Ideas for the Astrians
Dragonmaster352
Brend
Elmer
Mercury
Gerben
Dragonmaster352 » Sun Jun 07, 2015 9:56 pm
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Dragonmaster352 - Storyteller
First of all: that's more than two questions.
Answer: No, the Synthrian brain cannot change its shape on its own. Processing nodes and connections form on their own automatically, due to the crystals unique properties, but they are flexible enough to create a macro state very similar to a non-Newtonian fluid. It also has a high viscosity.
I'm sorry but I do not get your reasoning here. How does mixing result in loosing a tiny part of the crystal?
As said above the crystal forms processing nodes and connections automatically. Keep in mind a human brain is only semi-liquid. If you change the pressure of a liquid it will change the volume of that liquid and thus the density. When compressed the density goes up, while the volume goes down, leading to a situation where the molecules of the Synthrian crystal do not have the available space to maintain all connections and processing nodes, so they enhance the ones that do have enough space. When expanded the density goes down, giving the molecules more space to form their own processing nodes and connections.
Apart from number two are these satisfying answers?
Brend wrote:Is the synthrian brain capable of actuation without external assistance? That is, can it change shape on its own accord?
Answer: No, the Synthrian brain cannot change its shape on its own. Processing nodes and connections form on their own automatically, due to the crystals unique properties, but they are flexible enough to create a macro state very similar to a non-Newtonian fluid. It also has a high viscosity.
Brend wrote:Why does mixing two brains in a single bucket make them able to understand each other, let alone have unrestricted access to each other consciousness (whatever that might entail), instead of killing them both? Since the moment they mix they are no longer a single synthrian crystal. Which would mean that by mixing at least some tiny part of the synthrian crystal is removed -- they must be mixed as an emulsion, mxiing as a a would mean the both of them become irrevocably unseperable -- is a death sentence for both consciousnesses.
I'm sorry but I do not get your reasoning here. How does mixing result in loosing a tiny part of the crystal?
Brend wrote:How does expanding and compressing change the types of processing nodes? By analogy, if my brain is expanded it will only look comically large, it won't suddenly have a different kind of neuron. Further, if it's actually a crystal, the amount of compression/expansion possible would quickly come to a halt to prevent the crystal matrix from being torn and killing the consciousness...
As said above the crystal forms processing nodes and connections automatically. Keep in mind a human brain is only semi-liquid. If you change the pressure of a liquid it will change the volume of that liquid and thus the density. When compressed the density goes up, while the volume goes down, leading to a situation where the molecules of the Synthrian crystal do not have the available space to maintain all connections and processing nodes, so they enhance the ones that do have enough space. When expanded the density goes down, giving the molecules more space to form their own processing nodes and connections.
Apart from number two are these satisfying answers?
Brend » Sun Jun 07, 2015 10:37 pm
The answers given are indeed satisfying enough.
The expansion/compression idea still sounds a bit strange to me. Since I am unable to imagine the effects of altering the density of my brain, I imagine this to be akin to the stretching or compacting of a processor, which doesn't make an iota of difference on its processing capabilities (beyond utterly breaking it :P). Yet this does not seem to be in any way inhibiting the larger idea of synthrian crystals, nor does it seem to be universe-breaking in any way. You clearly state that it has no actual effect on the overall capabilities of the brain, so there's no reason to contest the idea.
Actually, there's two questions in the second quote (the first is a bit hidden behind the mixing talk though) ^_^
(EDIT: Read the second question first, the post makes more sense that way.)
The first question: Why does mixing two brains in a single bucket make them able to understand each other, let alone have unrestricted access to each other consciousness (whatever that might entail)? I'm assuming that the idea is that 'more surface contact means more access' or something along those lines...
How would that allow consciousness A to interpret what the other consciousness B experiences and has experienced? What does 'because they would be able to explore and stimulate each others consciousness' actually mean? How would they know the boundaries, and how can a consciousness 'not go there' if it is doing the interpreting itself? Consciousness A can only determine that it ought 'not to go there' if it has already interpreted the experiences B, making it impossible not to go there, unless there is a channel of communication between B and A that is somehow pre-emptive (that is, it happens before) the direct reading of B...
This seems like an interesting area to explore further before declaring what the in-universe reality is o_O
The second question: On the reasoning with regard to mixing -- let's assume I have a blue brain and a red brain. As I understand it, if I pour both the red and blue brain into a bucket, as per the method you describe with "Pour two Sythrian brains into a single container and let them mix.", this would mix them leading us to have a single purple brain.
Furthermore, I understand that the liquid crystal will need to have at least some level of internal connectivity and ordering for the larger physical structure of the synthrian brain to function as a vessel for the consciousness, as indicated by your statement "Remove any of it and the brain is broken from the fact the consciousness running on it becomes completely distorted to a point it can no longer function. This happens in a short time." Based on this, I understand that the volume of a syntrhian brain should remain a single component -- it may have all kinds of weird shapes, but it should remain a single component at all times.
Since mixing of two liquids will lead to either a solution (such as sugar in water, or more analogous alcohol in water) or an emulsion (such as oil in water). I am rejecting the notion that syntrhian crystals can form a solution, since this would imply a significant change of material characteristics. So, the only option for mixing is an emulsion, which would mean that one of the brains is going to be fractured into a multitude of smaller components. And this would kill it.
