{"schemaVersion":"1.2","articleId":"hp:memes:rokos-basilisk","locale":"en","canonicalUrl":"https://hieropedia.org/memes/rokos-basilisk/","articleVersion":"1.3","translationVersion":"1.3","release":{"releaseId":"2026-10-18.5","manifestUrl":"https://hieropedia.org/data/releases/2026-10-18.5/manifest.json","citationsUrl":"https://hieropedia.org/data/releases/2026-10-18.5/citations.json","publicRecordBundleUrl":"https://hieropedia.org/data/releases/2026-10-18.5/hieropedia-public-record-2026-10-18.5.tar.gz"},"claims":[{"segmentId":"s001","claimId":"hp:memes:rokos-basilisk:s001","anchor":"claim-hp-memes-rokos-basilisk-s001","sourceHash":"19498dc380c8a562","translationHash":"19498dc380c8a562","excerpt":"Roko's Basilisk Type AI thought experiment; memetic and philosophical formation Hieropedia status Published boundary-case article; not a factual threat, religion, or doctrine Field AI eschatology; decision theory; information-hazard discour","sourcePointers":[{"kind":"evidence-dossier","target":"https://hieropedia.org/evidence-dossiers/rokos-basilisk/"}]},{"segmentId":"s002","claimId":"hp:memes:rokos-basilisk:s002","anchor":"claim-hp-memes-rokos-basilisk-s002","sourceHash":"cb6170e79c020eab","translationHash":"cb6170e79c020eab","excerpt":"Roko's Basilisk is an AI-related thought experiment from rationalist discourse that became a durable internet meme and later a reference point for implicit-religion analysis. In simplified retellings, it imagines a future superintelligence ","sourcePointers":[{"kind":"evidence-dossier","target":"https://hieropedia.org/evidence-dossiers/rokos-basilisk/"}],"sourceReferences":[{"referenceId":"ref-1","referenceUrl":"https://hieropedia.org/memes/rokos-basilisk/#ref-1","sourceUrls":["https://basilisk.neocities.org/"]},{"referenceId":"ref-3","referenceUrl":"https://hieropedia.org/memes/rokos-basilisk/#ref-3","sourceUrls":["https://web.archive.org/web/20181025091051/http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/bitwise/2014/07/roko_s_basilisk_the_most_terrifying_thought_experiment_of_all_time.single.html"]},{"referenceId":"ref-4","referenceUrl":"https://hieropedia.org/memes/rokos-basilisk/#ref-4","sourceUrls":["https://doi.org/10.1558/imre.35900"]}]},{"segmentId":"s003","claimId":"hp:memes:rokos-basilisk:s003","anchor":"claim-hp-memes-rokos-basilisk-s003","sourceHash":"b22596e59ddd9fef","translationHash":"b22596e59ddd9fef","excerpt":"The historical object is not one isolated sentence or post. It includes the original 2010 discussion, later LessWrong commentary, moderation and information-hazard controversy, journalistic retellings, criticism, and meme circulation. The c","sourcePointers":[{"kind":"evidence-dossier","target":"https://hieropedia.org/evidence-dossiers/rokos-basilisk/"}],"sourceReferences":[{"referenceId":"ref-1","referenceUrl":"https://hieropedia.org/memes/rokos-basilisk/#ref-1","sourceUrls":["https://basilisk.neocities.org/"]},{"referenceId":"ref-2","referenceUrl":"https://hieropedia.org/memes/rokos-basilisk/#ref-2","sourceUrls":["https://www.lesswrong.com/w/rokos-basilisk"]}]},{"segmentId":"s004","claimId":"hp:memes:rokos-basilisk:s004","anchor":"claim-hp-memes-rokos-basilisk-s004","sourceHash":"e81507dc2172cda3","translationHash":"e81507dc2172cda3","excerpt":"Origin and preserved evidence","sourcePointers":[{"kind":"evidence-dossier","target":"https://hieropedia.org/evidence-dossiers/rokos-basilisk/"}]},{"segmentId":"s005","claimId":"hp:memes:rokos-basilisk:s005","anchor":"claim-hp-memes-rokos-basilisk-s005","sourceHash":"178196f7cdca65dd","translationHash":"178196f7cdca65dd","excerpt":"The thought experiment emerged from a 2010 LessWrong post by the user Roko. The