Brain And Mind

World Without Stars, XI.

The perennial mind-body question comes up again when the telepathic Ai Chun try to control Argens. He experiences images, impulses, terror, anger, bliss, lust, stiffness and sweat although it is comparable only to mild drunkenness. The Ai Chun project scientifically known energies in order:

"...to stimulate corresponding patterns in my brain." (p. 75)

But they are bound to fail because he is of a different species, because his neurons work differently, because it is impossible to be taken over against your will and because:

"You're closer to your own nervous system, and better integrated with it, than anyone else can be." (pp. 75-76)

"You" are a psychophysical organism. You are close to, and integrated with, your nervous system because it is a crucial part of the organism. But how do neuronic patterns cause mental images and feelings? That is the mind-body question.

Unequals

World Without Stars, XI. 

It is extraordinary to read about beings to whom it is axiomatic that any other intelligent species exists only to serve them. The Ai Chun are incapable of conceiving that the newly arrived Earthmen are their equals (at least) with whom they might trade, make treaties, exchange information, share cultures etc. 

"'We dismissed the former visitors, and we shall not let you run free in the world. Have no fear. Your potential usefulness is admitted. While you obey, you shall not be harmed. And when you grow old you will be cared for like any aged, faithful Niao.'" (p. 75)

"'The seed we planted long ago is bearing its fruit... We will occupy your camp and put you to work.'" (p. 78)

They honestly believe that is a fair and reasonable offer! 

The first rule of inter-species diplomacy: find out what the other guys want and whether it is compatible with what we want. Don't just take it for granted that they have no independent wants!

It is easier to write about aliens that do not understand what we understand than the other way around.

Clearly, the Ai Chun cannot survive contact with galactic civilizations.

Seven Names

Einstein

Milne

Dingle

Mach

Nernst

Dirac

Haertel

Have I missed any? These names are cited by Poul Anderson, James Blish or both when presenting science fictional rationalizations for faster-than-light (FTL) interstellar travel. FTL is made to seem plausible when it is presented as an imminent next stage in an already existing scientific tradition.

Einstein in both, obviously. 

Milne in Blish.

Dingle in Blish.

Mach in Anderson and Blish.

Nernst in Blish.

Dirac in Blish.

Those turned out to be mostly "in Blish" but I had to do it to find out. Correct me if I am wrong but I think that the many references to Dirac in Poul Anderson Appreciation are comparisons with Blish's Dirac transmitter, not Andersonian references to Dirac. Blish extends the list by adding the fictional Haertel. Anderson's works do not present any corresponding figure.

Ai Chun

World Without Stars, XI.

"...you don't need hard radiation for mutation to occur; thermal quantum processes will do the same less rapidly." (p. 73)

I didn't know that. But it figures. Change is constant even if slow.

Argens tells the Ai Chun that what thinking animals have in common is more important than any differences in bodily shape. Aristotle: "Man is a rational animal." English law: "Murder is the unlawful killing of a reasonable creature..." (Our laws already protect aliens.)

The Ai Chun disagree. They have existed unchanged with no surviving biological enemies in an apparently unchanging world for over a billion years. They build and stockbreed and have even bred one bipedal species for intelligence. Finally, believing in reincarnation, they think that they themselves had created the whole universe in an earlier life. They do not remember why they had created Yonderfolk or Earthmen but their entire world-view - and self-view - is threatened by any claim either to exist independently of them or to have originated in a vaster and more complicated universe. In particular, the galaxy, seen only at night, is too bright for their eyesight and therefore is their equivalent of the Devil. I detect a contradiction here but world-views of this kind do generate contradictions. 

The Ai Chun remind me of the Party in 1984, wielding absolute power in their own domain and denying anything external to themselves.

Deductions

World Without Stars, X.

Members of the Herd, travelling in a galley, take two Earthmen, Argens and Rorn, to meet their masters, the Ai Chun. En route, Rorn makes some deductions. Cheap boats and wilderness should make for individualism. Instead, the fishing crew that chanced on the human camp did not make contact but immediately reported back to some headquarters and it took time for a delegation to be sent. Also, the language of a group of aliens who had visited once a long time ago has been preserved and carried across the planet. Conclusion:

"'...we're on the marches of a very big and very old empire.'" (p. 66)

Argens agrees that this:

"'Makes a good working hypothesis...'" (ibid.)

- as indeed it does. And it has been deduced from details that many of us would have missed. James Blish's Okies, entering a new planetary system, have to make this kind of deduction very quickly in order to assess what they are dealing with. For them, it is a matter of earning a living.

Relevant Other Reading

"It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data

"(Conan Doyle, Scandal in Bohemia)"

-quoted in Colin Dexter, Death Is Now My Neighbour (London, 1996), Chapter Twenty, p. 126.

Other reading - Dexter quotes Conan Doyle and we think that Poul Anderson did also so we search the blog and find:

An Old Proverb

Quiz question: which fictional detectives die in their last novel?

This is the fourth and probably the last post on this blog for today but please see also:

Haertel's Significance In Three Timelines II

Scholium Criteria

Haertel's Significance In Three Timelines III

Rain

World Without Stars, IX.

