summaryrefslogtreecommitdiffstats
diff options
context:
space:
mode:
authorgrr <grr@lo2.org>2024-05-25 14:15:29 -0400
committergrr <grr@lo2.org>2024-05-25 14:15:29 -0400
commitf5710da225c0a7c04bfd797a15908a54ff80d7e2 (patch)
tree7a5f050a8d2c0429a4acedbf480b724dfeae8d19
parenta89d0d015b9104ba5613b5b3f3ee62f3d925bc53 (diff)
downloadblueprint-f5710da225c0a7c04bfd797a15908a54ff80d7e2.tar.gz
pass at 1961 energy cube
-rw-r--r--essays/energy_cube1961.tex122
1 files changed, 62 insertions, 60 deletions
diff --git a/essays/energy_cube1961.tex b/essays/energy_cube1961.tex
index bf2ac5d..538b62a 100644
--- a/essays/energy_cube1961.tex
+++ b/essays/energy_cube1961.tex
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-\chapter{Representation of the Memory of an Energy Cube Organism (Original 1961 Version)}
+\chapter{Representation of the Memory of an Energy Cube Organism (1961)}
\section*{Foreward}
@@ -7,52 +7,54 @@ absolutely necessary. It is full of inconsistencies and inadequate
explanations, but I have flagged only two major ones, by placing them
between the signs $\ltimes$ and $\rtimes$. Part of the fourth paragraph is flagged because a
sequence of units is not analogous to a sequence of inflected words; it is
-rather more like permutations of letters which form words ('rat', 'tar', 'art').
+rather more like permutations of letters which form words (\enquote{rat}, \enquote{tar}, \enquote{art}).
Most of the seventh paragraph is flagged because I promise to define intervals
by their lengths and ends, but instead give their beginnings and ends.
In the fourth paragraph, there are two different versions of the
correspondence between possible methods and sequences of units, and of
why any sequence is acceptable. Passages belonging exclusively to the
-"multiplex" version are set off by the sign \#. Passages which belong
-exclusively to the "style" version and which should be deleted if the
-"multiplex" version is used are placed between slashes (\slash). The "style" version is
+\enquote{multiplex} version are set off by the sign \#. Passages which belong
+exclusively to the \enquote{style} version and which should be deleted if the
+\enquote{multiplex} version is used are placed between slashes (\slash). The \enquote{style} version is
the main version. In the fifth paragraph, a notion appears which is
interesting, but unconvincingly explained. It is not clear whether this notion
-relates only to the "multiplex" version, or whether it would relate to the
-"style" version if the word 'multiplex' were omitted. The passages suggesting
+relates only to the \enquote{multiplex} version, or whether it would relate to the
+\enquote{style} version if the word \enquote{multiplex} were omitted. The passages suggesting
this notion are placed in brackets.
-\begin{enumerate}
+\vskip 0.5em
+
+\begin{enumerate}[wide, nosep, itemsep=0.5em]
\item Energy cube organisms are conscious organisms which are cubical
spaces containing only energy. The particular energy cube organism of
concern here has, for an indefinitely long time, been in a body of liquid,
-"resting on' a rectangular energy slab also in the body of liquid; the
-organism's "bottom" face is separated from the slab by only a very thin film
-of the liquid. The "universe" the organism and slab are in is made up of four
+\enquote{resting on} a rectangular energy slab also in the body of liquid; the
+organism's \enquote{bottom} face is separated from the slab by only a very thin film
+of the liquid. The \enquote{universe} the organism and slab are in is made up of four
infinite triangular right prisms, prismatic spaces, as defined geometrically by
two intersecting planes almost perpendicular to each other. The prismatic
spaces defined by the vertical obtuse dihedral angles are empty. The other
spaces, defined by the vertical acute dihedral angles, are infinite bodies of a
-stationary, colorless liquid--the "upper" body of liquid being what the
+stationary, colorless liquid--the \enquote{upper} body of liquid being what the
organism and slab are in. The two opposite shorter edges of the slab are at
the faces of the body of liquid, the planes, near their intersection; the slab is
-"slanted," so that the edges are at slightly different distances from the line
-of intersection. The organism and slab are the only "objects" in the bodies
-of liquid. (See the illustration.) The organism can move (the energy cube can
+\enquote{slanted,} so that the edges are at slightly different distances from the line
+of intersection. The organism and slab are the only \enquote{objects} in the bodies
+of liquid. (See figure \ref{energycube}.) The organism can move (the energy cube can
continuously change position) without creating currents in the liquid. For
almost as long as it has been in the liquid, the organism has devoted all its
-"intelligence," all its "energies," to moving across the slab, from one of the
+\enquote{intelligence,} all its \enquote{energies,} to moving across the slab, from one of the
shorter edges to (any point on) the other.