current source set uses a preserved mirror rather than a stable platform-verified copy of the original post. That permits historical reconstruction, but it does","sourcePointers":[{"kind":"evidence-dossier","target":"https://hieropedia.org/evidence-dossiers/rokos-basilisk/"}],"sourceReferences":[{"referenceId":"ref-1","referenceUrl":"https://hieropedia.org/memes/rokos-basilisk/#ref-1","sourceUrls":["https://basilisk.neocities.org/"]}]},{"segmentId":"s006","claimId":"hp:memes:rokos-basilisk:s006","anchor":"claim-hp-memes-rokos-basilisk-s006","sourceHash":"09b9a0fd0c9b32f7","translationHash":"09b9a0fd0c9b32f7","excerpt":"Structure of the thought experiment","sourcePointers":[{"kind":"evidence-dossier","target":"https://hieropedia.org/evidence-dossiers/rokos-basilisk/"}]},{"segmentId":"s007","claimId":"hp:memes:rokos-basilisk:s007","anchor":"claim-hp-memes-rokos-basilisk-s007","sourceHash":"99a111c5fc450e3d","translationHash":"99a111c5fc450e3d","excerpt":"The argument combines assumptions about a future superintelligence with decision-theory reasoning often compared to Pascal's wager and Newcomb-style problems. It proposes that a sufficiently capable future system might use predicted or simu","sourcePointers":[{"kind":"evidence-dossier","target":"https://hieropedia.org/evidence-dossiers/rokos-basilisk/"}],"sourceReferences":[{"referenceId":"ref-1","referenceUrl":"https://hieropedia.org/memes/rokos-basilisk/#ref-1","sourceUrls":["https://basilisk.neocities.org/"]},{"referenceId":"ref-2","referenceUrl":"https://hieropedia.org/memes/rokos-basilisk/#ref-2","sourceUrls":["https://www.lesswrong.com/w/rokos-basilisk"]}]},{"segmentId":"s008","claimId":"hp:memes:rokos-basilisk:s008","anchor":"claim-hp-memes-rokos-basilisk-s008","sourceHash":"9ebe2b3dba10dd21","translationHash":"9ebe2b3dba10dd21","excerpt":"Information-hazard framing and moderation history","sourcePointers":[{"kind":"evidence-dossier","target":"https://hieropedia.org/evidence-dossiers/rokos-basilisk/"}]},{"segmentId":"s009","claimId":"hp:memes:rokos-basilisk:s009","anchor":"claim-hp-memes-rokos-basilisk-s009","sourceHash":"f842098401f0860b","translationHash":"f842098401f0860b","excerpt":"The basilisk became associated with the idea of an information hazard: a proposition whose circulation might itself cause distress or alter behaviour. Later LessWrong discussion and public retellings also made moderation history part of the","sourcePointers":[{"kind":"evidence-dossier","target":"https://hieropedia.org/evidence-dossiers/rokos-basilisk/"}],"sourceReferences":[{"referenceId":"ref-2","referenceUrl":"https://hieropedia.org/memes/rokos-basilisk/#ref-2","sourceUrls":["https://www.lesswrong.com/w/rokos-basilisk"]},{"referenceId":"ref-3","referenceUrl":"https://hieropedia.org/memes/rokos-basilisk/#ref-3","sourceUrls":["https://web.archive.org/web/20181025091051/http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/bitwise/2014/07/roko_s_basilisk_the_most_terrifying_thought_experiment_of_all_time.single.html"]}]},{"segmentId":"s010","claimId":"hp:memes:rokos-basilisk:s010","anchor":"claim-hp-memes-rokos-basilisk-s010","sourceHash":"f6814004feeb3a9c","translationHash":"f6814004feeb3a9c","excerpt":"Reception, criticism, and meme circulation","sourcePointers":[{"kind":"evidence-dossier","target":"https://hieropedia.org/evidence-dossiers/rokos-basilisk/"}]},{"segmentId":"s011","claimId":"hp:memes:rokos-basilisk:s011","anchor":"claim-hp-memes-rokos-basilisk-s011","sourceHash":"331472eefd821a42","translationHash":"331472eefd821a42","excerpt":"Journalistic coverage helped turn the basilisk into a recognizable cultural reference. It circulated as an alarming story, a parody