Virtually Real

Virtually Real

Published by D. S. Whitfield

New Zealand

[email protected]

© 2014 D. S. Whitfield

ISBN 978-0-473-28227-1 (Softcover)

ISBN 978-0-473-28228-8 (ePUB)

ISBN 978-0-473-28229-5 (Kindle)

Production & Typesetting:

Andrew Killick

Castle Publishing Services

www.castlepublishing.co.nz

Cover design:

Paul Smith

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission from the author.

Chapter 1

The Project

“We will do it!” Eli spoke out to himself as he contemplated.

Genetic modification is commonplace, with all moral and ethical objections long since silenced. Added to that, the sum of human knowledge in all fields is the greatest history has known and super-computers give incredibly fast access to it all.

The year 2063 appeared to leave little scientific challenge for the inhabitants of planet earth – except for the social and behavioural problems of mankind itself!

Scientific breakthroughs occurred in rapid succession in the late 2040’s and it was finally confirmed that the universe comprised ten dimensions: four being directly knowable to human senses, and the remainder being mathematically deduced from careful analysis of experimental data gathered over the last few centuries.

Another breakthrough of the time was a complete understanding of quantum physics. Scientists knew and could predict quantum behaviour, and had a number of useful theories, but human comprehension and understanding was incomplete. It was not until a multi-dimensional description of space-time, matter, energy and pattern metrics (which conveyed relationship functions) had been reached was it possible to elucidate a clear concept for at least some human minds to grasp. Even then it was more by proven analogy than direct knowing, and made more sense to mathematicians than laymen.

Eli pondered and reviewed the literature, sensing that a hitherto unconsidered project could be mounted. He was senior professor at one of the most prestigious universities in the world. The Rô’sh-Qêts University (usually called ‘Roshy’) originally located in Jerusalem. This university had earned its reputation as a centre of learning after the Fourth World War, also known as the Magog War because of the major Russian invasion of the Middle East that precipitated it.

Rô’sh-Qêts had undertaken fundamental particle energy research and came to the most lucid understanding of the nature of the physical world that had ever been achieved. From this knowledge it was able to develop space-time, force-field weapons that provided protection from enemy nuclear, chemical and conventional attack, and, with suitable computer programming, could even turn those weapons back to their launching sites. Much of Israel had been devastated in this war, but Jerusalem had been kept intact. It truly seemed that no weapon formed against it could prevail. The Rô’sh-Qêts University re-located to Hafia ten years after hostilities ended.

Professor Eli played a major role in the research that led to Israel’s survival and subsequent peace. This gave him enormous international credibility that he would use to access unlimited funds.

He continued his thoughts.

Would it be possible, he mused, to create a simplified replica, or image, of the world with ‘beings’ that modelled human behaviour?

“What’s going on in your mind, Eli? You seem to be in another world,” observed Lucas.

Next to Eli, Lucas was perhaps the most brilliant scientist the world had ever known. In past centuries he would have been known as a model ‘Renaissance Man’ with a complete understanding of the Arts and all the Humanities, Social Sciences, Mathematics, Engineering and the Physics of the macro and micro realms. He epitomised wisdom, exuded confidence, was a brilliant charismatic leader, and a skilful strategist. He was much more outgoing and affable than Eli who did not have the charming mannerisms that most people find attractive.

“I think we’re ready to try it,” he said absently.

“Try what?”

“Listen. The concept I have is to create a virtual replica of human life – just like it is lived now. It will have to be a simplified model, but I believe that with our current knowledge it can be done.”

“How will you get those intangible attributes of free will, and individuated thoughts and feelings to be embodied in these virtual people?”

Eli did not answer directly, and instead replied, “In my youth, I would climb mountains. Sometimes we would look at possible routes from below, but could not see the detail. Often we had to do the climb without knowing the detail, and meet unknown obstacles as they arose.”

“OK. I get the picture. We will use our knowledge to get the basic structures in place and then work on the plan that will incorporate the really human bits.”

Lucas knew that if Eli could see a goal then it was achievable and somehow the obstacles would be overcome.

“It will require a lot of team work and big
money
to do what you’re proposing. You will have to call in a lot of favours.”

Lucas’ interest quickened. Even with all his wisdom and insight he was not a humble man and had a fond affection for power and influence. He could see that this project had the potential of enhancing his mana (and his ego) even beyond its already considerable size.

“I’ll rough out the plans for the project and go over them with you in the next few months,” Eli replied.

Eli called an international convocation of scientists, world leaders and government heads. Because of Lucas’ greater charisma, Eli arranged for him to front the meetings.

