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Abstract: In a sequence of papers on the topic of message construction for interstellar communication by means of a cosmic language, the present author has discussed various significant requirements such a lingua should satisfy. The author’s Lingua Cosmica is a (meta) system for annotating contents of possibly large-scale messages for ETI. LINCOS, based on formal constructive logic, was primarily designed for dealing with logic contents of messages but is also applicable for denoting structural properties of more general abstractions embedded in such messages. The present paper explains ways and means for achieving this for a special case: recursive entities. As usual two stages are involved: first the domain of discourse is enriched with suitable representations of the entities concerned, after which properties over them can be dealt with within the system itself. As a representative example the case of Russian dolls (Matrjoshka’s) is discussed in some detail and relations with linguistic structures in natural languages are briefly exploited. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Many important SETI terms are either ambiguously defined or interpreted by different experts differently. Based on the author''s experience with astronautical terminology (IAA multilingual space dictionary) a summary of the usual problems connected with an uniform definition of fundamental terms is attempted. In the second part several examples are quoted from the SETI literature—including the terms ETI, SETI and METI themselves, the definition of a habitable zone, of alien life, of an extraterrestrial artifact, of the Drake equation, of the Fermi-paradox, etc. In the third part of the paper a new task for the SETI social sciences community is raised, namely to collect “Lasting Universal Terms”; i.e. terms the meaning of which did not change since millennia, are independent on geographic position and also on the terrestrial environment and biology. Such terms might be preferably used in interstellar communication. All these questions are related to the manner how we might think about ETI and SETI in new ways. The paper tries to summarize the problems connected with exact SETI terminology and its potential implications for the future. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper informs how elements of constructive type theory can be used effectively for clarifying textual messages meant for communication with ETI. Within the setting of a suitable environment consisting of declared terms, it is shown how logical contents of texts can be modelled and codified. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Contemporary narratology (narrative theory) offers a useful framework for interpreting interstellar messages that have already been sent to potential extraterrestrial recipients, as well as for designing messages that may be transmitted in the future. In this paper, narratological concepts are used to analyze in depth a single interstellar message sequence, elucidating methods by which various parts of speech (nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs) can be paired with pictures to describe the human body in motion. The concept of focalization is applied to the message sequence''s use of isolation and magnification, which highlight the structure and function of the human body and its constituent parts. The challenges of interpreting gaps within narratives, as well as the setting in which events occur, are considered. The importance of closure in providing a fitting end to narratives is examined, and the plausibility of creating images that could be interpreted correctly by extraterrestrial intelligence is assessed. Narratological concepts examined here, as well as additional aspects of narrative, provide important resources for future work in interpreting and designing interstellar messages. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Previous discussions of interstellar messages that could be sent to extraterrestrial intelligence have focused on descriptions of mathematics, science, and aspects of human culture and civilization. Although some of these depictions of humanity have implicitly referred to our aspirations, this has not clearly been separated from descriptions of our actions and attitudes as they are. In this paper, a methodology is developed for constructing interstellar messages that convey information about our aspirations by developing a taxonomy of maxims that provide guidance for living. Sixty-six maxims providing guidance for living were judged for degree of similarity to each of other. Quantitative measures of the degree of similarity between all pairs of maxims were derived by aggregating similarity judgments across individual participants. These composite similarity ratings were subjected to a cluster analysis, which yielded a taxonomy that highlights perceived interrelationships between individual maxims and that identifies major classes of maxims. Such maxims can be encoded in interstellar messages through three-dimensional animation sequences conveying narratives that highlight interactions between individuals. In addition, verbal descriptions of these interactions in Basic English can be combined with these pictorial sequences to increase intelligibility. Online projects to collect messages such as the SETI Institute''s Earth Speaks and La Tierra Habla, can be used to solicit maxims from participants around the world. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The present paper is a synthesis of three presentation given by myself at the Toulouse IAC 2001 (Analogy as a tool to communicate abstract concepts in SETI), the Bremen IAC 2003 (From maths to culture: towards an effective message), and the Vancouver IAC 2004 (Philosophical and religious implications of extraterrestrial intelligent life). Its aim is to find a way to make our cultural concepts understandable to hypothetical extraterrestrials (ETs) in a SETI communication. First of all, I expose the reasons why I think that analogy could be a good tool for this purpose. Then, I try to show that this is possible only in the context of an integrated language, using both abstract symbols and pictures, also sketching two practical examples about some basic concepts of our moral and religious tradition. Further studies are required to determine whether this method could be extended to the higher-level abstract concepts in the other fields of our culture. Finally, I discuss the possible role of mathematics, logic and natural science in the construction of an analogy-based language for interstellar messages with a cultural content and a possible way of managing this matter from a social point of view. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Altruism has previously been proposed as a topic for interstellar communication, because it begins to describe one important class of human and non-human behaviors, and because it can be modeled in mathematical and physical terms. Prior research has focused on altruism toward close relatives. The current paper explains how we could communicate basic principles of reciprocal altruism, in which one entity undergoes short-term self-sacrifice for the benefit of another, as well as for long-term self-interest. After providing an algorithmic description of the loss of mass involved in the evolution of stars—a phenomenon that should be familiar to extraterrestrial astronomers—an analogous process is described at a human scale, where the maintenance or loss of mass represents the maintenance or loss of health, and ultimately life. An adaptation of the Prisoner''s Dilemma game is communicated, showing limitations of both cooperation and defection as strategies for interacting with other agents. For the overall stability of a population, there are significant advantages for entities not always either cooperating or defecting in their responses; we end by modeling a more flexible strategy discussed by game theorists, known as Tit For Tat. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The aim of HuLCC (the human language chorus corpus), is to provide a resource of sufficient size to facilitate inter-language analysis by incorporating languages from all the major language families: for the first time all aspects of typology will be incorporated within a single corpus, adhering to a consistent grammatical classification and granularity, which historically adopt a plethora of disparate schemes. An added feature will be the inclusion of a common text element, which will be translated across all languages, to provide a precise comparable thread for detailed linguistic analysis for translation strategies and a mechanism by which these mappings can be explicitly achieved. Methods developed to solve unambiguous mappings across these languages can then be adopted for any subsequent message authored by the SETI community. Initially, it is planned to provide at least 20,000 words for each chosen language, as this amount of text exceeds the point where randomly generated text can be disambiguated from natural language and is of sufficient size useful for message transmission (Elliot, 2002). This paper details the design of this resource, which ultimately will be made available to SETI upon its completion, and discusses issues ‘core’ to any message construction. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Despite the fact that major efforts have been expended on passive searches for extraterrestrial signals, few deliberate “transmissions” to potential alien recipients have occurred. These have generally taken the form of simple graphics depicting such things as our appearance, location, and biological construction. In this paper, we consider (a) the fundamental technical and astronomical limitations to interstellar messaging—in other words, how many “bits” could any society reasonably send, and (b) what might be a likely transmission strategy. These considerations suggest approaches for SETI programs, as well as giving insight into the types of messages we might construct for eventual replies to received signals. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper, I am interested in exploring the potential of ritual performance as a means of communication with ETI. I argue that the study of ritual and ritualized behavior, understood as a technique for representation of meaning and meaningfulness about the world, has potential to inform how scientists think about the construction and interpretation of interstellar messages. I do not suggest that ritual activities themselves provide more than limited potential for communication with ETI. However, the structural elements of ritual and the manner in which meaning is conveyed through the formality and repetition of ritual is at least to some extent decipherable cross-culturally and provides one way to think about how to express important aspects of humans and their cultures to ETI and to represent, if not specific meanings themselves, the fact that a message is meaningful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]