From 201400d58ee98c13ba1661aa3871c3b56d5c9f52 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: grr <grr@lo2.org>
Date: Thu, 2 May 2024 21:32:35 -0400
Subject: breakout 'new modality' essays

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+\chapter{Representation of the Memory of an Energy Cube Organism (Original 1961 Version)}
+
+\section*{Foreward}
+
+I have refrained from editing the Original Version except where 
+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'). 
+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 
+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 
+this notion are placed in brackets. 
+
+\begin{enumerate}
+\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 
+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 
+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 
+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 
+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' 
+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 
+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, 
+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 
+describing the memory, I will go from considering primarily the content, 
+what the memory is of; to considering the specific character of the units, 
+specific symbolism used in the memory, and specific content. Each unit is 
+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 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 
+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 
+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 
+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 
+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 
+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 
+memory exactly cover, without overlap, the absolute total time. In contrast, 
+although the intervals of the second temporal memory do not overlap at any 
+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 
+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 
+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 
+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 
+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 
+amounts of progress. As I have said, having all units in any succession 
+constitutes the total memory, total recall ("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 
+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 
+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" 
+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 
+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 
+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 
+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 
+forms its energy can assume. To give this description more content I will 
+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 
+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 
+particular having its contents stationary or held). It can be projected into 
+"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 
+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 
+in a held shell, which breaks into growing sheets (certain covers). The sheets 
+are stacked, and held in a frozen dream thawed at intervals for reshuffling. 
+The dream becomes melted, and proceeds in a trajectory which shears, and 
+closes, open channels. If no violation of the channels cross-mars the melt, the 
+stack meshes with the sharp-open channels. The dream becomes [inter] 
+frozen, and mixed calculation states compress the closed channels which 
+were not surface-fixed in it. A fused exterior double-flash (a certain 
+maximally radient surface) is expand-enveloped by a trance, which becomes 
+dizziness; and oblique lattices are projected from the paralinear deviation of 
+guided open channels in it. Growing shells are dreamed into violet 
+sound-slices (certain fluid colors) by the needed jumped drag (a certain 
+consciousness), a [cross] frozen dream. Channels in a growing trance enspiral 
+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 
+available methods and sequences do not have any particular order; one 
+cannot speak of the "first" method, the "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 
+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 
+organism's progress, the difference in its minimum distances from the 
+destination edge, in the interval the unit is concerned with. Absence of the 
+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 
+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 
+scale of amounts of color mixture. For the second memory, the points are 
+two points on a scale of vertical distances from the imaginary horizontal line 
+which bisects the rectangular surface, divides it into lower and upper halves. 
+The units are marked in their lower halves only; because for the second 
+memory the imaginary dividing line represents the present instant, distances 
+below it represent distances into the past, and distances above it distances 
+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 
+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 
+the imaginary dividing line. The markers arbitrarily assigned to the triples of 
+information giving these parts of the scale are average radiences per unit 
+areas of the units (excepting the holes). $\rtimes$
+
+\item A final aspect of interest. Not too surprisingly, the transformation 
+which is inverting all units gives, if one considers not the first temporal 
+memory but its reflection in the present instant, the organism's precognized 
+course of action in the future, specifically, what progress will be made when. 
+\end{enumerate}
+
+
+\section*{The Representation}
+
+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 
+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 
+light in front of a black background, so that the light illuminates the whole 
+sheet as evenly as possible without being seen through the hole, only the 
+black being seen at the hole. The ultimate in fidelity would be to learn to 
+visualize these sheets as they look when viewed properly; then one could 
+have the memory as nearly as possible as the organism does. I have 
+represented eleven of the tens of thousands of units in the total memory. 
+
-- 
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