Nonaugmented

Nonaugmented is an adjective used to describe a person, system, or process that has not been enhanced through technological, biological, or cognitive augmentation. It typically functions as a baseline or control state in comparisons with augmented counterparts.

In discussions of human enhancement and transhumanism, nonaugmented humans are treated as the reference group for evaluating risks, benefits, and ethical implications of proposed augmentations such as implants, drugs, genetic modifications, or cognitive software. In medical ethics, the term can refer to patients who have not received augmentation therapies, framing debates about fair access, safety, and potential social divides.

In technology and information systems, nonaugmented can describe a system operating without supplementary AI, sensors, or adaptive modules, contrasting with augmented or autonomous versions. The term also appears in cultural and literary contexts, where nonaugmented communities are depicted to explore questions of identity, dependence on technology, and societal inequality.

The usage of nonaugmented is informal and context-dependent, with varying implications across disciplines. It is not a universally standardized term, and some fields prefer alternatives such as unaugmented or natural to convey similar ideas.

See also: augmentation, human enhancement, transhumanism, natural baseline, unaugmented.