Date: Thu, 23 May 1996 23:55:03 -0500 From: Daiajo Tibdixious MACS <"svs::svist070"@svs6pub.svh.unsw.EDU.AU> To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: [TORG:1818] Re: Scientopia Background: John posted a preview of Scientopia, with promise of more to come. I asked if I could fill it out and he sent the stuff to me (BTW the MSword doc is useless to me: SCIENTOP.DOC) but I have decided not to proceed for reasons shown below. I have cut very little out, as this hasn't been posted to the list (from memory). Scientopia is a cosm of utopian science, not utopian social as I thought. In this cosm science & Technology behave rationally at all times. This has enabled the development of high levels of technology, as nothing is impossible, there is no uncertainty principal. Actually it reminds me of the Star Trek cosm a lot. One of my ST laws says "no problem is unsolvable". Sufficient effort toward the solution will arrive at a solution, never will a solution be proved impossible. This cosm is like that. The social axiom is really high, and this makes it 'very nice', but not utopian. Mon, 18 Mar 1996 10:03:47 "John Field" >[Ignore the story bit at the start: you know how it is, the first >thing you write is nothing like how it turns out...] The story is not bad, needs a few details sorted out is all. I've reversed the inclusion in the following, none is John, I am "]" Scientopia The Scientific Utopia Reality [Story] In a London shack on the outskirts of the cnetre of that old city, a 'Transport sucsessful,' announced the lone lifeform that had ventured through the gate: not one microbe had accompianied it, to guard against any possible contamination of Earth. 'Core Earth reality, as expected. Phase 4.12 commencing. I'll re-establish communications in a few minutes, hopefully.' The gate closed, and the man was left alone. Thanks to their grasp of the nature of reality, the ExtraDimensional Section had recommended that to minimise possible risk, only one person should be sent through the one-way gate. Dimension-crossing tehcnology was fully understood [as was virtually everything they knew of], but it was limited: and so one person, the Head of the Earth Section, designated E1.0, was equipped with the best that co uld be provided, kept on his person to minimise his tools suddenly conforming with the Earth environment. [It would also limit interference from third parties.] He would co-ordinate Scientopia's involvement with Earth. Designated through a random system of selection of those willing to serve, combined with performance and ability, resulted in Shendal becoming E1.0 and becoming the first Sceintopian to enter Earth. Earth had to be helped. Pivotal to the whole of existence, Earth's reality was being destroyed. To protect the cosmverse, self-preservation declared that Scientopia must become involved. For maximum effectiveness, a small region, naturally protected, and close to as many invading realities as possible, was selected. The Scientpian projection of their reality would be reletivaly small compared to the invader's 'stelae zones': so it was deiced to arive in the natural island close to Aysle and the CyberPapacy. Portsmouth, Hampshire, England was the chosen site. ]somewhere between Nippon and Orrosh would be better, but still not a bad ]spot. Somewhere in the medditerainian would be good to (Papacy & Nile). Shendal was previously part of the ExtraDimensional Section, designation xD3.14. It was he who completed knowledge of the workings of reality. It was he who first compemplted fully other cosms. It was he who first became possibility-rated. Shendal was outfitted in a suit of Scientopia's technology. Containing sophisticated analysis equipment, weaponry [yes, it would almost certainly be needed] and other tools, he carried a beacon of his reality. Manipulating the quantum mechanical nature of the universe with his conciousness [which determined how the universe was in turn observed, by itself] he managed to charge it with the reality of science. Detection and analysis routines, pushed beyond physcial limit by quantum manipulation by Shendal's observing conciousness, scanned the area , providing him with an outlook of the world only possible due to his world's nature: that all things ae simple in nature, and can be explained rationally and completely. Equipment impossible in other cosms due to Scientopia's sheer properties. ]this is the defining crux of this reality. Forcing his reality wider, he quickly expanded to several hundred metres. Time would soon prove a limit: fifteen minutes to expand the radius to a kilometre, and an hour to reach two and a half miles: assuming that he could impress his reality that quickly. He began to re-establish the gate... ] [end story] Scientopia is a cosm that has developed past its squabbles and politics and moved on to a more peaceful, utopian way of life. Whilst other cosms are subjugated by their primitive, ineffiecnt lifestyl es, Scientopia has embraced rationality and athiesm to produce a reality that is the most utopian known in the Cosmverse. ]Its not really utopia by my view, the high Social axiom is sufficient to ]explain the social niceties. The Law of Science: In societies ,ther are various forces that may shape it: politics, religion, astronomical events. In Scientopia,as the name suggest, there is only one factor that still has a pratical effect: science Although mannerisms, titles, and hidtry bears remnants of when this perspective did not apply, scientific thought is so deeply ingrained that it now is the sole consideration in Scientopian affairs. Scientopia has a magic axiom of 9. Everything can be explained, there are no mysteries. magic is explained as [and thus IS] a quantum effect: leads to 'mathemagic'. ]it is unwise to pick an actually implementation of magic. Just say ]it is scientifically explainable without giving the explanation. The Law of Simplicity: Complexities are not as widespread as in other realities. There are no social gaps, no politics, no wars of