tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3538502828554372917.post230578163769836383..comments2024-03-28T07:57:49.338+00:00Comments on Poul Anderson Appreciation: MiniaturizationKetlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08588156788583883454noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3538502828554372917.post-11698887491783622842022-08-04T20:54:51.154+01:002022-08-04T20:54:51.154+01:00I recall an incidental part of a novel (the name o...I recall an incidental part of a novel (the name of which is buried deep in my memory) in which humans use virtual reality equipment to control roughly ant size humanoid robots & have adventures like confronting apparently giant scorpions.Jim Baerghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03182949391365921637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3538502828554372917.post-42041204034798504762015-08-09T17:11:39.540+01:002015-08-09T17:11:39.540+01:00Kaor, Paul!
While the idea of physically miiaturi...Kaor, Paul!<br /><br />While the idea of physically miiaturizing persons is certainly interesting, I have my doubts it will ever be possible to do so. For one thing, would a miniaturized man become LESS intelligent the smaller his brain gets? Less able to think and act?<br /><br />This objection would not apply to C.S. Lewis' THE GREAT DIVORCE, however. Non physical SPIRITS or souls with no bodies could be any "size."<br /><br />And I have read James Blish's short story, "Surface Tension," in which he used the idea of human beings not only being miniaturized, but also being able to breath in water. And, of how, long afterwards, their descendants traveled into "space" with their ship discovering the world surrounding the pool in which their ancestors were miniaturized. Interesting, but scarcely plausible!<br /><br />But your analysis of how a Patrol time hopper implied the possibility of miniaturization makes me wish Poul Anderson had written a story exploring the possibilities of that story. How would he have handled the problem of becoming less intelligent the smaller your brain got? <br /><br />And I have both versions of Asimov's FANTASTIC VOYAGE.<br /><br />Sean Sean M. Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13973738112230622557noreply@blogger.com