beingswithout

Beingswithout is a neologism used in speculative fiction, philosophy, and transhumanist discourse to describe entities that exist without conventional physical embodiment or standard forms of agency. The term is not tied to a single canon or discipline; its meaning is context dependent and often serves as a placeholder for discussing what constitutes a being in the absence of a body.

Origin and usage: It appears in online forums, experimental essays, and certain works of fiction where authors probe the boundaries between mind and matter. The phrase functions as a label for entities that are sentient but not corporeal, or for abstractions that operate as minds without localized form.

Interpretations and characteristics: Beingswithout may refer to disembodied or digital consciousnesses, such as AI or uploaded minds, that interact with the world without a biological substrate. They can also denote non-physical or ethereal entities in fantasy or myth, or philosophical subjects whose identity is decoupled from a body. In narrative contexts, they explore themes of perception, communication, and the limits of embodiment.

Etymology: Derived from the combination of "beings" and "without," forming a compound neologism with no fixed etymology beyond its literal components.

See also: Non-corporeal beings, digital consciousness, artificial intelligence, posthumanism, embodiment in philosophy.

References: There are no widely recognized scholarly sources establishing a canonical definition; the term’s usage remains limited and informal. Writers using it should provide context within their work.