Geslin, E. (2026). Incorporating an exopsychological biocentric contact-willingness factor into the Drake Equation

The Drake Equation provides a quantitative framework for estimating the number of detectable extraterrestrial civilizations in the Milky Way by combining astrophysical, biological, and technological parameters. It operationalizes, in probabilistic terms, the qualitative challenge posed by the Fermi Paradox: the tension between the apparent plausibility of extraterrestrial intelligence and the persistent absence of evidence. However, existing formulations, burdened by anthropocentric biases, do not explicitly account for the ethical preferences or strategic choices of advanced civilizations regarding whether to initiate contact with anthropocentric and potentially aggressive societies such as ours. If Homo sapiens is not the normative manifestation of life in the universe but merely one possible outcome, an exopsychological and non-anthropocentric analytical approach becomes necessary, introducing a biocentric factor into the Drake Equation.

This article therefore proposes a “willingness-to-contact” factor as an additional parameter, distinguishing between the capacity to communicate and the intention to communicate. We formalize this factor, grounding it in existing hypotheses (e.g., non-interference and zoo models) as well as in biocentric perspectives from modern philosophy, and illustrate its implications through pessimistic, neutral, and optimistic scenarios. Integrating this parameter refines probability estimates for contact and offers a coherent path to reconcile non-zero anthropocentric expectations of communicative civilizations with the observed “Great Silence,” potentially addressing certain aspects of the Fermi Paradox while outlining directions for both empirical and theoretical development.

Although the article “Incorporating an Exopsychological Biocentric Contact-Willingness Factor into the Drake Equation” may appear to focus on refining SETI search strategies and addressing the Fermi paradox, reducing it to this objective alone would be misleading.

Rather, the framework is intended to invite critical reflection on the anthropocentric assumptions underlying human technological civilization and its ecological maturity. If intelligent extraterrestrial life exists, it is conceivable that a strongly anthropocentric species may not represent an ideal candidate for meaningful interspecies communication.

Conversely, if intelligent extraterrestrial life does not exist, this would suggest that life may be extraordinarily rare and perhaps confined to Earth. In such a scenario, even the smallest forms of terrestrial life should be regarded as remarkable outcomes of evolution and treated with profound respect, as living systems possess an intrinsic value beyond human judgment. 

Pais, F. (2025). Friction matters: Exploring friction in non-anthropocentric gameplay. Journal of Digital Media & Interaction, 8(20), 159–176.

This article examines the role of friction as a critical principle in interactive media design, particularly within the emerging field of non-anthropocentric game studies. Departing from dominant paradigms of smoothness, efficiency, and user-centric flow, it argues that friction, when deliberately and thoughtfully applied, can operate as a mechanism for decentering human agency and foregrounding more-than-human perspectives, temporalities, and ontologies. Building on insights from user experience theory, game design, and posthumanist design scholarship, this article identifies thirteen friction dimensions that support non-anthropocentric approaches to game design. These include, among others, sensory mismatch, real-time pacing, collective agency, and refusal of interaction.

The article begins by defining and contextualizing the concept of friction, initially examining its role in user experience design before analyzing its function within games and lastly focusing on its application in the context of non-anthropocentric game design.

Pais, F. (2025). Arte e design críticos num mundo em estado crítico: Reflexões para um projeto composicionista. In L. Ribas & M. Carvalhais (Orgs.), Arte, digital, academia, museu (Zer0 Vol. 2, pp. 135–152). Museu Zer0 / Ágora Interuniversitária Museu Zer0.

In a world marked by political instability, ecological collapse, and digital opacity, this essay reexamines the role of critical art and design. Drawing from research on interactive art and the exhibitions From Bits to Paper and Playmode, Filipe Pais reflects on the limits of critique as a transformative practice in times of “polycrisis.” While critical approaches have exposed hidden technological and political systems, they may no longer be sufficient. Inspired by Bruno Latour’s Compositionist Manifesto, the essay proposes a shift toward collaborative, care-driven, and world-building practices connecting more-than-human approaches to design and play.

Geslin, E. (2025) - Imagining Ecocentric Futures Through Media: Biocentric Evaluation Questionnaire for Degrowth and Non-Anthropocentric Societies

Media profoundly influence collective imaginaries and values, often reinforcing anthropocentric worldviews through recurring themes of urbanization, dystopia, and planetary colonization. Such narratives risk perpetuating exploitative attitudes toward nature by extending them beyond Earth. This study presents the Non-Anthropocentric Media Evaluation Questionnaire (NAMEQ), a tool for assessing how well media align with ecocentric principles. Applied to 138 popular films and video games, the analysis reveals a strong dominance of human-centered narratives. Although some works integrate ecocentric ideas, they remain fragmented and inconsistent. The study calls for a cultural shift toward media that recognize the intrinsic value of non-human life and promote truly biocentric perspectives.

Pais and Geslin (2024) - Manifesto for a Non-Anthropocentric Game Design.

The original text is in Portuguese.
This article presents a manifesto proposing a shift in game design through a non-anthropocentric approach that emphasizes the integration of non-human entities into sustainable design practices. The manifesto is connected to the philosophies and activities of the Center for Non-Anthropocentric Play, a newly established research laboratory in Norway. It is structured around ten guiding principles, drawing on insights from philosophy, sociology, ecology, media studies, interactive design, and game design. Ultimately, the manifesto seeks to foster new non-anthropocentric social imaginaries, aiming to transform the perspectives of both designers and players.

Pais, F. (2024) Exploring more-than-human worlds and becoming with living and non-living entities through play, in Gray, C., Ciliotta Chehade, E., Hekkert, P., Forlano, L., Ciuccarelli, P., Lloyd, P. (eds.), DRS2024: Boston, 23–28 June, Boston, USA.

In recent years, we have observed the emergence of a variety of video games that allow their players to temporarily exist entangled in more-than-human worlds, becoming with other species and things. Informed and inspired by posthuman philosophies, this article examines three video games: Everything (2017), Stray (2022), and Endling - Extinction is Forever (2022). This analysis focuses on three key questions: 1) How are these games enabling players to become with non-human characters representing real-life organisms? 2) What kinds of knowledge do players gain about these worlds? 3) How to define a more-than-human playful experience? The article concludes by introducing an initial draft of guidelines intended to facilitate the development of more-than-human games.