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deltro posted:Is Intelligence Quotient a flawed notion? Or would our tests be representative across species? (translated into their native tongue of course) I don't know, I've never taken one of the tests. If you can point me in the direction of one I'll have a look at it. There is obviously a certain physical limit to what a mind can do, so yes, there is such a thing as an intelligence level, though I don't know how you would accurately measure it. |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 06:16 |
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.haze posted:Mr. Boone we have something similar to your classification of civilizations, it's called the Kardashev scale and it's basically a scale where there's 3 types of civilizations: Between Type I and Type II. It's an interesting scale, but I don't quite understand it's purpose. Any race that is harnessing the energy of an entire galaxy is not doing things right. |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 06:24 |
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haywire posted:Did a similar such thing happen on your planet (IE a visitor from another world) when you were in Type 3 and did they affect your civilization's development? Nope. We tried to get rid of trade during eugenics, it didn't really work, then we contacted another networked planet during Class V. I'm going to use the word 'Stage' instead of class from here on. It scans a bit better. |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 06:28 |
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haywire posted:How do we change human nature to be for the "common good" as opposed to individualistic existence? Abolish the idea of 'human nature', throw away your weapons, learn how you can interact and obtain your resources without a trade system, get rid of religion and... sorry, it doesn't happen overnight. Just not feasible. Prove me wrong and you guys can come get networked. |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 06:30 |
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brylcreem posted:Could you give a brief overview of your planet's history? The briefest history I can give you is the civilisation evolution guide I posted. I'm probably going to try and get you something more specific tomorrow, but conceptually we followed the same routes you're following. |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 06:32 |
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COMPUTER SECRETS posted:Most species here have widely different sleeping patterns. You seem to be on one similar to humans. If this a coincedence or adaptation? Also, can you give us a brief rundown of your calender and how/why it is setup that way? It's all to do with the [disguise]. I function, for all intents and purposes, as human while I'm here, so I try to sleep when you sleep. Melrins usually use cycles of two or three Ulath days to sleep. You stay awake for until you feel fatigued, and on that day you will sleep at night until you awake sometime the next day. |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 06:34 |
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Maldoror posted:I don't understand how you are defining "consideration" in your culture, so I will use a hypothetical. 'Next door to' is not really an applicable idea, so I'll just read it as 'near'. Melrin A would be the one causing somebody else discomfort, so he would consider himself at [fault] and move further away from Melrin B. More likely he would have not chosen a spot so close to B to live in the first place. |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 06:36 |
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BlackJosh posted:You're not there yet so you have absolutely no right to judge their techniques Touché, but I can think of absolutely no situation in which you would need that power, nor a likely one in which you could obtain it without taking it from others. |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 06:38 |
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BlackJosh posted:This right here just reeks of the same highminded arrogance that we still see today on Earth in regards to the third world. Just replace this with "democracy" and "free market capitalism". Instead of judging us as inferior from your ivory towers, why don't you come down here and actually help the situation? How can you call us inhumane as we selfishly allow others to suffer on our own world while whole galactic civilizations that have gotten past the need for food, water, and land, as well as any sort of monetary structure skim around the universe looking at us "unNetworked" people like zoo animals while we starve and die in the billions. Because then you would develop too quickly, come out here and likely cause an explosive ruckus. |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 06:40 |
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COMPUTER SECRETS posted:How would you handle something like an accidental death? Something like what we would call manslaughter. Would it just be "how unfortunate, what can I do to help you?" or is there any certain system in place? The first one, although I'm not sure what you mean by the second part of the sentence. |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 06:40 |
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deltro posted:Haha, the credo of limitlessness is beyond aliens! I find that intensely funny. |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 06:41 |
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Gramps posted:Just wanted to pop in to say thanks for this thread. I'm really enjoying it- regardless of it's veracity. Already answered the first one - no. I am going to visit Colorado sometime this year, I think, if so many of you would like me to. |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 06:41 |
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brylcreem posted:Well, you guys already take natural resources from uninhabited planets, so there must be some barren solar systems, where you could envelop the main star in a Dyson Sphere or equivalent. A star is fine, but we have no need for the power of an entire star. I was talking about Type III. |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 06:42 |
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deltro posted:We know very little of how the physical structures of our minds, but as a general rule, people with higher IQs tend to have more of what we consider success, but to elaborate on my question so that it can be answered more subjectively, is logic really the pinnacle of sentient thought-- the only facet worthy of benchmarking? No. I am not as much of a logician as some others of my species, and there are those less logical than me. I do not consider them greater or lesser melrins. Not to the extent that we'd invent a word for 'em. |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 06:45 |