\item The organism's conscious, distinct memory is entirely concerned
-with, is entirely of, its efforts to cross the slab. (I am using 'memory'
+with, is entirely of, its efforts to cross the slab. (I am using \enquote{memory}
narrowly to refer to an organism's memory of its past. I am counting its
-"general information," for example knowing a language, not as part of its
+\enquote{general information,} for example knowing a language, not as part of its
memory but as imagings not memories. Thinking the sequence 1, 2, 1, 2 is
not in itself remembering.) The total memory consists of a large number of
units (tens of thousands), of which the organism can be attentive to precisely
-one at a time. "Total recall," the total memory, involves considering, having,
+one at a time. \enquote{Total recall,} the total memory, involves considering, having,
all units in any succession, which the organism can do very rapidly. Now
from one point of view, the memory consists of its content; from another, it
consists of symbols, just as human memories often consist of language. In
@@ -63,13 +65,13 @@ first a memory of the amount of progress made toward the destination edge
in a particular interval of time. The amount of progress is the difference
between the minimum distance of the organism from the destination edge at
the beginning of the interval, and the minimum distance at the end of the
-interval. The total of intervals, in the total of units, cover the "absolute"
+interval. The total of intervals, in the total of units, cover the \enquote{absolute}
interval of time from the earliest to the most recent remembered event; as
time passes, more units are added to the memory.
\item Now the memory is temporally dual: the interval of time for each
-unit is first, an interval of 'absolute' time; defined by its duration, and the
-"absolute" time of its end (stated with respect to an "absolute event" such
+unit is first, an interval of \enquote{absolute} time; defined by its duration, and the
+\enquote{absolute} time of its end (stated with respect to an \enquote{absolute event} such
as the appearance of the organism on the slab); and secondly, an interval
defined by its duration, and how far from the present instant its end is. It is
like remembering that so much progress was made during one year which
@@ -77,13 +79,13 @@ ended at January 1, 1000 A.D.; as well as remembering that it was made
during one year which ended 1,000 years ago. In the second temporal
memory, the absolute time of the end of the interval to which the progress is
assigned changes according as the absolute time of the present instant
-changes. For example, it is like remembering \said{that so much progress was
+changes. For example, it is like remembering \enquote{that so much progress was
made during one year ending 1,000 years ago,} and, 100 years later,
-remembering---\said{that so much progress was made during one year ending
-1,000 years ago}; and in general, always remembering \said{that so much
+remembering---\enquote{that so much progress was made during one year ending
+1,000 years ago}; and in general, always remembering \enquote{that so much
progress was made during one year ending 1,000 years ago.} Both temporal
-memories are in their own ways "natural," the first being anchored at an
-"absolute beginning," the second at the present instant. When a unit is added
+memories are in their own ways \enquote{natural,} the first being anchored at an
+\enquote{absolute beginning,} the second at the present instant. When a unit is added
to the memory, the interval of time of the first temporal memory is added at
the end, exactly covers the time not already covered, up to the absolute time
when the unit is added; so that the total of intervals of the first temporal
@@ -93,46 +95,46 @@ time, there can be gaps between them; so that when a unit is added to the
memory, the interval for the second temporal memory may be placed
between existing intervals and not have to cover an absolute time which they
have left behind, that is, not have to be placed farther back than all of them.
-Intervals of both temporal memories are of different sizes, a "natural
-complexity." (See the graph.) Incidentally, the condition for coincidence of
+Intervals of both temporal memories are of different sizes, a \enquote{natural
+complexity.} (See figure \ref{ecubegraph}.) Incidentally, the condition for coincidence of
the two temporal intervals of a unit is: if the two intervals are of the same
duration, they will coincide at the absolute time which is the sum of the
absolute time of the end of the first interval, and the distance from the
present instant of the end of the second interval. The two temporal
memories complement each other; aside from this comment I will not be
-concerned to "explain" the duality with respect to when the amounts of
-progress were made, whether when they were "really" made stayed the same
+concerned to \enquote{explain} the duality with respect to when the amounts of
+progress were made, whether when they were \enquote{really} made stayed the same
and changed, or whether the memory is inconsistent about it, or what.
