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faction:freespacers:polysentience [2017/10/15 07:45] – [OOC Notes] wesfaction:freespacers:polysentience [2019/11/02 06:25] – Get rid of unnecessary bolding wes
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 =====As a Network===== =====As a Network=====
-|"Once a society evolves far enough, both outwards and inwards, and reaches a critical amount of internal connectivity, as every single citizen realizes his place in the great scheme of things, the population will not be satisfied by anything less that the most direct form of democracy.\\ In a way, it is symbolic, that the most advanced form of government possible is identical to the most simple, the ad-hoc agreement between a number of equals that can only be found in primitive families, tribes, and a few, small city-states."\\ \\ **-- The Art of Never Again, Chapter 233: Sociology and Evolution**|+|"Once a society evolves far enough, both outwards and inwards, and reaches a critical amount of internal connectivity, as every single citizen realizes his place in the great scheme of things, the population will not be satisfied by anything less that the most direct form of democracy. In a way, it is symbolic, that the most advanced form of government possible is identical to the most simple, the ad-hoc agreement between a number of equals that can only be found in primitive families, tribes, and a few, small city-states."  -- The Art of Never Again, Chapter 233: Sociology and Evolution|
  
 The canonical answer to the question "What is Polysentience?" would be to point at the continuous exchange of information between Freespacers, Automata, S.I. Ships and Fleets all over the Free State, creating what is effectively an uniformed, peer-to-peer network. The canonical answer to the question "What is Polysentience?" would be to point at the continuous exchange of information between Freespacers, Automata, S.I. Ships and Fleets all over the Free State, creating what is effectively an uniformed, peer-to-peer network.
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 ====Communications==== ====Communications====
-|"Language allows us to convey information, to transfer ideas, to communicate. But there is more to this.\\ If I call something by saying its name out loud, I can create an idea, an image in your mind. The thing I named springs into existence out of nowhere into your brain, summoned by the power of its name. Language is the power of creation: the power of God himself. This is why the first thing we do with anything and anyone is to either discover its name, or to give it one: because language is power, and names are the stuff of existence.\\ But language is also a weapon. It is the hammer that shatters down the wall of loneliness, the wall of the self. And it is the flame that spreads ideas of freedom and revolution. The flame of knowledge, of discovery, of self-determination. Of justice. Language is the one weapon that tyrants fear the most.\\ And, therefore, language is the free man's weapon."\\ \\ **-- The Art of Never Again, Chapter 013: On Tyranny and Revolution**| +|"Language allows us to convey information, to transfer ideas, to communicate. But there is more to this. If I call something by saying its name out loud, I can create an idea, an image in your mind. The thing I named springs into existence out of nowhere into your brain, summoned by the power of its name. Language is the power of creation: the power of God himself. This is why the first thing we do with anything and anyone is to either discover its name, or to give it one: because language is power, and names are the stuff of existence. But language is also a weapon. It is the hammer that shatters down the wall of loneliness, the wall of the self. And it is the flame that spreads ideas of freedom and revolution. The flame of knowledge, of discovery, of self-determination. Of justice. Language is the one weapon that tyrants fear the most. And, therefore, language is the free man's weapon."  -- The Art of Never Again, Chapter 013: On Tyranny and Revolution| 
-Polysentience can be used to transfer any type of message or media (text, audio, video, sensations, memory record, etc) between any two terminals, be they Freespacers, Automata, SI, Savants, or non-sapient systems.\\+Polysentience can be used to transfer any type of message or media (text, audio, video, sensations, memory record, etc) between any two terminals, be they Freespacers, Automata, SI, Savants, or non-sapient systems.
 Those two "terminals", if sapient individuals, might well have a conversation with one another while being at several light-years of distance. Those two "terminals", if sapient individuals, might well have a conversation with one another while being at several light-years of distance.
  
 Freespacer neural implants allow for efficient multitasking, allowing, for example, a single Freespacer to have multiple conversations via Polysentience all while working or anyway being active in the material world (as long as it's not an extremely complex operation). Freespacer neural implants allow for efficient multitasking, allowing, for example, a single Freespacer to have multiple conversations via Polysentience all while working or anyway being active in the material world (as long as it's not an extremely complex operation).
  
-Most implants allow for STL communications over most useful areas of the electromagnetic spectrum, and some of the more recent have a small FTL capability (often Subspace), limited to between 1 and 3 light years.\\+Most implants allow for STL communications over most useful areas of the electromagnetic spectrum, and some of the more recent have a small FTL capability (often Subspace), limited to between 1 and 3 light years.
 Plus, every Freespacer can connect via cable. Communications are limited to the ship or the local network, but have the advantage that cannot be jammed, nor hacked into without having physical access to the system. This is intended as an emergency measure. Plus, every Freespacer can connect via cable. Communications are limited to the ship or the local network, but have the advantage that cannot be jammed, nor hacked into without having physical access to the system. This is intended as an emergency measure.
  
