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Message no. 1
From: "Robert A. Hayden" <hayden@******.MANKATO.MSUS.EDU>
Subject: PSI questions (fwd)
Date: Sun, 17 Jul 1994 20:18:58 +0100
This was a private email, but there were enough really good points that I
felt it was better to forward it.


---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: 17 Jul 1994 20:01:06 -0600 (CST)
From:WALAB@******.hh.vanderbilt.edu
To: hayden@******.mankato.msus.edu
Subject: PSI questions

[some deleted]

About cyberpsionics: I thought that you had envisioned the PSI directly
being able to 'run naked' in the matrix; after all he is a mental presence
not a physical one. Otherwise I feel that he would be no better than a
decker with the appropiate programs to mimic the PSI powers...Being able to
'see' things behind walls, 'manipulate' objects without touching them,
'read/edit/mindwipe' the target's brain...All the powers are there for the
PSI to interact with the Matrix in a real way without the need to resort
to a cyberdeck. He should have the appropiate skills, perhaps, but the
only cyber I see imposing on him is a datajack...And perhaps not even that
much, if cyberpsionics is a Mastery skill. I think that all the nit-picky
problems being hashed about now can be solved by adding a Worldmind concept
to act as the Astral for PSI's. I now that you have rejected this before,
and maybe I didn't explain it well, but it seems logical for the PSI's
to have a "plane of WIL or mental energy" to tap/focus for their powers.
The Astral is "emotive" in nature, along with a vast, unexhaustable amount
of raw energy available. I propose that the Worldmind be "logical/creative"
in nature, which would explain the 'spell-like' effects of the PSI
abilities and the way the PSI seems to be able to 'cast on the fly'--
or think his way around/over/through an obstacle. Although we have not
determined that PSI powers have 'formulae' in order to be utilized,
I feel that the PSI basically has a "DISCIPLINE" with "POWERS" or
"ABILITIES" and just thinks it through. He doesn't chant, gesture, or
do anything to release the power, he just commands it to be, and it
happens. No, I'm not suggesting god-like abilities, I'm just saying
that the PSI _is_ different from a Mage/Shaman, and trying to
explain how...

Sorry for the length, I hope it makes sense...
Bryan Prince
Message no. 2
From: Jai Tao <jdfalk@****.CAIS.COM>
Subject: Re: PSI questions (fwd)
Date: Sun, 17 Jul 1994 21:27:03 -0400
Yay! The holy Entombed and I were arguing about this just last
night; I like the concept of a "worldmind" as an alternative to using the
Astral Plane.
I think a modified form of Astral projection should still be
avaliable to psionic initiates, but if you substitute "worldmind" for
"astral plane" in a number of my previous posts, most of the arguments
against 'em are nullified.
Message no. 3
From: "Robert A. Hayden" <hayden@******.MANKATO.MSUS.EDU>
Subject: Re: PSI questions (fwd)
Date: Sun, 17 Jul 1994 20:40:18 +0100
On Sun, 17 Jul 1994, Jai Tao wrote:

> Yay! The holy Entombed and I were arguing about this just last
> night; I like the concept of a "worldmind" as an alternative to using the
> Astral Plane.
> I think a modified form of Astral projection should still be
> avaliable to psionic initiates, but if you substitute "worldmind" for
> "astral plane" in a number of my previous posts, most of the arguments
> against 'em are nullified.

A) I feel psionics should be able to get mastery powers to deal with
astral (astral projection/out of body expierience/whatever the
Xfiles is calling it this week).
B) The 'world mind' idea is, again, largely a role-playing
consideration and mostly unimportant to the specific rules (not to
say that it isn't important to the psi)

____ Robert A. Hayden <=> hayden@******.mankato.msus.edu
\ /__ -=-=-=-=- <=> -=-=-=-=-
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Message no. 4
From: MILLIKEN DAMION A <u9467882@***.EDU.AU>
Subject: Re: PSI questions (fwd)
Date: Mon, 18 Jul 1994 20:51:48 +1000
Our Fearless Leader writes:

> A) I feel psionics should be able to get mastery powers to deal with
> astral (astral projection/out of body expierience/whatever the
> Xfiles is calling it this week).

the recorded incidents of Astral Projection which were/are associated with
Psi powers could easily be considered the normal astral projection power of
a normal mage, and sinse this is being based on popular fiction (current)
which associates astral walks with the Psi abilities. Oops, this is getting
long and complicated, it hardly makes sense to me, and i just typed it. What
I'm trying to say is that we are (basically) basing a Psi on current
beleifes/observations. Sinse we are, and since (for all intents and
purposes) people in the history of SR (like us now) could not recognise
magic, we would naturally associate it with other supernatural abilities,
like Psi powers. Hence (if that makes any sense at all) Psi* need not have
access to astral space. The recorded, and ascociated instances of astral
projection which are linked to Psi powers could simply be misguided
assumptions from people with no knowledge, like us :-) The real examples of
astral projection could have been from real mages, not Psi people, and sinse
they were both just lumped under "supernatural", the power of Astral
projection could now be assumed to be available to both, when it isnt.

Ack, thats 'orrible aint it :-) still, ya get the idea?

> B) The 'world mind' idea is, again, largely a role-playing
> consideration and mostly unimportant to the specific rules (not to
> say that it isn't important to the psi)

I dont so much know about that. you could consider it like another realm of
the parallel dimensions coexisting with earth, like Astral space does. It
kinda actually makes sense, and gives Psi* a source of power to draw from
(I'm kinda not quite caught onto the idea of self power). it also gives psi*
an equivalent of astral spce to go projecting into.

Damion

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