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Gramps posted:Another quick question- what is your favorite trait humans possess that melrins do not? Like what if anything that you have learned from us would you take home and try to teach others? (nothing would be an acceptable answer considering how much further advanced you guys are) With regard to culture, nothing I can think of. I intend to introduce your stronger foods to others. (I tried strong cheese mixed with raw onion in a sandwich at breakfast this morning, and it was absolutely amazing). Maldoror posted:Interesting. Would you say (in this hypothetical) that if Melrin B built a dwelling "near" to Melrin A (in other words, Melrin A was "there first"), then Melrin B would be the one to move if he didn't realize that the Melrin whom he was moving close to played loud music? Yes, in that case Melrin B would be the one to move. Would it be so different for a human if he had free choice in where to live? |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 06:49 |
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BlackJosh posted:So you couldn't just come and say "here, takes this shit, we have a galaxy full of it" without the technology. Hell, you could give us just some advanced medicine and resource gathering advice and tech and that really wouldn't put us any closer to FTL travel (since your explanation for its discovery is that it is from studying the relationship of light and particles at the edge of the universe) Or maybe help resettle some of our population, perhaps through some sort of voluntary program, within your network as individuals set up across the whole thing, not as human ethnic enclaves so we don't get to all the dastardly scheming I'm sure you think we'd get up to (and which we very well might...). It seems with the kinds of lives of absolute bliss that you people live, you could help some sentient beings that are starving to death. Most of your species would resent us doing so, and none of the other planets owe you anything. The difference between our not helping you guys out and you not helping your third world out is that we didn't put you where you are now. |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 06:52 |
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Tias posted:How do you "disguise" yourself perfectly as a human, and what technological or biological traits do you possess that make you so able? I can say little more than that it is a technological trait involving the preservation of consciousness outside of the brain it originated in. (I'm expecting a whole can of worms here, but the philosophical issues you've all immediately jumped to really do not make a difference to me. I've never been paid particular interest to by an animal who could tell I wasn't human. |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 06:54 |
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Gramps posted:If you enjoy strong flavors, you should really try some good beer- like a good India Pale Ale for example. Beer in general is a pretty distinct flavor, but high quality American craft beers especially can be particularly intense. Human beer is interesting, but it's flavour does not strike me as strong, only unusual for a drink. There is beer elsewhere in the universe, but only among a few species (and not mine, since we just process the alcohol as energy rather than getting intoxicated.). |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 06:57 |
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BlackJosh posted:What if Melrin B played the loud music? he moves in next to someone already there and starts being annoying, what happens then? Why are you so determined to be inflammatory? |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 06:57 |
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Maldoror posted:One more question from me: A quick skim through it is very interesting, and I intend to read more about it. Good luck with it! |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 06:58 |
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Naughty or Nice posted:Loving this thread Mr. Boone, thanks a lot for it. The network. That so many planets are interested in sharing data in the way that we do really blows me away. Yes. Lovely place. Nice and cool. For the region, anyway. |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 07:13 |
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BlackJosh posted:So humanitarian and charity work should be about whose responsible? I'm not even talking about your whole network, or even a civilization. Hell, just a few volunteers even. The idea that there is absolutely no one, among the billions upon billions of you Network folk with access to basically infinite resources willing to help is scary cold. The idea that the fate of billions of starving, warring, dying sentient races exist out there and every individual of every race advanced enough to do something turns a blind eye because it's "not their problem" shows me that you guys really haven't grown up as much as you think you have. If people were interested in doing that, they would come to you and do it, but there is no responsibility to do so. We wouldn't do you any harm, but we're not here to help, either. If we did, you wouldn't arrive at Stage V/VI. Until you can abolish war on your own, you are not emotionally ready to join the network. Abolishing war for you wouldn't work the same way. No. |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 07:19 |
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Oh, this place is back up. Hold on, catching up on a couple of questions. Answered all your emails while the whole thing was down. |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 09:12 |
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Motorball posted:You talk about the Network from time to time. How much do different species really associate with eachother socially, or between individuals? I've sort of answered this already - it's primarily for sharing of data. However, people do use it for friendly communication, and it is generally accepted that any being is able to visit another networked planet and they will be accepted socially Maggot Monster posted:No answer to my question about technology extending your lifespan as long as possible. I want to follow up on that by asking about your disguise technology. You made it sound like you can place your consciousness into another body. If that is the case, can you simply move to another body if an accident breaks your current one? Yes, and some people do, but not that many. After a while, in any species, consciousness and thought begins to get more difficult. It's not a question of physicality, more like a computer that's been on too long. TomJones posted:Do they wear clothes on your planet? Do they on most planets? Not on my planet, but on several others. It depends how you evolve and whether you need them. |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 09:18 |
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jmaze posted:Here's something for you, what is your response to Dr. Carl Sagan? Care to provide a short proof of Fermat's Last Theorem? Yes, it would, and I'm not verifying my claims. I've already explained why proving myself to be an alien would be a Bad Thing. Also I don't know. I've never heard of either of those two things. I will find out about them, if we have solved them, when I go back. In response to Mr. Sagan's idea, he has differing ideas to mine about what 'very advanced' means. Clever guy, though. Mr. Boone fucked around with this message at Apr 17, 2009 around 09:34 |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 09:31 |