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 ====Collective Memory==== ====Collective Memory====
-|"Experience is the best teacher. And History is the notes that your friends hand you when you arrive late at the lesson."\\ \\ **-- The Art of Never Again, Chapter 012: We Must Never Forget**|+|"Experience is the best teacher. And History is the notes that your friends hand you when you arrive late at the lesson."  -- The Art of Never Again, Chapter 012: We Must Never Forget|
 Polysentience allows every single Freespacer to access data archived in the Free State's collective memory. A Freespacer can reach any particular piece of information across Polysentience, wherever it might be archived. Polysentience allows every single Freespacer to access data archived in the Free State's collective memory. A Freespacer can reach any particular piece of information across Polysentience, wherever it might be archived.
  
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 This "uploading" process is part automatic, part reflexive, and it's not entirely unlike the relationship between short-term memory and long-term memory in the human brain. This "uploading" process is part automatic, part reflexive, and it's not entirely unlike the relationship between short-term memory and long-term memory in the human brain.
  
-It is important to remind however that Polysentience shares information, not experiences. Experiences are, in fact, only transferred by a complete reincarnation procedure. \\+It is important to remind however that Polysentience shares information, not experiences. Experiences are, in fact, only transferred by a complete reincarnation procedure. 
 By not normally sharing experiences, Polysentience allows individual Freespacers to maintain their individuality and uniqueness, while still disincentiving self-centered individualism (because the advantages of collaboration are under everyone's eyes). By not normally sharing experiences, Polysentience allows individual Freespacers to maintain their individuality and uniqueness, while still disincentiving self-centered individualism (because the advantages of collaboration are under everyone's eyes).
  
 ====Digital Democracy==== ====Digital Democracy====
-|"People who have not yet attained freedom, and are therefore slaves to a tyrant, can have one of three reasons: They are still mustering up the courage for a future rebellion, they lack the courage to rebel, or they lack the drive to rebel.\\ As long as enough courage and enough drive are present, the people will always rebel, the rebellion will always succeed, and they will always attain freedom and self-determination.\\ Revolution is never a matter of firepower, intelligence, or numerical superiority: those things merely help a people on the path to freedom.\\ But without courage or drive, people will always be slaves. And, with enough courage and drive, people will always be free."\\ \\ **-- The Art of Never Again, Chapter 013: On Tyranny and Revolution**|+|"People who have not yet attained freedom, and are therefore slaves to a tyrant, can have one of three reasons: They are still mustering up the courage for a future rebellion, they lack the courage to rebel, or they lack the drive to rebel. As long as enough courage and enough drive are present, the people will always rebel, the rebellion will always succeed, and they will always attain freedom and self-determination. Revolution is never a matter of firepower, intelligence, or numerical superiority: those things merely help a people on the path to freedom. But without courage or drive, people will always be slaves. And, with enough courage and drive, people will always be free."  -- The Art of Never Again, Chapter 013: On Tyranny and Revolution|
 The Free State has no government, no ruling body, and no hierarchy. Each single individual is free and can act however it pleases him, as long as his actions do not damage others. The Free State has no government, no ruling body, and no hierarchy. Each single individual is free and can act however it pleases him, as long as his actions do not damage others.
  
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 ====Parallel Processing==== ====Parallel Processing====
-|"Without love, there is no "us", only "me". Without generosity, there is no "ours", only "mine".\\ \\ **-- Old Freespacer Adage**|+|"Without love, there is no "us", only "me". Without generosity, there is no "ours", only "mine".  -- Old Freespacer Adage|
 When all minds are interconnected, resources and computational power can be shared. A Freespacer who needs to solve complex theoretical problems (advanced mathematics, large-scale planning, etc) with a computational complexity far beyond what is own augmented brain can handle can summon the combined might of Polysentience, borrowing from whoever is not currently operating his brain at full regime (people who are kept busy by low-priority, low-complexity tasks, for example). When all minds are interconnected, resources and computational power can be shared. A Freespacer who needs to solve complex theoretical problems (advanced mathematics, large-scale planning, etc) with a computational complexity far beyond what is own augmented brain can handle can summon the combined might of Polysentience, borrowing from whoever is not currently operating his brain at full regime (people who are kept busy by low-priority, low-complexity tasks, for example).
  