“To all assembled here, we are about to embark on one of the greatest scientific ventures mankind has ever undertaken,” began Lucas.

“Through the vision, wisdom, understanding and knowledge of Professor Eli, we are going to create a virtual replica of human-kind using all the scientific knowledge at our command. With the techniques we now have in energy transfer using holographic imaging we can model the creation of sub-nuclear particles and manipulate them into the building blocks of a virtual reality of our current universe.

“Naturally as this is the first attempt, the creation of this virtual reality will be limited to the creation of virtual humans and all the basics that they would need – food sources, water, shelter, environmental diversity – all these will be created as part of the virtual environment. This will give us tools to study human behaviour, predict outcomes and apply the lessons to our own situation.”

“What about the Bio-dome experiment done in the late 1900’s?” yelled one delegate, “It too was a big vision and failed because not everything had been thought of; and the people running it kept arguing among themselves. It will be the fate of this project also – if I’m not mistaken!”

Eli ignored the comment and rose. “A difference is that we will be able to intervene into that virtual world. We will be able to make adjustments or ‘shifts’ from outside the space-time domain as perceived by the virtual inhabitants.

“But with regard to your second point; I believe that this project can have harmony amongst its members. I will be in charge. However each team member will be free, within constraints, to make their own adjustments of the environmental conditions, and to have influence on the minds and thoughts of the virtual people, which I propose to call ‘v-people’. This will enable the v-people to have the full range and variety of thoughts and feelings that we ourselves experience.”

There was a murmur of appreciation at the scope of vision in Eli’s proposal, but also waves of doubt that it could ever be achieved.

“We believe that we can create in the virtual world a physical replication of the human environment,” challenged one delegate, “but how are we going to replicate the individual thoughts, feelings, emotions, decisions – the very soul and spirit of these creations? They still won’t represent humans unless they have a range of external stimulus from which to make an accumulation of decisions that start to define individual identity.”

A mood of scepticism developed.

“Yeah we need to see how that’s going to be done before we can buy into it Professor,” came an anonymous voice echoing the mood of many.

Eli began to explain. “For the v-people to be ‘real’, insofar as this experiment goes, it will be necessary that they
be
like us, and that we can communicate with them. Yet they must be free to decide for themselves what they do with that communication. As I said before we will be able to communicate with the v-people as I call them. This communication will not usually be direct, it will be by an impression given to them. An impression easily ignored and suppressed. This gives them the opportunity to decide their own way and will show to other v-people, themselves and us, the nature that they themselves choose to have. One of the strictest rules which I will build into the codes, and to which we must all adhere, is the rule of respecting the ‘personhood’ of the v-people. We are not to violate them even if they choose foolish or evil ways.”

It seemed to some that Eli may have glanced in Lucas’ direction as he spoke but no one was sure.

And so it was that Eli set Lucas to get the signatures, the funding and of course the scientists, artisans, managers, historians and engineers needed to bring it all together. Meanwhile Eli set himself to solve the issue of creating a ‘soul’ in the v-people.

In the end he reasoned the steps thus:

• Create in virtual reality all the physical elements and replicate the properties of these as found in earth.
  
• Combine these to form virtual molecules.
  
• Use nano-engineering principles to create virtual cells that would be fully functional.
  
• To order these cells into more complex entities, encode instructions carried on v-DNA molecules and reproduce them using v-RNA molecules. This would enable cells to reproduce and, with slight variations, enable more complex beings to be formed.
  

To achieve results thus far was possible – especially after the development by Abraham Kvinoscivy of relationship theory in mathematics. His methodology enabled accurate prediction of the interactions and behaviour of combined entities or elements.

But how was the next stage to be achieved? He decided that this would be by subtle energy changes that would directly influence the ‘brain’ of v-people. By this means the scientists would be able to cause images, thoughts and impressions to come into the awareness of the v-people.

Eli continued to ponder, there had to be something else if his creations were to exhibit proper ‘human’ qualities. They had to be aware of self, with an idea of ‘I am’; and they had to be free to make choices from a raft of impressions, external and internal, visual, tactile and of all other sensory inputs. If the whole thing was totally deterministic – just cause and effect, then he wasn’t interested. If there was freedom of choice within the constraints of the various rules then that would be something!

The more Eli thought on this the more he came to realise that something of his own free will attributes would have to be imparted. He would have to create an imagination within his creation that gave them a concept that they had a free choice to do, choose or believe what they wanted. The virtual ‘mind’ had to have a concept of self, be able to overview all the sensory inputs from the environment and choose what to act on and what to ignore. They would be made as an image or reflection of his own person.

Satisfied at last, Eli was now able to direct the efforts of his teams.