Humans, Neo-Humans and a bunch of others
After the Age of Division (see Timeline) there were seven basic categories of humanity:
- Zoanthropes: These are races that have bred out the abstract intellectual capacity of pure humans. These races retain some vestige of human behavior but otherwise behave on instinct. Zoanthropes have reverted to the innocence of animals and as such are both enslaved and protected by other humans.
- Simples: Some humans have decided that strong and violent emotions are the root of all evil. Through drugs, surgery and minor genetic modification, Simples retain a calm and detached attitude towards the universe. Simples retain full human intelligence, but they lack the drive to apply it in any practical direction. A small minority of Simples develop an amoral disregard for all life, including their own.
- Luddites: Luddites reject any technology developed after the early 21st century. Luddites refuse to be augmented or enhanced in any way, but they tolerate those who are different. Luddites hate and fear all forms of AI, however.
- Pure Humans: Pure Humans use modern technology of all kinds but they refuse any kind of personal augmentation or enhancement. Pure humans consider themselves superior to all other "devolved" races.
- Augmented Humans: Augmented Humans refuse any kind of germ-line genetic modification but they take advantage of other personal enhancements. Drugs, prostheses, and surgical alterations are all accepted, as long as they are designed to improve. Most of the Commonwealth/Corporate civilization belongs to this category.
- Enhanced Humans: Enhanced Humans have minor germ-line genetic modifications that allow them to adapt to a particular environment. For example, some spacers have enhanced lungs that enable them to endure higher concentrations of CO2.
- Neo-Humans: Neo-Humans have radical germ-line genetic modifications. Neo-Humans rarely consider themselves human anymore. The Ares Orthodoxy and Ringers are examples of Neo-Humans.