futuresuch

Futuresuch is a term used in discussions of futurism, design fiction, and scenario planning to describe a future state or artifact that retains recognizable features from the present. The concept emphasizes continuity amid change, asking how future technologies, institutions, or environments would resemble or diverge from current ones when considered in terms of form, function, or social meaning.

Etymology and scope: Futuresuch is a neologism formed from "future" and "such," intended to signal "the suchness of the future" or an instance of a future thing of that kind. It is not universally standardized and appears mainly in exploratory writing and planning contexts rather than in formal theory.

Concept and usage: As a heuristic, futuresuch helps anchor imagined futures to known reference points, aiding communication among designers, policymakers, and the public. It supports the construction of scenarios that are plausible enough to evaluate constraints, trade-offs, and ethical implications.

Applications and examples: In design fiction, a futuresuch device might resemble a present smartphone but operates under ubiquitous citizen data stewardship. In urban planning, a future transit hub could mirror today’s stations yet integrate autonomous routing and adaptive materials. In education, classrooms may be similar in layout but augmented by immersive AI tutors.

Criticisms and limitations: Critics warn that overreliance on futuresuch may dampen radical imagination or obscure non-linear or unexpected futures. As a loose heuristic, it requires careful specification of which features are retained and which are transformed.

It is related to futures studies, scenario planning, design fiction, and counterfactual analysis.