Religion and Philosophy in the Third Space Age

Noncanon.

Transhumanist Philosophies

'Transhumanism' is the process of augmenting the basic human form. While medical devices like glasses and splints and even basic tools have been argued to be examples of 'augmentations', the term in practice refers to the various genetic, cybernetic and other major upgrades that became possible over the course of the 21st century.

Stauss-Kaserism

Contrary to popular perception in the Expanse, Stauss-Kaserism is technically a transhuman philosophy, except that it is hyper-incrementalist save for basic quality-of-life and medical alterations.

Tersiism

Dr. Tersi's philosophy advocates 'Genetic Meritocracy' - the establishment of a caste system where the rulers are transgenes with superior mental faculties, and exercise benevolent dictatorship. It predictably never gained wide traction, but sympathisers left on a number of longshots during the 2060s and 2070s, and remained prevalent in obscurity among several populations of the well-to-do such as those who founded the Kanon colony. Dr. Tersi unashamedly used monarchic imagery in his advocacy, a tendency reflected in surprisingly many of the governments based on his theories.

Post-physicalism

The posthumans were and remain the most radical and most successful transhumans, due to their approach of abandoning the flesh entirely for hyper-accelerated uploaded existence. The process has never caught on, however, due to the dangers of uploading and the rapid and severe alienation it causes among even most time-equalised 'mindstates'. To a baseline, uploading amounts to death and the afterlife, requiring severance from all worldly things. Many people on their deathbed take this option, but even then it is not unusual to choose to remain close to those one cares about.

Intesīla

Developed largely in isolation after the settlement of Tempest, the Philosophies popularly Intesīla is a combination of the english word Integration and the Sankrit word principle (sila). Intesila rejects both Stauss-Kaserism's incremental approach and the idea of rule by a monarchy of transhuman experts. Instead of individual augmentation, society its self would become a posthuman state, based on the maximal augmentation of the group as a whole rather than any individual, and drawn together by various advanced social techniques of information sharing and technologies such as augmented reality. Intesīla also puts a great emphasis on consent of the majority, with direct democratic principles being widely embraced as a way to set objectives, with representative approaches being seen as inherently suspect and likely to give the few power over the many.

Exhuman Philosophies

Exhuman is differentiated from transhumanist movements by the extremity of the changes it's adherent undergo. Exhumanism places emphasis not on augmenting the human form, but radically altering it...

Christianity

Catholicism

With the rapid colonization of space beginning in the late 21st century, many religions of earth came with them. This is most prevalent in the spread of the roman catholic church to the stars, especially in the pacific arm. While two of the major colonial backers in PACT were either protestant-majority or a different religion all-together, the remaining countries (Such as the members of UNASUR, central america, ASEAN, and the Philippines) all had large catholic-majorities.

Minor and Extinct Sects

Reshanki Christianity

Reshanki Christianity holds that the End of Days is at hand and the Antichrist has appeared in the form of the Posthumans, who travelled back in time to prevent the rapture. It was founded on Corregidor during the early 2140s and never achieved a very large following, but the (extremely rich) founder's big-budget televangelism campaigns and public clashes with posthuman worshippers gave it a media presence above its weight. Mr. Reshanki retired to his ranch during the 2150s and has refused all interviews since, and the faith has no practicing worshippers remaining.

Islam

Sunni

Sunni Islam is the predominant religion for most of the Middle East, North Africa and large portions of Southeast Asia on Earth. It has spread among the stars along three of the four catapult lanes and remains (mostly) intact from the cultural upheavals of the Breakdown in the Core. Following the reforms and re-secularization of the 21st and 22nd century, most expressions of physical modesty are non-mandatory and the sexes are considered broadly equal, although Sunni-influenced societies remain sharply conservative social democracies.

Demographics are relatively balanced in Indo-Pakistani colonies in the Indian Arm, and can be found in many colonies founded by EU members with large Sunni populations such as Turkey and France. Only in the ASEAN section of the Pacific Arm can Sunni majority worlds can be found, in no small part thanks to the influence of the bloc's powerhouse, Indonesia.

Shia

Green Islam

Green Islam is the result of the socio-political evolution of both the Green Movement of Iran and numerous Qur'an Alone movements that were shipped to Azadestan in the late 21st century. While not a true religious sect on its own, Green Islam is a mostly Shi'a movement, and is one of the dominant political parties on Azadestan, with new followers espousing its ideals. Green Islam's basic tenets are: The autonomy of the individual in interpreting the Qur'an and Hadith; A more critical and diverse examination of religious texts, as well as traditional Islamic precedents; Complete gender equality in all aspects, including ritual prayer and observance; A more open view on modern culture in relation to customs, dress, and common practices. Certain rules on modesty amongst men and women are still self-enforced as a result of the Qur'an's injunction against immodest dress; The individual use of ijtihad (interpretation) and fitrah (natural sense of right and wrong) is advocated.

Hinduism

Still trucking in India.

Minor Faiths and Philosophies

Minkowski Transcendentalism

Minkowski Transcendentalism advocates the abandonment of gravity and sin for holy spacebound life, so that the soul can be purified and escape the corrupt material world. It is localised primarily to the Minkowski system, where it is the overwhelmingly dominant and state religion, but has had some minor success in proselytising in Oceania and among career spacers. Primary injunctions warn against malice, greed and pride.

Extinct Faiths and Philosophies

Kirnaism

Kirnaism preaches that all major prophets were posthumans who travelled back in time.