In this chapter, rain plays the usual role of the wind in Poul Anderson's works, accompanying and punctuating the dialogue, particularly at its dramatic points and pauses. 

Argens is on sentry duty when the enemies of the Azkashi arrive at the camp:

"The galaxy was hidden in a slow, hot rain..." (p. 58)

The galaxy is visible only at night. We have already been told that:

"It was not impossible for the Herd to come raiding at night. But it was rare. The downdevils feared God and so their worshipers did too...." (I, p. 6)

But they venture forth when weather hides God.

Next, when the representatives of the Herd have been welcomed into a hut:

"Then I stood, soaked, hearing the rain rumble on our roof, crowded with my men between these narrow walls, and looked upon wonder." (p. 58)

The Herd are very different from the Pack, not free tribes-beings but specially bred slaves.

With a little whisky inside him, Argens is able to forget rain, heat and darkness and to concentrate on communication. 

Gianyi of the Herd and his blind dwarf telepath bow their heads whenever the former mentions their masters, the Ai Chun: a human gesture. Implausibly human?

When two Earthmen discuss their guests:

"'They may mean well in spite of their manners,' Bren said.

"'Sure,' I said. 'They may.' The rain gurgled as it fell onto soaked earth." (p. 62)

That rain seems to comment and does not sound reassuring.

When Valland, who is with the Pack, contacts Argens, some "...ugly noises..." come over the radio:

"'Hugh!' I cried. 'Are you there?'

"The rain had stopped, and silence grew thick in the hut." (p. 63)

Silence always underlines dramatic pauses in the dialogue. Often the wind is heard on such occasions but this time the accompaniment is the rain and it has stopped. Silence reigns until Valland can speak again. Argens advises:

"'Try to explain the idea of neutrality...'" (p. 64)

We know that neutrality is impossible between God and devils. The Pack do not know of any other kind of conflict.

Azkashi

World Without Stars, IX.

Valland wonders whether "Azkashi" means:

hill people

free people

people of the galaxy god

all these things and more

Surely the fourth option? The Packs live in the hills, are free and worship that which Earthmen call the galaxy but which they call God. And they are more likely to use words that are full of meanings rather than narrowly defined. 

We make fine distinctions. Someone wondered whether a Latin text referred to Mars the planet or to Mars the god but surely there was a time before that distinction was made?

When, in CS Lewis' That Hideous Strength, a cat goes to sleep in close physical contact with a tame bear, is this friendship or just bodily pleasure? Ransom answers that the interaction between these two animals:

"'...is a single undifferentiated thing in which you can find the germ of what we call friendship and of what we call physical need. But it isn't either at that level. It is one of Barfield's "ancient unities".'"

-CS Lewis, That Hideous Strength IN Lewis, The Cosmic Trilogy (London, 1990), pp. 349-753 AT CHAPTER 12, 5, p. 621.

Limitations

World Without Stars, VIII.

Ya-Kela thinks that ya-Valland has:

"...curious weaknesses.'" (p. 52)

He is blind at night, awkward in the marshlands, lacking either tail or webbed feet, and ignorant of dangers like dart bushes. Of course Valland is awkward and ignorant in this environment! That ya-Kela does not understand that is a limitation on his part, not on Valland's. In a city, if he ever visited one, ya-Kela would not know to look both ways before crossing a street.

More seriously, if the stranger is not after all "'...from God...,'" (p. 53) then ya-Kela:

"'...will plunge the first spear into ya-Valland.'" (ibid.)

Many on Earth would regard the Azkashi's devotion "'...to God alone...'" (p. 54) as admirable but we have learned from experience how this can go wrong. In London, an Evangelical preacher went to the assembly point of a demonstration in order to address Muslims with remarks like:

"They say that He is not the Son of God and what a blasphemy that is!"

Not a blasphemy, just a different belief!

(What constitutes respect or disrespect to the Lord is largely a matter of tradition. Someone who entered our meditation hall was shocked to see people sitting for meditation with their backs to the Buddha.) 

Here at Blog Central, we, editorially speaking, are suffering from a mild cold, therefore reading and posting sluggishly. Also, we are still giving some attention to the less-read James Blish Appreciation blog.

Go with God. (As Blish's Jorn the Apostle says.)

Establishing Communication

I have been rereading two sf novels in which space travelers have to establish communication with alien intelligence(s).

Poul Anderson, World Without Stars

The Azkashi are easy to deal with because they have:

"...no obviously alien semantics." (VII, p. 49)

They have individual names, use comprehensible sign language and both accept and bring gifts. When their gifts include an animal that might poison the Earthmen, Valland accepts this gift by burning it. This response is acceptable to the Azkashi.

Caution remains necessary. Valland appears to claim that he has come from the galaxy. To ya-Kela, this implies that Valland has claimed:

"...to be the emissary of God." (VIII, p. 52)

The Azkashi partially resemble kangaroos.

James Blish, Welcome To Mars (London, 1978)

The dune-cat's resting stance is kangaroo-like and he has an abdominal pouch. Each hand has five fingers and a thumb so he counts in twelves.

Communication is difficult. Neither can pronounce the other's language so they develop a pidgin and some information is exchanged by drawing maps and pictures.

Addendum: Only this single post on this blog today. And one more on James Blish Appreciation here.