens'' are automatically ''Eligible Voters''. | |||
Alternatively, ''Emancipated Citizens'' must pass an ''Empathy Test'' to become an ''Eligible Voter''. This test will distill the top 80% of the most empathetic people from the pool of ''Emancipated Citizens'' that take the test, and they will then become the ''Eligible Voters''. | |||
Many have proposed limiting voting to a certain subset of people, such as men, property owners, or the wealthy. | Many have proposed limiting voting to a certain subset of people, such as men, property owners, or the wealthy. The method employed by the Liminal State ensures that voting is treated as the privilege that it is and votes are thoughtfully cast. But the only logical, fair, and wise way to limit the voting pool to achieve these benefits is to ensure that those who can vote are keeping those who are not allowed to vote foremost in their decisions. Empathy is easy and reliable to test, and as empathy is a common and uniting human trait and foundational to the Liminal State, it's logical to assign ''Eligible Voters'' using this metric. | ||
=== '''Empathy Test Notes''' === | === '''Empathy Test Notes''' === | ||
One note about the | One note about the ''Empathy Test'' is that passing is not a perpetual right to vote. Because the test allows the top 80% of empathetic ''Citizens'' to vote, and because empathy is on a spectrum, populations will evolve over time and newly ''Emancipated Citizens'' may have greater empathy than some who have passed the test previously. For this reason, existing ''Eligible Voters'' must retake the test every four years from when they first tested. And for the same reason, those who do not pass the ''Empathy Test'' initially may retake the test every four years from when they tested as well. | ||
=== '''Site Navigation''' === | === '''Site Navigation''' === | ||
''Continue Reading:'' | ''Continue Reading:'' | ||
[[Neighborhood|← | [[Neighborhood|← Neighborhood]] | [[Core Concepts]] | [[Division Of Authority|Division Of Authority →]] | ||
''Site Map:'' | ''Site Map:'' | ||
Latest revision as of 19:46, 1 August 2026
Preface
Before talking about the structure of the Liminal State it is important to define basic terms that will be used. Any Italicized words have special meaning, and are usually defined in situ. There is also a list of Key Words with definitions.
The following terms regard the assignment of rights, as viewed and defined by the Liminal State, and start from those with the fewest rights to those with the most.
Sentient Life
The Liminal State isn’t just about us, here and now. The Liminal State has been imagined to consider everyone in every possible situation. That includes how to best handle a breakaway state, incorporate future territories, and govern across planets. The Liminal State looks far into the future and is inherently structured and accountable for all possibilities, even those unimaginable. Sentient life currently includes only humans, but may someday include self-aware general AI, future intelligence arising from Earth, or other intelligence found beyond Earth, as examples.
Sentient life is afforded more rights and protections than the environment as a whole. Therefore, if there comes a choice to save a Sentient Being over some aspect of the environment, the Liminal State will make that hard choice in favor of the Sentient Life. But only as a last resort, as the Liminal State will always look at all alternatives to try and figure out a way to save both first. There is always a way to take care of our environment while still enjoying all the comforts we rely on. This hasn’t been done in our past, as it’s easier and more profitable to ignore environmental impacts, but everyone, all life and even the natural systems of the Earth we depend on, are gravely impacted by this existing lack of foresight and care. It is ultimately the Liminal State’s primary responsibility to take care of and provide for its Citizens, and that can’t be done without considering and controlling the impact on our environment.
For simplicity, this documentation will use the word "people" when referring to Sentient Life.
Temporary Citizens
All people wishing for amnesty or naturalization into the Liminal State are first considered Temporary Citizens following initial screening and approval. This status lasts for a period of three years, at which point they become regular Citizens and have all the additional rights that affords them.
This temporary status is used to ensure all new potential Citizens are willing and able to accumulate into the Liminal State and be productive members of society, which means that they are living up to the core principles of the Liminal State and not committing crimes or working against the interests of the Liminal State and it's Citizens.