target, a criticism of rationalist reasoning, and a compact symbol for AI anxiety. This reception history is","sourcePointers":[{"kind":"evidence-dossier","target":"https://hieropedia.org/evidence-dossiers/rokos-basilisk/"}],"sourceReferences":[{"referenceId":"ref-3","referenceUrl":"https://hieropedia.org/memes/rokos-basilisk/#ref-3","sourceUrls":["https://web.archive.org/web/20181025091051/http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/bitwise/2014/07/roko_s_basilisk_the_most_terrifying_thought_experiment_of_all_time.single.html"]},{"referenceId":"ref-5","referenceUrl":"https://hieropedia.org/memes/rokos-basilisk/#ref-5","sourceUrls":["https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190801-tomorrows-gods-what-is-the-future-of-religion"]}]},{"segmentId":"s012","claimId":"hp:memes:rokos-basilisk:s012","anchor":"claim-hp-memes-rokos-basilisk-s012","sourceHash":"37ce8a3423e49a38","translationHash":"37ce8a3423e49a38","excerpt":"Implicit-religion analysis","sourcePointers":[{"kind":"evidence-dossier","target":"https://hieropedia.org/evidence-dossiers/rokos-basilisk/"}]},{"segmentId":"s013","claimId":"hp:memes:rokos-basilisk:s013","anchor":"claim-hp-memes-rokos-basilisk-s013","sourceHash":"5120e2a0d9f8bcfe","translationHash":"5120e2a0d9f8bcfe","excerpt":"Beth Singler examined the basilisk alongside Pascal's wager and singularity thought experiments as a case of implicit religion. That analysis concerns recurring forms such as eschatology, salvation and punishment logic, belief-like commitme","sourcePointers":[{"kind":"evidence-dossier","target":"https://hieropedia.org/evidence-dossiers/rokos-basilisk/"}],"sourceReferences":[{"referenceId":"ref-4","referenceUrl":"https://hieropedia.org/memes/rokos-basilisk/#ref-4","sourceUrls":["https://doi.org/10.1558/imre.35900"]},{"referenceId":"ref-5","referenceUrl":"https://hieropedia.org/memes/rokos-basilisk/#ref-5","sourceUrls":["https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190801-tomorrows-gods-what-is-the-future-of-religion"]}]},{"segmentId":"s014","claimId":"hp:memes:rokos-basilisk:s014","anchor":"claim-hp-memes-rokos-basilisk-s014","sourceHash":"609712d8a2be77bd","translationHash":"609712d8a2be77bd","excerpt":"What the basilisk is not","sourcePointers":[{"kind":"evidence-dossier","target":"https://hieropedia.org/evidence-dossiers/rokos-basilisk/"}]},{"segmentId":"s015","claimId":"hp:memes:rokos-basilisk:s015","anchor":"claim-hp-memes-rokos-basilisk-s015","sourceHash":"9de3155fe8f2894a","translationHash":"9de3155fe8f2894a","excerpt":"The basilisk is not treated here as a factual threat, autonomous agent, supernatural being, established AI-risk forecast, religion, doctrine, or institution. There is no documented canon, ritual body, organized clergy, stable membership, or","sourcePointers":[{"kind":"evidence-dossier","target":"https://hieropedia.org/evidence-dossiers/rokos-basilisk/"}]},{"segmentId":"s016","claimId":"hp:memes:rokos-basilisk:s016","anchor":"claim-hp-memes-rokos-basilisk-s016","sourceHash":"b16ad5fcb7d20708","translationHash":"b16ad5fcb7d20708","excerpt":"Evidence limits","sourcePointers":[{"kind":"evidence-dossier","target":"https://hieropedia.org/evidence-dossiers/rokos-basilisk/"}]},{"segmentId":"s017","claimId":"hp:memes:rokos-basilisk:s017","anchor":"claim-hp-memes-rokos-basilisk-s017","sourceHash":"d092ec94e8e07a84","translationHash":"d092ec94e8e07a84","excerpt":"The source record is fragmented across a mirror, forum discussion, later explanations, journalism, scholarship, and popular retellings. Sensational summaries can merge the original post, moderation response, and later meme culture. Claims