retrospec | (no subject)

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As long as the changes were being made to our memories, it was plausible to argue that this was some sort of hypnosis, something done by Retrospec to our brains. However:

1) The experiment to disconnect from electronics that may be affected by Retrospec returned no results. We still felt the effects while disconnected.

2) This "shrinking" and the holes in reality cannot be explained by hypnosis. They are very real.

At what point do we begin to question the fabric of reality itself?

-N

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Supernatural in what way?
Arthur C. Clarke, the author, had a relevant quote. If I may paraphrase:
Any sufficiently advanced technology will be indistinguishable from magic.

Does that count as supernatural?

I would count it. At that point, it doesn't make a difference anymore. Practically speaking.

I still see a distinction worth making.
"Technology more advanced than we can conceive" still grounds it in the realm of understanding.
Introducing genuinely supernatural elements adds a completely different dimension of elements.

But if we can't conceive it could we really understand it?

I feel like getting too caught up in the technical details might make it more complicated

That depends on just how advanced it is. I like to think that I would be capable of understanding something like "it's a quantum computer."
On the other hand, showing our cell phones to Sir Isaac Newton might still come off as magic to him.

Well if we ever do find whatever they're using to do this, I'm sure you'll get a chance to try and crack it. What's a quantum computer?

[ she's not uneducated by any means - but that's not exactly a term she's come across often in her daily life. ]

It's still theoretical at this point, and I'm also no physicist so take my explanation with a grain of salt.
In quantum physics, subatomic particles that are bonded have an interesting relationship. If one acts, for instance, beginning to spin, the other does too.
This occurs no matter where they are, theoretically breaking the speed of light.
In other words, a computer that uses quantum mechanics to work would be able to bypass most physical laws of the universe limiting the speed of processing.

[ well. she doesn't really get it, but. ]

Do you think something like that could make all of us shrink like we did?

Oh, no, not in the slightest. I don't think that has anything to do with our situation.
It was merely an example of being able to conceive of higher technology that doesn't exist yet.
But something beyond even that... it might as well be magic, to our perspective.

Sorry. I'm probably asking stupid questions. This is way over my head.

But yeah that's how I'm looking at it. I mean I'm sure there's a rational explanation for how this is happening. But it probably isn't anything we can imagine.

Philosophically speaking, that's an interesting question:
If the explanation for something relies on an entity beyond comprehension, is it still rational?
You might as well say that "god did it."

As long as god can undo it, then it's fine with me if that's the explanation.

I suppose that's not an uncommon philosophy.
Humans have been looking to god figures for solace for millennia, after all.

Yeah.

Wait let's not go that far. I don't want to think of that jerk from before as a god I need to beg for help.

Nobody's saying he'd be a benevolent one.

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