Lemopedia - User contributions [en]

Scylla

2014-11-28T15:02:28Z

Robert Boettcher: Created Stub-Article (Testing new Category System)

Scylla is a name mentioned in Stanislaw Lem's Book Summa Technologiae.

It is used in the Chapter Name 'Scylla and Charybdnis: On Restraint'.

''This is thus how our Scylla manifests itself: as an abyss, the limits of which we have been
approaching recklessly, eyeing up the future that lies thousands of years ahead.''

[[:Category:Summa Technologiae (Name)|Summa Technologiae (Name)]]

Pantocreatics

2014-11-28T14:54:57Z

Robert Boettcher: Adding Ghost article for later edition.

Pantocreatics is a Term in Stanislaw Lem's Book Summa Technologiae.

[[:Category:Summa Technologiae (Concept)|Summa Technologiae (Concept)]]

User talk:Robert Boettcher

2014-11-28T14:44:08Z

Robert Boettcher: Answer

== subcategories for characters, locations, concepts, etc. ==

Dear Robert:

in order to avoid confusion we suggest creating subcategories for characters, locations and Lem's concepts concerning a given book.

This has been already done in the case of "Fiasco": [[:Category:Fiasco (Characters)|Fiasco (Characters)]] which is a subcategory of [[:Category:Fiasco|Fiasco]]

Please let me know what you think about it.

[[User:Skrzat|Skrzat]] 17:38, 27 November 2014 (CET)

Dear Skrzat,

yes that is a pretty good improvement. The Character tag is actually just meant as a filler, till something more evolved like your suggestion comes along.

In future, that shall be the Format.
[[:Category:Fiasco (Characters)|Fiasco (Characters)]]

Selenoclasm

2014-11-27T15:10:25Z

Robert Boettcher: Created page with "The Term Selenoclasm describes the Event of a Moon falling onto its Planet, hitting it in the process and causing substantial damage. In the Novel Fiasco, a Selenoclasm ..."

The Term Selenoclasm describes the Event of a [[Moon]] falling onto its [[Planet]], hitting it in the process and causing substantial damage.

In the Novel Fiasco, a Selenoclasm occurs as an unintended result of an attempt to [[Cavitation_(Moon)]] of [[Quinta]].

[[Category:Name]][[Category:Moon]][[Category:Quinta]][[Category:Fiasco]]

Nais

2014-11-16T13:28:08Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from Stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

Nais is a stock character in [[Stanislaw Lem]]'s Novel [[Return from the Stars]]

==Schooling==

Nais goes to class at the Cavuta (Fashion Designer School). She is in the 2nd year there.

==Personal==

She is slacking at school, not doing her regular projects.

[[Category:Person]][[Category:Character]][[Category:Fashion Designer]][[Category:Future]][[Category:Return from the Stars]]

Eris

2014-11-16T13:18:20Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from Stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

Eris is a stock character in [[Stanislaw Lem]]'s Novel [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Return_from_the_Stars Return from the Stars].

==Life==

Eris lived in the nth century on this planet earth. she meets slave and the other expedition member on the property they all share. its a time where she reveals her biography

She was born and betrizized in her early childhood before or shortly after birth.

She was raised in a contact group with children of different tempers, to learn tolerance, loyality, get together and solve difficulties simply and smoothly in a relaxed manner.

==Safety deposit==

Write the second section of your page here.

[[Category:Person]][[Category:Character]][[Category:Return from the Stars]]

Kronecker

2014-11-16T13:06:13Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from Stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

Kronecker is a character in [[Stanislaw Lem]]'s [[Novel]] [[Return from the Stars]].

He is mentioned by [[Bregg]], and his kollaborative work in Mathematics with [[Abel]] is noted.

[[Category:Person]][[Category:Character]][[Category:Return from the Stars]][[Category:Mathematician]]

Roemer

2014-11-16T13:01:36Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from Stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

Roemer is character in Stanislaw Lem's Novel Return from the Stars.

He meets [[Bregg|Hal Bregg]] twice in his life.

Once when he is 7 years old. Once when he is 135 years old.

[[Category:Person]][[Category:Character]][[Category:Return from the Stars]][[Category:Mathematician]]

Aesculapius

2014-11-14T12:14:45Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from Stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

Aesculapius is a machine in Stanislaw Lem's Novel Fiasco
==Purpose==
Aesculapius oversees any medical operations on board the Eurydice and stores reports about these.

It backs up its information into the core database of Deus.

[[Category:Medicine]][[Category:Machine]][[Category:Eurydice]][[Category:Fiasco]]

Gold

2014-11-14T12:11:46Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from Stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

Gold is a minor character in Stanislaw Lem's Novel Fiasco.

Gold is an Astrophysicist. He is part of the crew the Hermes.

[[Category:Person]][[Category:Character]][[Category:Fiasco]][[Category:Astrophysicist]][[Category:Physicist]]

Olimos Cycle

2014-11-13T15:57:16Z

Robert Boettcher:

Olimos cycle is a technology in Stanislaw Lem's Novel Fiasco.

It concerns itself with the synthesis of Deuterium and Tritium in space.

[[Category:Concept]][[Category:Fiasco]][[Category:Science]][[Category:Fusion]]

Olimos Cycle

2014-11-13T15:56:44Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from Stanislaw-lem.wikia

Olimos cycle is a technology in Stanislaw Lem's Novel Fiasco.

It concerns itself with the synthesis of Deuterium and Tritium in space.

[[Category:Concept]][[Category:Fiasco]]

Zeta

2014-11-12T14:47:31Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from Stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

Zeta is a star in the Harpyie. It is the sun of Quinta.

==Solar System==
Number of Planets: 8

Star:[http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/K_class_star class-K]

Inner Planets: 4

Mass Inner Planets: equal to between Mercury and Mars

Geographic Features Innser Planets: much volcanic activity, almost no atmosphere.