opinion, and sudden events (like earthquakes, for example) are either nonexistant or foreseen. Magical power: 9 Observed properties are deteermined by quantum theory descriptions. These descriptions are rendered physcial by observation. Thus, observation can affect physical reality. [Introduction to Scientopian grimoire] Scientopia has a Magic axiom of 9, at which point magical effects can be adequetly demonstrated. Thus they must be explained and rationalised to fit in with the knowledge framework, in accordance with the Law Of Science. Because the Tech axiom is much hgher than the Magic axiom, Magic conforms to the general thoery of Technology. Whilst magic is a separate force, in Scientopia it must be a form of physics: fitting in with the Tech axiom, magic in Scientopia is seen as a form of quantum mechanics. It is seen that as all physical phenomena are ultimatley caused by the collapse of quantum wavefunctions, which are caused by human (or more generally, sentient) observations, magic is seen as conciuosness forcing reality down one particular path, in accordance with the rules of physics and probability In short, magic works the same, but is explained differently. Well, almost. Social organisation: 29 Harry Kim:'You got your pocket picked... on *Earth?!*' Tom Paris: `They only do it for the tourists. They give it back afterwards.' Star Trek: Voyager ]see what I mean about ST? :) Spiritual intensity: 3 Scientopia has a very low Spiritual axiom. The concept of higher, divine powers, and the 'irrationial' viewpoints and societies that may result in the existance of these powers are conspicous in its absence. ]alternatively they could be explained as contact with extradimensional ]beings of power A society with no concept of mindless faith `I believe in such-and-such despite their being no evidence for or against it' is acceptable. However, `I believe despite their being evidence againt it' is not. ]This isn't rational. There is never evidence against something, merely ]evidence FOR something else which if true contradicts the original thing. ]I suppose in this reality there is no difference. In RL you just can't ]disprove things, that's what Occam's Razor is for. Effects of the low spiritual properties include: Belief in what cannot be directly witnessed: Faith and trust: Altrusitc (selfless) acts: Those who conform to Scientopia's Spiritual axiom can beleive in that which cannot be directly witnessed. They may be loyal and place an idealistic trust in their fellow man, but this cannot stretch to blind patriotism or similar 'my coutrny/God/idea right or wrong' ideas. Fully altruistic acts are not supported, but the realisation of the benefits of co-operation mean that they can be performed: but only with the higher purpose in mind. Scientopians cannot, however, lose sight of the meaning over the man. They could never glorify the teachings of a figure to the point where what he said is unimportant (as in the Cyberapacy, where the actual words of Jesus are forgotten, and relative trivia such as the cross and the virgin birth are trumpted). ]very sexist way to express all this. Also looks like you want to provoke a ]religious argument. Again, just says its so, don't say how its so. As for actual religion, there is none in the strict sense: only that of logical rationalism. There is nor religious structre, scripture, or so on; If there is any relgion to speak of, it is in the form of faith(science). Keeping in line with Scientopia's World Laws, any irrational, unprovable belief that exists at all is that all evetns are provable and testable. Miracles in science are rare, and take the form of making events conform with those ideals. Needless to say, they are hardly needed in the cosm. Events in the English realm may prove interesting for those who wish to study any possible miracles of science. ]its sounding like you should just say "everyone is logical". Logicians all ]accept Occam's Razor, and using that you can't believe anything that hasn't ]been proven. You can imagine unproven things, but you can't believe them. ]Its stronger that what you seem to want tho. The lack of spirituality has results that may not be immediatly essociatedwith the ack of reglion. There is less jingoism, indeed patriotism: Earth's frequent references to 'martyrs' and 'causes', tombs of 'unknown soldiers, whose duty led to theri deaths' etc. are unknwon in Sceintopia. No science of miracles ]it seems like one could be developed. :-) Technological achievement: 25 Scientopia has a mature tech level. No develpments or breakthroughs are possible without actually raising the axiom to 26. Becuase the possiblity flow is not as great as Core Earth, axioms cannot be increased as quickly: expect no Tech raisings for some while. ]ie. everyone accepts that they have already discovered everything ]discoverable without having any realms at T+2. ]You seem to imply there are no areas with axiom 26 or 27 (which is ]allowed normally) Space: Whilst not possessing the capailbity for space travel, outposts exist on all three moons and an established sattelite netowrk,along with various space stations, are extant in the cosm. Cyberware and virtual reality: No. Cyberspace exists but in an immersive form as opposed to the sensover experience. Artifical limbs are fully functional ,but do not have the range of goodies to qualify as `true' cyber. ]I think VR is unavoidable, but would have none of the bad effects ]associated with it (like losing touch with RL reality). The ideal VR allows ]you to see RL and VR simultaenously. (Like having a 3-D heads up display). ]Any artifical components which function like the real thing (ie. it feels ]natural) is cyber. "Imagine a world where, if two men have a disagreement, they sit down at a table, reach for pencil & paper, & say 'Let us calculate'." ]"let us debate" - not everything can be reduced to numbers -- http://www.svh.unsw.edu.au/~daiajo/ Daiajo Tibdixious Member of ACS mailto:daiajo@svh.unsw.edu.au at St.Vincents public Hospital via Uni of NSW