(Untitled)

[pale_night]

Well, here's a face that hasn't been around in quite some time. Today Midnight is leaning back on a convenient Couch [tm], reading from some book or other -- it must be a good book, too, because he's clearly entertained.

For a moment he muffles a bit of laughter. Then he reads a passage aloud:

'It is known that there are an infinite number of

Comments

[experimental_s]

Sarah... didn't understand a word of that, nope. She looks at him, though. Studies him.

[pale_night]

Midnight eyes her back, briefly, and then settles back again.

[experimental_s]

She keeps staring. Like she's trying to understand him.

[don_manuel]

A reductio ad absurdum is not usually regarded as a proof of the proposition involved. Subtracting some finite number from an infinity will leave you with another infinity, not a finite remainder.

And dividing any finite number by infinity is not an allowed arithmetical operation, but feel free. I fear my old mentor Miramon Lluagor would not be impressed.

[pale_night]

"But master Adams here is not subtracting the finite from the infinite, he's dividing the finite by infinity to make his point -- which is meant to be an ironic one, I might point out, and not literal."

Midnight lifts one colourless brow.

"Regardless of your mentor's likely disapproval, you didn't actually answer my question. You were distracted by the quote."

[don_manuel]

Sorry, I was, wasn't I? Miramon always did find me a distractible sort.

At the question, then: As I am familiar with the use of edged weapon, I shall endeavour to apply the method of that Englishman, William of Ockham.

It is manifest that I am acting upon, and acted upon by, other intelligent beings. Is it easier and does it involve fewer assumptions to think them possessed of a physical reality, free will, etc., or to think them illusionary parts of a dreamworld I inhabit all by myself? I have nt the time to sit and number the assumptions implicit in each view of the question, except to stack them up like kindling and see which is the bigger mound.

And I plump for the historical materialist perspective my typist has been filling my head with.

[pale_night]

"I see."

Privately, Midnight suspects the entire thing could have been stated in fewer words. But, to each their own --

"I had no physical form, once; I was data, information. Using a materialist perspective, would that mean I existed then, or no?"

[sarestes]

"Even if it's an illusion, the illusion exists."

[pale_night]

"That requires you to believe the two things are equal. Do you?"

[sarestes]

"Maybe I do. I don't believe it anyway."

[nolonger2nd]

Vesper climbed up on the couch next to Midnight.

"If we were only illusions, how could I do this?"

And on that note, he leaned over gave Midnight a hug.

[pale_night]

"By mental impulses --?"

Smiling, Midnight hooked an arm around Vesper to hug back, keeping the book out of the way. Book corners aren't the greatest to be jabbed by.

[nolonger2nd]

Vesper couldn't help but chuckle, still holding on.

"Well, we are bits of data so who knows what is going on. But, is that what is important?"

[pale_night]

Nuzzling a bit, Midnight shook his head.

"Not really. It was just an amusing bit in the book."

[gotgreenshades]

Carrie looks thoughtful as she mulls over everything Midnight has said. After a moment she grins, settling on an answer. "Yes."

[pale_night]

"'Yes' without a qualifier isn't precisely an answer."

[gotgreenshades]

"Yes to both, kinda. Illusion's about perception, what people see 'n don't, right? To someone so wrapped up in the theory of bein' infinitely reduced by a division, they could lose the reality of people and it all becomes an illusion to them. But at the same time, it's all right in front of you, and you're experiencing it, so even if it was an illusion it exists in you're head. So, I guess I'm saying that illusion is an existance. Sort of."

She knows what she's trying to say. Finding the right words for it seems to be a bit awkward, though.

[pale_night]

"But if something only exists in your head, and doesn't have a manifested shape, is it real enough?"