Oh wait! I'm being dumb. You meant the other sense of 'to mix'... Did you mean perchance, the mixing as can be observed in this 5-way synthrian brain orgy? Ignoring the whites lining, this seems to be a valid mix where each color remains a single component. If so, my first question remains (and is infinitely more interesting than this treatise on the hypothetical mixing of imaginary liquid crystals)
As always: if unclear or unreadable, ask for clarification :)
The expansion/compression idea still sounds a bit strange to me. Since I am unable to imagine the effects of altering the density of my brain, I imagine this to be akin to the stretching or compacting of a processor, which doesn't make an iota of difference on its processing capabilities (beyond utterly breaking it :P). Yet this does not seem to be in any way inhibiting the larger idea of synthrian crystals, nor does it seem to be universe-breaking in any way. You clearly state that it has no actual effect on the overall capabilities of the brain, so there's no reason to contest the idea.
Actually, there's two questions in the second quote (the first is a bit hidden behind the mixing talk though) ^_^
(EDIT: Read the second question first, the post makes more sense that way.)
The first question: Why does mixing two brains in a single bucket make them able to understand each other, let alone have unrestricted access to each other consciousness (whatever that might entail)? I'm assuming that the idea is that 'more surface contact means more access' or something along those lines...
How would that allow consciousness A to interpret what the other consciousness B experiences and has experienced? What does 'because they would be able to explore and stimulate each others consciousness' actually mean? How would they know the boundaries, and how can a consciousness 'not go there' if it is doing the interpreting itself? Consciousness A can only determine that it ought 'not to go there' if it has already interpreted the experiences B, making it impossible not to go there, unless there is a channel of communication between B and A that is somehow pre-emptive (that is, it happens before) the direct reading of B...
This seems like an interesting area to explore further before declaring what the in-universe reality is o_O
The second question: On the reasoning with regard to mixing -- let's assume I have a blue brain and a red brain. As I understand it, if I pour both the red and blue brain into a bucket, as per the method you describe with "Pour two Sythrian brains into a single container and let them mix.", this would mix them leading us to have a single purple brain.
Furthermore, I understand that the liquid crystal will need to have at least some level of internal connectivity and ordering for the larger physical structure of the synthrian brain to function as a vessel for the consciousness, as indicated by your statement "Remove any of it and the brain is broken from the fact the consciousness running on it becomes completely distorted to a point it can no longer function. This happens in a short time." Based on this, I understand that the volume of a syntrhian brain should remain a single component -- it may have all kinds of weird shapes, but it should remain a single component at all times.
Since mixing of two liquids will lead to either a solution (such as sugar in water, or more analogous alcohol in water) or an emulsion (such as oil in water). I am rejecting the notion that syntrhian crystals can form a solution, since this would imply a significant change of material characteristics. So, the only option for mixing is an emulsion, which would mean that one of the brains is going to be fractured into a multitude of smaller components. And this would kill it.
Oh wait! I'm being dumb. You meant the other sense of 'to mix'... Did you mean perchance, the mixing as can be observed in this 5-way synthrian brain orgy? Ignoring the whites lining, this seems to be a valid mix where each color remains a single component. If so, my first question remains (and is infinitely more interesting than this treatise on the hypothetical mixing of imaginary liquid crystals)
As always: if unclear or unreadable, ask for clarification :)
Dragonmaster352 » Thu Jun 11, 2015 9:39 pm
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Dragonmaster352 - Storyteller
The two Synthrian brains don't actually mix in the regular definition of the word mixing. It's more like that lolipop I suppose. They can flow through one another but never become a single fluid.
The reason the two Synthrian Brains can communicate is because the Synthrian crystal still maintains some of it's original properties used to create the Synthrian brain. The two mimic each others patterns, the consciousnesses running on the brains getting signals from that mimicking. Think of it as having two consciousnesses inside one brain, one being in control (that being the "self"). Both brains have this. Neither has control over the other consciousness, but every thought is heard. The one in control can stimulate parts of the other by concentrating on on something. Example: Brain one and two. One concentrates on the pleasure centre of his brain, the mimicking of brain two causes its pleasure centre to be stimulated and consequently it experiences pleasure. Meanwhile, two concentrates on it's memory centre. Brain ones mimicking causes it to remember something, causing reactions in its brain that subsequently are also experienced by two.
I'll just be blunt at this point and say this is basically brain sex. Which is exactly what it's supposed to be. Well, minus the reproduction obviously.
Does this make any sense at all?
The reason the two Synthrian Brains can communicate is because the Synthrian crystal still maintains some of it's original properties used to create the Synthrian brain. The two mimic each others patterns, the consciousnesses running on the brains getting signals from that mimicking. Think of it as having two consciousnesses inside one brain, one being in control (that being the "self"). Both brains have this. Neither has control over the other consciousness, but every thought is heard. The one in control can stimulate parts of the other by concentrating on on something. Example: Brain one and two. One concentrates on the pleasure centre of his brain, the mimicking of brain two causes its pleasure centre to be stimulated and consequently it experiences pleasure. Meanwhile, two concentrates on it's memory centre. Brain ones mimicking causes it to remember something, causing reactions in its brain that subsequently are also experienced by two.
I'll just be blunt at this point and say this is basically brain sex. Which is exactly what it's supposed to be. Well, minus the reproduction obviously.
Does this make any sense at all?
Brend » Sat Jun 13, 2015 5:38 pm
It does ^_^
So, I think we have sufficiently hashed out what the impact and fluff of the idea can and should be, right? If so, we might start looking towards designing the chain of projects and technologies that are related to it (which is probably going to take a while as well :P)
So, I think we have sufficiently hashed out what the impact and fluff of the idea can and should be, right? If so, we might start looking towards designing the chain of projects and technologies that are related to it (which is probably going to take a while as well :P)