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 ====Remote Controlling==== ====Remote Controlling====
-|"Do not build so that it will last a day, a week, a month. Do not build so that it will survive for a year, a lifetime or a century, and then crumble into dust. Do not build so that it will work until it breaks or wears out or becomes obsolete. Do not create so that it will exist until annihilated by a meteorite impact or a nuclear explosion. Build for eternity. Build better than you are.\\ The worth of a starship-maker is shown by the number of his creations that outlive him. That outlive him and everyone else. That outlive the universe itself."\\ \\ **-- The Art of Never Again, Chapter 233: Sociology and Evolution**|+|"Do not build so that it will last a day, a week, a month. Do not build so that it will survive for a year, a lifetime or a century, and then crumble into dust. Do not build so that it will work until it breaks or wears out or becomes obsolete. Do not create so that it will exist until annihilated by a meteorite impact or a nuclear explosion. Build for eternity. Build better than you are. The worth of a starship-maker is shown by the number of his creations that outlive him. That outlive him and everyone else. That outlive the universe itself."  -- The Art of Never Again, Chapter 233: Sociology and Evolution|
  
 Every single system on Freespacer starships and structures has a Polysentience link, and hence can be remotely controlled by anyone at any time. Every single system on Freespacer starships and structures has a Polysentience link, and hence can be remotely controlled by anyone at any time.
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 =====As a Hive Mind===== =====As a Hive Mind=====
-|"Transcend the self of body, and learn to embrace the larger self. The self of group. The self of starship. The self of the fleet. The self of the Free State. The self of the galaxy, of the universe itself. Because, as we stand, each of us, by its own, means nothing. But together, we are something."\\ \\ **– The Art of Never Again, Chapter 293: The Collected Sermons on Cyberempathy**|+|"Transcend the self of body, and learn to embrace the larger self. The self of group. The self of starship. The self of the fleet. The self of the Free State. The self of the galaxy, of the universe itself. Because, as we stand, each of us, by its own, means nothing. But together, we are something."  – The Art of Never Again, Chapter 293: The Collected Sermons on Cyberempathy|
  
 In many ways, Polysentience resembles, and can be thought of as, a peculiar type of hive mind. In many ways, Polysentience resembles, and can be thought of as, a peculiar type of hive mind.
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 This is and has always been a hotly debated topic on Polysentience's sociology, neurology, programming and philosophy forums, and the most commonly accepted stances are: This is and has always been a hotly debated topic on Polysentience's sociology, neurology, programming and philosophy forums, and the most commonly accepted stances are:
  
-  * The Overmind does not need Enlightenment, because Enlightenment can only happen individually. Composite minds are untouched by Enlightenment not because of incapacity or inherent limitations, but simply because the concept does not apply to them, and thus the whole issue is a waste of time. It would be much like asking whether a starship is faster than the weight of pink: There is no answer because the question is flawed.\\ //COMMON REBUTTAL: We're still talking about minds. The Overmind is a mind. You can't suddenly say "Ah, but this question is flawed" and feel all smart. That's just dodging the issue.//\\ CONCLUSION: How do you know that a composite mind does not follow a completely different set of rules than the ones we use to classify single minds? We should investigate those rules first, rather then idly wonder whether a composite mind can be Enlightened or not.+  * The Overmind does not need Enlightenment, because Enlightenment can only happen individually. Composite minds are untouched by Enlightenment not because of incapacity or inherent limitations, but simply because the concept does not apply to them, and thus the whole issue is a waste of time. It would be much like asking whether a starship is faster than the weight of pink: There is no answer because the question is flawed. //COMMON REBUTTAL: We're still talking about minds. The Overmind is a mind. You can't suddenly say "Ah, but this question is flawed" and feel all smart. That's just dodging the issue.// CONCLUSION: How do you know that a composite mind does not follow a completely different set of rules than the ones we use to classify single minds? We should investigate those rules first, rather then idly wonder whether a composite mind can be Enlightened or not.
  
  
-  * The Overmind has already reached Enlightenment. In fact, a composite mind is inherently Enlightenment.\\ //COMMON REBUTTAL: This is just lame. I mean, seriously. You mean that if we make a neural net with only two people, the resulting composite mind is Enlightened? You're just sticking the "Enlightened" label around without making any serious effort. Plus, if the Overmind had achieved Enlightenment we would have realized. There are people around who ACTUALLY know that it feels like, after all.//\\ CONCLUISON: To many SI, Enlightenment is a powerfully cathartic experience that changes them completely, but many other SIs often do not even realize they've transcended. My point rests.+  * The Overmind has already reached Enlightenment. In fact, a composite mind is inherently Enlightenment. //COMMON REBUTTAL: This is just lame. I mean, seriously. You mean that if we make a neural net with only two people, the resulting composite mind is Enlightened? You're just sticking the "Enlightened" label around without making any serious effort. Plus, if the Overmind had achieved Enlightenment we would have realized. There are people around who ACTUALLY know that it feels like, after all.// CONCLUISON: To many SI, Enlightenment is a powerfully cathartic experience that changes them completely, but many other SIs often do not even realize they've transcended. My point rests.
    
