020. Learning

[electroniccrane]

[audio // EnglishIn humans, neural complexity begins to increase from birth, peaking at around age 11. After that point, the nervous system begins the process of pruning the unused neurons, moving the brain toward its adult configuration, which is set by around age 15. Some neurogenesis does occur after that, since adults are capable of learning

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[ttlyisabard]

[Kate sighs and rubs her forehead; she was bright, but this level of science was beyond her experiences.]

Major Kusanagi, are you talking about how children learn? On my world, a few scientists have theorized that the brain is the vessel of the mind, since injuries to the brain can affect memories, but common believe says the mind is separate from the body, as evidenced by spirits who live divorced of their bodies.

I ... might be a slow student on such advanced topics, but I would very much like to learn of your sciences. Your world must be so far ahead of mine. Would you care to teach me? Perhaps we can exchange lessons?

[Kate still wasn't aware of Kusanagi's cybernetics; THAT would be an interesting topic.]

[electroniccrane]

Consciousness requires a substrate. It doesn't necessarily have to be organic, but in unmodified humans, the brain is the seat of the mind.

[She's ignoring the "lessons" part because she's not interested in Kate's world at all.]

[ttlyisabard]

Hmm ... so what is consciousness? I mean, what causes it? I have heard of golems that can move because of spirits bound within them, but what is it that our wizards are binding?

[electroniccrane]

It's an emergent property that results once a sufficiently complex neural network is in place.

Of course, it could be entirely different where you're from.

[ttlyisabard]

It could be. But aside from the existence or absence of magic, I haven't heard of anyone describing humans in any way other than me. I mean, some people have different understanding.

[She thinks for a little bit.]

Wait, are you saying that consciousness could exist without a spirit? Like, could someone build a construct of enough complexity that it could have a mind like an actual creature, without having to actually implant the mind of a creature?

[electroniccrane]

Undoubtedly. I've seen it occur.

[ttlyisabard]

Really?! That is amazing! Oh, I hope I can take that knowledge back home, it would make so many wizards excited to know it is possible.

So, where you are from, you have constructs as well? What are they made of? What animates them?

[electroniccrane]

Define "constructs." We have robots, which are machines that run on electrical power, and cybernetics, which are mechanical replacements for pieces of the human anatomy.

[ttlyisabard]

[She listened to the terms the major used, taking the time to infer there meanings.]

Well ... a construct is a creation that is built rather than born, constructed from inanimate materials. The more advanced constructs are built of metal, with complex gears. They are different from undead in that elemental energy animates a construct, rather than a life.

[She had already figured out that the major was a great source for information, but she was still trying to figure out how to earn the stern woman's friendship, or at least a measure of respect. She was so cold, and Kate was simply not used to people not becoming her instant friend.]

[electroniccrane]

"Construct" would seem to map to "robot," then.

Robots and cybernetics are both made of metal and polymers, and powered by electricity, though the sources differ depending on the application.

[ttlyisabard]

Electricity is an elemental energy, so it seems your robots are similar to my constructs.

So "cybernetics" are ... like if someone gets an artificial limb?

[electroniccrane]

[Friendship or no, the Major is at least patient and willing to provide information almost endlessly.]

Electricity is not what I'd call "elemental," but I suspect our universes have different physical laws.

Artificial limbs, organs, cyberbrain augmentation, and so forth. Brain augmentation is actually the most common cybernetic modification.

[ttlyisabard]

Brain augmenting? That is the easiest? Wow, I would never have guessed ...

[She had already inferred that both the Major and Bato did not care to hear about magic, as Bato plainly said he didn't believe in it; well, he said it didn't exist, which was an impossible concept for Kate to understand.]

And you said there are ... robots? ... that have minds like people? Can you tell me about them?

[electroniccrane]

It's not the easiest, it's just the most common. Most people don't need an artificial hand unless they've suffered an injury, but cyberbrains are extremely useful.

Well, there are AIs--that's "artificial intelligences"--which are capable of cognition but generally experience only limited sentience, and then there are emergent entities, that arise from a sufficiently complex neural network exposed to the proper stimuli.

[ttlyisabard]

Interesting ...

[She was wracking her brain to understand the concepts, but it helped that her world had sufficiently advanced magic; she was able to just pass off this talk of technology as a type of magic.]

I guess that makes sense. But, couldn't artificial limbs be made to be better than normal limbs?

[electroniccrane]

[Kate can't see the smirk, but some of it is making its way into the Major's voice.]

Yes. Yes, they could.