Entrance

The Library of Babel is about the concept of "Universal Language"(UL) - a hypothetical language that connects people's minds.

Since the beginning of civilization, UL has had many names: the Adamic Language, Ishin-denshin, Telepathy, LOTH, Mentalese, Empathy, etc. As time changes and technology develops, the search for UL continues. One can argue that the search is merely based on idealism. However, the idea reflects an aspect of reality. It is the long-lasting wish to break through barriers between individuals, to truly understand each other, and perhaps form a collective intelligence.

This library collects interdisciplinary archives to trace the development of the UL concept throughout history. It is a narrative history aiming to offer a new perspective on some contemporary phenomena - i.e. World Wide Web, Multimedia Communication, Brain-Computer-Interfaces, Blockchain, and DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization).

In ways, many technologies are searching for UL (consciously or subconsciously) as new methods to connect people. UL, therefore, brings these technologies to a humanistic level. With the advancement of technology and the changes in our society, the next form of UL is for us to speculate based on the history that we construct here.