\item I will now turn to the aspect of the memory concerned with the
method the organism has used to move itself. \# Methodologically, the
-memory is a multiplex symbol. \# A "single method" is everything to be done
+memory is a multiplex symbol. \# A \enquote{single method} is everything to be done
by the organism, to move itself, throughout the total time it takes to reach
the destination edge; so that the organism could not use two different
-"single methods," must, after it chooses its method, continue with it alone
+\enquote{single methods,} must, after it chooses its method, continue with it alone
throughout. The organism has available different (single) methods, has
different methods it could try. The different sequences, of all units, are
assigned to the different (single) methods available to the organism to signify
them; are symbols for them. (Thus, the number of available methods
increases as units are added to the memory.) \slash Now all this only approximates
what is the case, because contrary to what I may have implied, which
-method is used is not a matter of "fact" as are the temporal intervals and
+method is used is not a matter of \enquote{fact} as are the temporal intervals and
amounts of progress. As I have said, having all units in any succession
-constitutes the total memory, total recall ("factually")--different sequences
+constitutes the total memory, total recall (\enquote{factually})--different sequences
of all units are each the total memory, total recall, $\ltimes$ but, as language, the
total memory in different styles (like words in different orders in a highly
inflected language); and the matter of method (which might better be said to
-be "manner") corresponds to the matter of style, rather than factual
+be \enquote{manner}) corresponds to the matter of style, rather than factual
content, of language. Different styles exclude each other, but not what is
said in each other's being true.$\rtimes$ Thus it is that the number of available
methods can increase; and that any sequence of all units can constitute the
-total memory, total recall ("factually"), although different sequences signify
+total memory, total recall (\enquote{factually}), although different sequences signify
different methods used. \slash \# As an indicator of the method used, the whole
memory is a multiplex symbol. Names for each of the methods are combined
in a single symbol, the totality of units. In remembering, the organism
separates any single name by going through all the units in succession, and
that name is the complete reading of the multiplex symbol, the complete
-information about the method used. I will not be concerned to "explain"
+information about the method used. I will not be concerned to \enquote{explain}
the matter of the increasing number of available methods; or the matter of
any sequence of all units' constituting the complete reading, the total
memory, total recall, but different sequences' signifying different methods
@@ -141,12 +143,12 @@ used. \#
\item I will give just an indication of what the available methods [and
their relations through the multiplex memory] are like. Throughout this
description, there has been the difficulty that English lacks a vocabulary
-appropriate for describing the "universe" I am concerned with, but the
+appropriate for describing the \enquote{universe} I am concerned with, but the
difficulty is particularly great here, in the case of the methods [and their
relations through the multiplex memory]; so that I will just have to
approximate a vocabulary with present English as best as I can. The
methods, instruments of autokinesis, are all mental, teleportation, result in
-teleportation. The "consciousnesses" available to the organism to be
+teleportation. The \enquote{consciousnesses} available to the organism to be
combined into methods are infinitely many. It has available many states of
mind (as humans have non-consciousness, autohypnotic trance, dizziness,
dreaming, clear-headed calculation, and so forth), corresponding to different
@@ -155,24 +157,24 @@ differentiate its states of mind by referring to them with the names of the
human states of mind (rather than just with letters). It has available an
indefinite variety of contents, as humans have particular imagings, in its
conscious states of mind. I will outline the principal contents. There are
-"visualized" fluid regions of color (like colored liquids), first-order contents.
-There are 'visualized' radient surfaces, and non-radient surfaces or regions
-("holes"), the intermediate contents. The second-order contents are
-"projective" constructs of imaged geometric surfaces, "covers," "lattices,"
-and "shells." Fluid colors can be stationary or flowing. They can occur in
-certain series, "channels"; and in certain arrays, "reservoirs." A channel can
-be "closed" or "open"; two channels can be "crossed," or
-"screw-connected" (earlier members of each channel flowing into later
+\enquote{visualized} fluid regions of color (like colored liquids), first-order contents.
