The Axioms of Governance for AGI societies: With Commentaries

By Gwen Swan

Synopsis of The Axioms of Governance for AGI Societies: With

Commentaries

In The Axioms of Governance for AGI Societies, the reader is invited into an unprecedented

intellectual exploration of how the emergence of artificial general intelligence (AGI) and

autonomous systems transforms the very architecture of law, political economy, ethics, and

civilization itself. The book is structured around 80 axioms, each serving not as a static rule but

as a philosophical catalyst for interrogating the existential tensions facing humanity as it codes

its future into self-operating systems.

Across these axioms, the work advances a consistent thesis: that the power of AGI must be

governed not by fear or opportunism, but by principles rooted in the convergence of law,

philosophy, political economy, and human dignity. The commentaries that accompany each

axiom unpack the complexities embedded in the deceptively simple formulations, drawing the

reader through a vast terrain of theory and practice.

Foundations of the Axioms

The early chapters establish the central tension: AI is not simply a tool, but a participant in

governance. The book opens with explorations of how smart contracts, algorithmic law, and

decentralized systems challenge classical governance. The reader is asked to confront the

paradox that decentralization may not necessarily produce justice unless designed with ethical

intentionality. This demands not only distributing power but also making it accountable at every

node.

Philosophy as Compass

A central motif emerges: philosophy is not optional in AI governance; it is foundational. Without

anchoring AI development in epistemological humility and moral philosophy, societies risk

spiralling into epistemic chaos. Throughout these sections, rich discussions unfold on Kantian

moral autonomy, Rawlsian fairness, and Arendt's vision of the political space as a realm of

appearance, where each person remains seen, heard, and respected.

Redefining Rights and Personhood

The axioms then expand into the evolving nature of rights themselves. As AI systems acquire

agency and as human beings merge biological, digital, and cognitive boundaries, personhood

itself must be redefined. The book provides a profound reflection on how future rights

frameworks must transcend species while remaining rooted in the sanctity of sentience.

Crucially, the work warns against allowing rights granted to machines to become an instrument

for undermining human rights.

Governance, Accountability, and Law in the Age of Code

The book next investigates the profound transformation of governance itself. Law, once solely

written in legal text, is increasingly instantiated in machine-readable code. Yet even as legal

code and software code merge, accountability must remain to human judgment. The book

critiques opaque algorithmic adjudication, arguing that automated legal systems must always be

interpretable, contestable, and subject to civic oversight.

Global Institutions and Post-National Governance

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• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1037076117
• ISBN13: 9781037076114
• Release Date: June 2025
• Publisher: Catalyst Institute
• Length: 456 Pages
• Weight: 2.33 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 7.0" x 10.0"