agrandissent

Agrandissent is a term used in a small body of speculative design and philosophy of technology discourse to denote the hypothetical process or effect of enlarging human perceptual or cognitive capacity through technological means. It is not a standard taxonomic entry in linguistics or cognitive science, and its precise definition varies across authors.

Etymology and form characteristically note that the word is derived from the French verb agrandir (to enlarge) and is fashioned to evoke a process or action. There is no universally accepted etymology or fixed spelling in mainstream sources, and the term tends to appear only in niche writings and design fictions.

Concept and scope in practice center on design objectives or social phenomena that aim to extend perception, comprehension, or decision-making. Proponents discuss agrandissent as a goal for interfaces, analytics, or AI assistants that compress time, reveal patterns, or broaden access to complex information. It can refer to both individual experiences—such as augmented dashboards or immersive analytics—and collective workflows that amplify group awareness or shared understanding.

Applications and examples are typically speculative or conceptual, often appearing in talks about immersive data, real-time sensing, or cognitive augmentation. Critics raise concerns about cognitive overload, privacy and surveillance, or the potential for manipulation when perception is systematically expanded.

See also: augmentation, enlargement, cognitive enhancement, human-computer interaction, design ethics. Notes: as a neologism, agrandissent remains limited in usage and is not part of formal terminology; readers should treat it as a concept in ongoing debate rather than a settled category.