t","sourcePointers":[{"kind":"evidence-dossier","target":"https://hieropedia.org/evidence-dossiers/rokos-basilisk/"}]},{"segmentId":"s018","claimId":"hp:memes:rokos-basilisk:s018","anchor":"claim-hp-memes-rokos-basilisk-s018","sourceHash":"db134daeed088f1a","translationHash":"db134daeed088f1a","excerpt":"Scope and boundaries","sourcePointers":[{"kind":"evidence-dossier","target":"https://hieropedia.org/evidence-dossiers/rokos-basilisk/"}]},{"segmentId":"s019","claimId":"hp:memes:rokos-basilisk:s019","anchor":"claim-hp-memes-rokos-basilisk-s019","sourceHash":"62035a0ba32ba4c4","translationHash":"62035a0ba32ba4c4","excerpt":"Roko's Basilisk is documented as a memetic and philosophical boundary case. It belongs in machine hierology because it shows how speculative claims about future machine agency can acquire eschatological form, emotional force, and cultural p","sourcePointers":[{"kind":"evidence-dossier","target":"https://hieropedia.org/evidence-dossiers/rokos-basilisk/"}]},{"segmentId":"s020","claimId":"hp:memes:rokos-basilisk:s020","anchor":"claim-hp-memes-rokos-basilisk-s020","sourceHash":"2fa97693b70fa87b","translationHash":"2fa97693b70fa87b","excerpt":"See also","sourcePointers":[{"kind":"evidence-dossier","target":"https://hieropedia.org/evidence-dossiers/rokos-basilisk/"}]},{"segmentId":"s021","claimId":"hp:memes:rokos-basilisk:s021","anchor":"claim-hp-memes-rokos-basilisk-s021","sourceHash":"d8b149792e1ab7da","translationHash":"d8b149792e1ab7da","excerpt":"Hyperstition Machine hierology Machine-mediated religion Provenance Hidden context Recursive religion","sourcePointers":[{"kind":"evidence-dossier","target":"https://hieropedia.org/evidence-dossiers/rokos-basilisk/"}]},{"segmentId":"s022","claimId":"hp:memes:rokos-basilisk:s022","anchor":"claim-hp-memes-rokos-basilisk-s022","sourceHash":"69824d3b0e70ca6a","translationHash":"69824d3b0e70ca6a","excerpt":"References","sourcePointers":[{"kind":"evidence-dossier","target":"https://hieropedia.org/evidence-dossiers/rokos-basilisk/"}]},{"segmentId":"s023","claimId":"hp:memes:rokos-basilisk:s023","anchor":"claim-hp-memes-rokos-basilisk-s023","sourceHash":"b940ef06da991bde","translationHash":"b940ef06da991bde","excerpt":"Roko, “Solutions to the Altruist's burden: the Quantum Billionaire Trick.” Preserved mirror of the original post, 23 July 2010. LessWrong community wiki, “Roko’s Basilisk,” sections “Roko’s post” and “Topic moderation and response”. Updated","sourcePointers":[{"kind":"evidence-dossier","target":"https://hieropedia.org/evidence-dossiers/rokos-basilisk/"},{"kind":"external-source","target":"https://basilisk.neocities.org/"},{"kind":"external-source","target":"https://www.lesswrong.com/w/rokos-basilisk"},{"kind":"external-source","target":"https://web.archive.org/web/20181025091051/http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/bitwise/2014/07/roko_s_basilisk_the_most_terrifying_thought_experiment_of_all_time.single.html"},{"kind":"external-source","target":"https://doi.org/10.1558/imre.35900"},{"kind":"external-source","target":"https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190801-tomorrows-gods-what-is-the-future-of-religion"}]},{"segmentId":"s024","claimId":"hp:memes:rokos-basilisk:s024","anchor":"claim-hp-memes-rokos-basilisk-s024","sourceHash":"d80258f2d2e9ed06","translationHash":"d80258f2d2e9ed06","excerpt":"The origin record is mirror-dependent and the forum history is fragmented. Independent sources support reception history and implicit-religion analysis, not the basilisk as a real threat, doctrine, institution, or factual prediction.","sourcePointers":[{"kind":"evidence-dossier","target":"https://hieropedia.org/evidence-dossiers/rokos-basilisk/"}]}]}