Graduation into full citizenship is automatic unless any issues are discovered during their temporary status. Temporary Citizens are not authorized to vote and denial of formal citizenship and removed from the Liminal State is possible when deemed appropriate by the Justice Branch.
Citizens
Citizens are all people born or officially naturalized into the Liminal State and have additional rights and protections afforded them by virtue of being a Citizen of the Liminal State.
Employable Citizens
Only Emancipated Citizens are automatically eligible to work, but certain groups of people, including young adults, the mentally disabled, and Temporary Citizens should also be allowed this opportunity in certain cases. By passing an Employment Screening they too would be authorized. This screening wouldn't test job-related skills, but rather ensures the individual is generally capable of performing the eventual tasks required and meet other minimum conditions.
Employers that regularly employ this group would work with the Liminal State to ensure adequate provisions are made for employment of this group.
Emancipated Citizens
Emancipated Citizens are the group that we would currently call adults, and they would have all the rights and freedoms afforded adults. Instead of an arbitrary age used to define an adult, Citizens of the Liminal State would take an Emancipation Test when they are ready to demonstrate their ability to make adult decisions and handle adult responsibilities.
The Emancipation Test test would ensure that certain capabilities expected of Emancipated Citizens have been attained, such as basic reading and math skills, the ability to manage a budget, social, emotional, media, and online intelligence, demonstrable practical skills like changing a tire or taking care of a pet, and understanding their relationship with other Citizens and the Liminal State.
Based on biological science, by the age of 25 most would pass this test, yet a mature 17 year old could become emancipated while some Citizens may never be able to pass. In addition to total bodily autonomy, extra rights, and additional freedoms, Emancipated Citizens are able to become Eligible Voters, whereas those that have not become Emancipated Citizens, such as children and the mentally disabled, have fewer freedoms but additional protections.
This is an important distinction between current societies and the Liminal State; when a 12 year old could be tried as an adult via some unaccountable mechanism now, only an Emancipated Citizen could be held accountable for adult actions in a Liminal State. Additionally, those who haven’t passed the Emancipation Test would have additional protections, beyond those even afforded children and the mentally disabled now. Instead of accounting for the population as uniform groups, the Liminal State recognizes that every person is unique, matures differently, and instead groups people based on demonstrable traits we expect from responsible adults.
The Liminal State could be instantiated without requiring an Emancipation Test and simply assign adulthood to those who reach 18 years old, for example, and still benefit from all the other advantages the Liminal State provides. But by differentiating the population in this way, rules are apparent and obvious, the steps into adulthood have the same requirements for all, the expectations of adults are fair and never a surprise, systems designed to lift those up needing help run more efficiently, and society as a whole benefits.
Voters
There are two ways to consider Voters when instantiating the Liminal State. Both have their benefits and costs, and which path is chosen should be decided by the founding population. Whichever system is chosen, it should not be altered in the future.
With the first option, all Emancipated Citizens are automatically Eligible Voters.
Alternatively, Emancipated Citizens must pass an Empathy Test to become an Eligible Voter. This test will distill the top 80% of the most empathetic people from the pool of Emancipated Citizens that take the test, and they will then become the Eligible Voters.
Many have proposed limiting voting to a certain subset of people, such as men, property owners, or the wealthy. The method employed by the Liminal State ensures that voting is treated as the privilege that it is and votes are thoughtfully cast. But the only logical, fair, and wise way to limit the voting pool to achieve these benefits is to ensure that those who can vote are keeping those who are not allowed to vote foremost in their decisions. Empathy is easy and reliable to test, and as empathy is a common and uniting human trait and foundational to the Liminal State, it's logical to assign Eligible Voters using this metric.
Empathy Test Notes
One note about the Empathy Test is that passing is not a perpetual right to vote. Because the test allows the top 80% of empathetic Citizens to vote, and because empathy is on a spectrum, populations will evolve over time and newly Emancipated Citizens may have greater empathy than some who have passed the test previously. For this reason, existing Eligible Voters must retake the test every four years from when they first tested. And for the same reason, those who do not pass the Empathy Test initially may retake the test every four years from when they tested as well.
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