Figure 1.

An expanded space of living systems as possible subjects of learning

In addition to the tree of life on Earth, bioengineering efforts are now producing chimeric living forms consisting of mixtures of evolved living material with designed components for novel sensor, effector, and computational capacity. This includes beings such as cybernetic organisms (cyborgs – animals with implanted technology that augments their capabilities), hybrots (brains driving vehicles or other physical systems instead of their default bodies [111–114]), and various synthetic creatures consisting of mixtures of genetic material from diverse sources which can also be rationally altered. The lines indicate relationships between the various categories, and the gray nodes schematize the near infinite variety of living beings that can be produced by recombination of evolved and designed subsystems. All of these will have their own problem space or Umwelt [115–117], sensory capacities, effectors, and functional IQs that span the gamut from very modest to highly advanced. Designing a framework for characterizing the learning capacities of such novel agents, where one cannot simply guess based on their resemblance to other standard forms or to a phylogenetic history, is essential. Figure courtesy of Jeremy Guay of Peregrine Creative.