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Catastrophe posted:If any of you actually meet up with Mr Boone at any point, what if you have your friends waiting in ambush with a video camera rolling and then all pounce and tear his disguise off so we can see what melrins look like? It'd make for a good Youtube video and you'd be famous forever and probably become rich just sayin.... My disguise is not skin-deep. |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 09:33 |
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Cardinal Ximenez posted:Does the Network consider intelligences of non-biological substrates (i.e. "AI") sapient? No. |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 09:34 |
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Smoking Gun posted:Good morning Mr. Boone! Not in the sense that you mean it. Relativity allows for different phenomena to be observed, but there is no going back in time to change things. |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 09:38 |
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Cardinal Ximenez posted:Why not? Define "sapient". |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 09:41 |
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TremendousMajestic posted:I mean, I know the stock answer to this is "it just doesn't happen," but what happens when Guy A thinks Guy B's wife is irresistibly sexy and just gets it in his head that he has to have her? Judging from your responses so far, I imagine you'll say something like "that wouldn't happen, Guy B knows there are plenty of merlins in the sea," but...you know what I'm getting at. How does that scenario end up playing out? Guy A would probably become close friends with Guy B's partner and they might have sex. While monogamy is the most frequent way of organising, sexually, it is not a must. There is no jealousy between two men who engage in sex with the same women, nor vice versa. And before you ask, yes, they might engage in group sex. Alright, I'm off for a while, see you guys later. |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 09:48 |
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Back for a moment.jmaze posted:However, he was also a big proponent of skepticism and not accepting everything kooks say at their word just because you want to believe it. Surely a member of a highly advanced society would see the dangers of blind acceptance and belief without evidence. I think Mr. Sagan was an extremely clever man, and his advice is absolutely sound. I have had several emails from people claiming to be other aliens, interdimensional aliens, beings made of pure energy. I do not think for a moment that any of them are, and I advise that you think the same about me. It's a strange contradiction. I talk to you and claim that I am an alien, but I do not need you to believe it. I am, and I want you to ask questions as if I am, but it would be [harmful] to you if you blindly believed I was one. However, I have no interest in proving it (quite the opposite), so the only thing you can do is ask questions and I will give answers as best I can. Whether you take them on board is up to you, but were I to prove I was an alien, it would not be up to you, if you see what I mean. |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 10:21 |
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Yuki Akuma posted:Mr. Boone, do you ever get annoyed at people assuming you'll be a master mathematician or scientist simply because you came from another planet? Constantly. Yes. That is what I said earlier. |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 10:28 |
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Alright, that's better. The laptop I borrowed was still logged into my friend's account. I'd ask you not to ask him any questions until I get in touch with him - he didn't really want me to reveal who he was. Still getting used to this whole thing. |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 12:45 |
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winvirus posted:Since you claim that there is such peace and whatnot, do you guys still have competitions or games? Maybe even sports? Answered this one already. Yes. |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 12:49 |
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Beach posted:Welcome back, Mr. Boone! How would you say human children are similar to Melrin children? How are they different? You consider your children to be 'children' up until they're working jobs. On Ulath, a 10-year-old's desires and a 300-year-old's are considered equally valid. No. There are teachers around who teach whatever they want. A lot of them, proportionally. Personally I studied by reading the databanks. Yes. Some people like studying space. |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 12:52 |
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Mikuru Beam posted:What were your parents like? How did they meet? Are they still together, and do you still talk to them? If so, what do they think about your current project? Haven't seen them since soon after I was no longer a child. I don't know if they are still close and having sex, but it would be somewhat unlikely - it's been 50-ish years and social groups change a lot. |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 12:54 |
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Yuki Akuma posted:You say a melrin is considered an adult when they first learn to talk properly. Do they reach physical and emotional maturity at around the same time, or does that still take a few years? Physical maturity comes at between 30 and 50 years. Emotional maturity is not really a concept for is, but if I had to define it, it would be at 5. |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 12:58 |
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Holy Calamity! posted:You say that Melrins consciously decide to have children during sex- What drove your parents to make that decision? Why would they (probably) no longer be together if they felt close enough to make that decision? It's not a question of closeness. They were interested in the concept of having a child and helping it develop. |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 12:59 |
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TremendousMajestic posted:Asking again Oh, very quickly. More serious answer - takes me about a minute to get it up where there are fewer particles to interfere with the directional system, after that it's a matter of finding the point you want to go to on the globe, pressing the button, and there you go. |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 13:01 |
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Mikuru Beam posted:It seems from your discriptions that melrin interactions are common and good, but temporary. Your people don't even miss the dead because there are other people to find and talk to. You don't maintain relationsips with relatives and there seems to be a lot of just wandering off into the distance alone. Does no one stay together, as friends or anything? Seems cold and lonely. Are there no lasting partnerships at all? Some people do have lasting partnerships which go on for lifetimes, whether sexual or not. I understand how it might seem lonely, but you guys have much shorter lifespans. My parents may still be together, they may be apart - but they were friends for at least five years, most likely twenty or thirty. That's a long time. |
| # ¿ Apr 17, 2009 13:04 |
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