universeor

Universeor is a term used in speculative philosophy and science fiction to denote a hypothetical agent, mechanism, or abstraction that selects among alternative universes within a multiverse framework. The term is not widely standardized and is often used informally to discuss how different outcomes might be realized in branching cosmologies.

Etymology: The word blends "universe" with the agent noun suffix "-or," suggesting "one who chooses between universes" or simply a device for choosing a universe. Some writers treat it as a linguistic shorthand for a choice posed as "universe or."

Philosophical use: In discussions of modal realism, decision theory across possible worlds, or branching time, a universeor functions as a theoretical construct to examine indexical reference and identity across splits. It enables analysis of how agents might locate themselves within a chosen future world.

In fiction: Many science fiction works employ a universeor-like device—a machine, beacon, or deity—that determines which universe comes into being after a decision point, chance, or algorithmic selection.

Variations: The concept is typically treated as abstract or metaphorical, with debates about whether such an agent could exist, how it would operate, and what it would imply about contingency and moral responsibility.