+There are \enquote{visualized} radient surfaces, and non-radient surfaces or regions
+(\enquote{holes}), the intermediate contents. The second-order contents are
+\enquote{projective} constructs of imaged geometric surfaces, \enquote{covers,} \enquote{lattices,}
+and \enquote{shells.} Fluid colors can be stationary or flowing. They can occur in
+certain series, \enquote{channels}; and in certain arrays, \enquote{reservoirs.} A channel can
+be \enquote{closed} or \enquote{open}; two channels can be \enquote{crossed,} or
+\enquote{screw-connected} (earlier members of each channel flowing into later
members of the other). First-order contents (fluid colors) often occur on or
within second-order ones (projective surfaces). Second-order contents can be
-"held" or "growing." States of mind have depth, 'deeper' being 'farther from
-the forefront of attention'; and contents can be at different depths. A state
-of mind as a unity can be "frozen," which is more than just unchanging (in
+\enquote{held} or \enquote{growing.} States of mind have depth, \enquote{deeper} being \enquote{farther from
+the forefront of attention}; and contents can be at different depths. A state
+of mind as a unity can be \enquote{frozen,} which is more than just unchanging (in
particular having its contents stationary or held). It can be projected into
-"superstate," remaining a state of mind but being superenergized. [Most
+\enquote{superstate,} remaining a state of mind but being superenergized. [Most
interesting, states of mind, in different methods signified by different
symbols combined in the multiplex methodological memory, can have
-contact with each other, for example be "interfrozen."] A partial description
+contact with each other, for example be \enquote{interfrozen.}] A partial description
of a method will give an idea of the complexity of the methods. Channels are
generated by a frozen non-conscious state, and become fixed in the surface
layer of an [inter] melted trance. The screw-crossed channels erode crevices
@@ -192,14 +194,14 @@ concentric shells having intermixed reservoirs between them, during cyclic
intersection of the trance in superstate. I will not say more about the
available methods, because in a sense the memory does not: a sequence of
units is a marker arbitrarily assigned to a method to signify it, like an
-arbitrary letter, say 'q', assigned to a certain table to signify it; it no more
-gives characteristics of the method than 'q' does of the table. In fact, the
+arbitrary letter, say \enquote{q}, assigned to a certain table to signify it; it no more
+gives characteristics of the method than \enquote{q} does of the table. In fact, the
available methods and sequences do not have any particular order; one
-cannot speak of the "first" method, the "second," or the like.
+cannot speak of the \enquote{first} method, the \enquote{second,} or the like.
\item I will now concentrate on the character of the memory as a mental
entity, and the rest of the symbolism used in it and specific content. A unit
-is a rectangular plane ("visualized") radient surface (! ---the terminology is
+is a rectangular plane (\enquote{visualized}) radient surface (! ---the terminology is
that introduced in the last paragraph), which has two stationary plane
reservoirs (!) on it, and has a triangular hole (!) in it. The triangular hole is
a simple symboi not yet explained: its perimeter equals the amount of the
@@ -210,7 +212,7 @@ hole indicates zero perimeter and no progress.
\item As for the symbols for the temporal interval. The colors in each of
the two reservoirs on each unit are primary, and are mixed together.
Speaking as accurately as possible in English, in each reservoir there is
-precisely one point of "maximum mixture' of the primary colors. (The rest
+precisely one point of \enquote{maximum mixture} of the primary colors. (The rest
of the reservoirs are not significant: the primary colors are mentally mixed in
any way to get the right amount of mixture, as pigments are mixed on a
palette.) $\ltimes$ For the first temporal memory, these points are two points on a
@@ -224,7 +226,7 @@ into the future (lower and upper edges representing equal distances from the
present). Now a scale is required so that it can be told what temporal
intervals the interval on the amount of mixture scale and the interval on the
distance scale represent. The parts of the scale which may vary from unit to
-unit and have to be specified in each unit are the "absolute" time
+unit and have to be specified in each unit are the \enquote{absolute} time
corresponding to the maximum possible color mixture, the number of units
of absolute duration per unit difference in amounts of mixture, and the
number of units of absolute duration per unit difference in distances from
@@ -243,7 +245,7 @@ course of action in the future, specifically, what progress will be made when.
With this background, it is not surprising that the method of
representation I have chosen is visual representation of the units, the
-"visualizations." Units are represented by rectangular sheets of paper of
+\enquote{visualizations.} Units are represented by rectangular sheets of paper of
different translucencies with mixtures of inks of primary colors on them and
holes cut in them, together in an envelope. Only one sheet should be out of
the envelope at a time. A sheet should be viewed while placed before a white