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Mailing List Logs for ShadowRN

Message no. 1
From: "Jason Carter, Nightstalker" <CARTER@***.EDU>
Subject: RE: Nexus6 and other replicant stuff
Date: Tue, 9 Feb 93 22:01:48 CET
The discussion rolls around to the question of what amount of knowledge of the
brain there is in Shadowrun. One thing I seem to remember (damn, why did I
leave my book at home) is that there is still little knowledge of the inner
workings of the brain in 2054.
I remember some metaphysical type stuff about the brain not being like a big
computer as is believed (or at least hypotesized) today. Instead it works in a
more general manner that prevents such things as memory recording (as opposed to
recording experiences ala simsense) and Artifical Intelligence.
This is the reason it would be impossible to write memory directly to the
brain, hence the need for virtual experience. This would lead me to sadly say
it would be impossible to imprint someone else's memories into anothers brain.
Now, Dark Elf, another possibility would be to program (through things like
VR, Simsense, or subliminals) a large amount of information about a person into
your clone (If you ever saw the 3-Part Hardac story on Batman the Animated
Series you'll know what I mean). The person would not have any memory of
specific events, but would think they were the person in question.

See Ya in Shadows,
Jason J Carter
The Nightstalker

P.S. I just love it when I get to use comics in a discussion!
Message no. 2
From: "David Loewenstern, Bell Labs,
Subject: RE: Nexus6 and other replicant stuff
Date: Tue, 9 Feb 93 16:41:10 EST
Of course, there isn't anything prohibiting the use of _magic_ from
writing memory directly to the brain.
Message no. 3
From: bellovar@***.WISC.EDU
Subject: Re: Nexus6 and other replicant stuff
Date: Tue, 9 Feb 93 17:33:55 CST
>
> Of course, there isn't anything prohibiting the use of _magic_ from
> writing memory directly to the brain.
>

Actually, there is. To create a magic spell, one must devise a spell
formula to do what is desired. In this case, one would need to know
what was necessary to have to change. If this were known, and the tech
was unable to pull it off, one could still devise a spell to do what the
tech is incapable of. However, without the knowledge of what needs to
be done, how do you design the spell to take care of it?

Chris Bellovary
-- CrossFire--
Message no. 4
From: "David Loewenstern, Bell Labs,
Subject: Nexus6 and other replicant stuff
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 93 10:35:24 EST
>>>>>[
... On Tue, 9 Feb 93 17:33:55 CST, bellovar@***.wisc.edu said:

}>
}> Of course, there isn't anything prohibiting the use of _magic_ from
}> writing memory directly to the brain.
}>

} Actually, there is. To create a magic spell, one must devise a spell
} formula to do what is desired. In this case, one would need to know
} what was necessary to have to change. If this were known, and the tech
} was unable to pull it off, one could still devise a spell to do what the
} tech is incapable of. However, without the knowledge of what needs to
} be done, how do you design the spell to take care of it?

The same way you create the spell design for a _mind probe_ or a
_shapechange_. Would you like to explain how a _mind probe_ could
work, technologically and in the absence of direct reads from human
memory? How a tse-tse fly can have the intelligence of a human in its
tiny little brain?

It is necessary to understand the _magical_ basis for the spell, not
the technological basis. You certainly do not need a degree in biotech
to create a _detox_ spell. You need to know, for example, what the aura
of a drugged person looks like, and specifically how it differs from the
undrugged state.



]<<<<< Quincunx <loewenst@****.rutgers.edu> (Wed Feb 10 10:30:47 EST
1993)

Further Reading

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These messages were posted a long time ago on a mailing list far, far away. The copyright to their contents probably lies with the original authors of the individual messages, but since they were published in an electronic forum that anyone could subscribe to, and the logs were available to subscribers and most likely non-subscribers as well, it's felt that re-publishing them here is a kind of public service.

Thwap!