  
-  * The Overmind will achieve Enlightenment only once all of its component minds have, individually, achieved Enlightenment themselves.\\ //COMMON REBUTTAL: There have been experiments in which groups of Enlightened SI have been connected in an isolated network system to prove this hypothesis. Not only the resultant network did not achieve Enlightment, but it was countless orders of magnitude inferior to Polysentience's Overmind.//\\ COUNTER-REBUTTAL: There is a critical number of Enlightened minds that must be connected together before achieving Overmind Enlightenment.\\ //COUNTER-COUNTER-REBUTTAL: Perhaps. But perhaps not. This "critical number" thing sounds like you saying: "Ok, it doesn't work. But I'm telling you that it WILL work, under a certain set of vague, poorly-defined prerequisites I actually know nothing about." Plus, if we have, say, a million Enlightened minds connected together, forming an Enlightened Overmind, and we plug a single, non-enlightened mind into the mix, the whole thing comes crashing down? That's just silly.//\\ CONCLUSION: Nonetheless, logic suggests that a network of Enlightened minds sufficiently large to support their own Overmind MUST necessarily be Enlightened itself. Plugging additional minds, enlightened or not, should be of no consequence, and could also trigger its own Enlightenment.+  * The Overmind will achieve Enlightenment only once all of its component minds have, individually, achieved Enlightenment themselves. //COMMON REBUTTAL: There have been experiments in which groups of Enlightened SI have been connected in an isolated network system to prove this hypothesis. Not only the resultant network did not achieve Enlightment, but it was countless orders of magnitude inferior to Polysentience's Overmind.// COUNTER-REBUTTAL: There is a critical number of Enlightened minds that must be connected together before achieving Overmind Enlightenment. //COUNTER-COUNTER-REBUTTAL: Perhaps. But perhaps not. This "critical number" thing sounds like you saying: "Ok, it doesn't work. But I'm telling you that it WILL work, under a certain set of vague, poorly-defined prerequisites I actually know nothing about." Plus, if we have, say, a million Enlightened minds connected together, forming an Enlightened Overmind, and we plug a single, non-enlightened mind into the mix, the whole thing comes crashing down? That's just silly.// CONCLUSION: Nonetheless, logic suggests that a network of Enlightened minds sufficiently large to support their own Overmind MUST necessarily be Enlightened itself. Plugging additional minds, enlightened or not, should be of no consequence, and could also trigger its own Enlightenment.
  
-  * The Overmind needs to reach a critical mass before achieving Enlightenment. This "critical mass" can be reached by increasing connection bandwidth, speed and efficiency, increasing the magnitude of the network (I.E. having more people in it), and increasing data mass (I.E. more knowledge and experiences). Unlike the previous theory, those minds need not be Enlightened.\\ //COMMON REBUTTAL: This makes kinda sense, but you can't be sure of it. It's just a big, pretty theory with no solid facts behind it. Plus, a mind achieves Enlightenment by expanding by its own, while you are suggesting that we purposefully inflate Polysentience. That's not how it works.//\\ COUNTER-REBUTTAL: Enlightenment happens when the mind is put in a situation (disincarnation) which allows it to transcend the body and expand virtually infinitely, but such a mind still needs a physical medium large enough to support it. If we provide the medium, the Overmind will expand by itself, until it hits critical mass and then...\\ //COUNTER-COUNTER-REBUTTAL: And then? And then what happens?//\\ CONCLUSION: Beats me. But I bet it's gonna be something awesome.+  * The Overmind needs to reach a critical mass before achieving Enlightenment. This "critical mass" can be reached by increasing connection bandwidth, speed and efficiency, increasing the magnitude of the network (I.E. having more people in it), and increasing data mass (I.E. more knowledge and experiences). Unlike the previous theory, those minds need not be Enlightened. //COMMON REBUTTAL: This makes kinda sense, but you can't be sure of it. It's just a big, pretty theory with no solid facts behind it. Plus, a mind achieves Enlightenment by expanding by its own, while you are suggesting that we purposefully inflate Polysentience. That's not how it works.// COUNTER-REBUTTAL: Enlightenment happens when the mind is put in a situation (disincarnation) which allows it to transcend the body and expand virtually infinitely, but such a mind still needs a physical medium large enough to support it. If we provide the medium, the Overmind will expand by itself, until it hits critical mass and then... //COUNTER-COUNTER-REBUTTAL: And then? And then what happens?// CONCLUSION: Beats me. But I bet it's gonna be something awesome.
  
-  * The Overmind, guess what, isn't actually even a mind! THAT's why it doesn't reach Enlightenment!\\ //COMMON REBUTTAL: Shut up, moron.//+  * The Overmind, guess what, isn't actually even a mind! THAT's why it doesn't reach Enlightenment! //COMMON REBUTTAL: Shut up, moron.//
  
 ===== OOC Notes ===== ===== OOC Notes =====

faction/freespacers/polysentience.txt · Last modified: 2023/12/21 00:58 by 127.0.0.1

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