Outer Planets: 3

Mass Outer Planets: Gas Giants like Jupiter (Septima 2x times Jupiter energy output 2x times what received from Sun)

Atmosphere Outer Planets: Hyrdogen (Superdense)

Habitable: Quinta

Quinta Rotational Period: 547 days

[[Category:Star]][[Category:Fiasco]][[Category:Zeta-System]]

We are heading towards a nuclear war

2014-11-12T14:34:04Z

Robert Boettcher: Added Categories

Original [http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/interview-mit-stanislaw-lem-wir-steuern-auf-einen-nuklearkrieg-zu-a-400622.html Source] (Spiegel, 2006) - Translated March 2014 by Robert Boettcher

Interview with Stanislaw Lem: "We are heading towards a Nuclear war!"

In one of his last interviews Science-Fiction-Author Stanislaw Lem expresses his frustration with the world. He curses about President Bush, ranted about his country Poland. At the end of his life the big old man of the futuristic novel was quite a pessimist.

'''Question: '''I wanted to ask whether life has a purpose. But maybe that question is to general, so I ask instead: Does life have a future?

'''Lem: '''Regarding the question of the future of mankind I always feel a certain unease. Because we steer inevitably towards a nuclear war. Unfortunately I do not know when the final clash will happen. If I would know, I would preferably sit myself into the strongroom of the american president.

'''Question: '''But that is a terrible prognosis.

'''Lem: '''Terrible, but based on facts. It suffices to call before ones eye a part of the political landscape: When Teheran announced to continue its nuclear program, the israeli politican Benjamin Netanjahu said that he had a plan to bombard the iranian nuclear installations. As reaction Teheran rockets of medium and long range in russia to use them in case of an attack. Such a tension is no announcement of a lasting peace.

'''Question: '''You mean to say, the United States could lose control in this conflict?

'''Lem: '''The United States are - as has been said previously by the canadian prime minister - a Giant without head. President Bush has the characteristic of being stupid. Witness to this gives, for example, the fact that he advocates against evolution theory, in favour of a so called intelligent project which deals with the fact that it is not known what it deals with. His whole administration propagates this idiotic theory, its members are lacking intelligence.

'''Question: '''With Bush's "intelligent project" you mean the idea that god has influenced evolution. That is rejected by science, but not from the right. Does Bush seek advice in his decisions from the creator?

'''Lem: '''Not all rights are stupid, there are also reasonable rights. The english conservatives for example are no idiots.

'''Question: '''And the polish rights who just ascended to power?

'''Lem: '''What are we talking about here? Excuse me but poland is in the back of beyond - concerning civilization, and it counts nothing in the world. Noone is interested that we got some drakes here. If I was 30 years younger, I would leave poland anew. But where to head towards? Its uncomfortable everywhere. Switzerland is boring, the US dumb....

'''Question: '''What is your oppinion to lustration, the expiation of society that the Kaczynskis have written on their banners?

'''Lem: '''That makes no sense. One has to look into the future, not the past. (...) We are facing other challenges now. Crowds of of mohair-barett-wearers wont help us, if some arabs laid a bomb in the warsaw subway. Some time back an experiment has been conducted with the intention of testing the awareness of polish society in case of a terroristic attack. In a public place a parcel was placed. And what happened? Someone called the police? No! Because one of our countrymen had stolen the package! Such is our civic attitude. One should work on that, and not on the past, which does not exist anymore and wont exist again.

(...) The world grows ever more apart. Iraq is in disorder. In Syria not all is well. Teheran wont get scared from the UN Security Council. I think it is really unimportant who is president in poland. It is important who is president in the US. Every day dozens of people die in Iraq and this blockhead says things are getting better. What can one do with such a person?

'''Question: '''Do you hope for an impeachment of Bush?

'''Lem: '''There is no legal basis for that. Even if he was hit by an ugly arab, there would still be the vice-president, Cheney, who is not better than Busy. Because of such people the world becomes worse and worse.

'''Question: '''Is there no hope?

'''Lem: '''For the world? Bad prospects. How can one effectively combat increasing terrorism, if in such cases even death penalty does help? The terrorist are literally looking forward to die. As I said in the beginning: Slowly, but inevitably we are heading towards a nuclear conflict. That is no special insight, but a matter of course.

''The Interview was conducted by Przemyslaw Szubartowicz. It was published on 16.12.2005 in the polish newspaper "Przeglad". SPIEGEL ONLINE published excerpts from it. Translation: Marta Glowacka''

[[Category:Article]][[Category:Interview]][[Category:2006]][[Category:Translated 2014]]

Pasquinade on Evolution

2014-11-12T12:56:37Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from Stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

'''''8. Pasquill on the evolution''''' 
 

'''Introduction'''

'''Reconstruction of the species'''

'''The construction of life'''

'''The construction of death'''

'''The construction of consciousness'''

'''Error based constructions'''

'''Bionics and cybernetics'''

'''Through the eyes of the Designer'''

'''The reconstruction of Man'''

Let us consider the problem of perfecting the human. Here, various approaches are possible. One can pursue "maintenance engineering", simply represented by medicine. In this case the norm, i.e., the average state of health, represents the model; actions are taken with the goal of enabling anybody to attain such a state.

The range of those actions is slowly expanding. It may even include the installation of genotypically undesigned parameters into the body (like the above mentioned possibility of hibernation). In a fluid way one can proceed to an increasingly more universal prosthetics. And be able to overcome the defenses of the organism, aiming at successful transplantation of organs. All this has already been realized. The first transplantations of kidneys and lungs have already been performed; they are carried out, on a much larger scale, with animals ("reserve" heart). In the US there even exists a society for "replacement organs" which coordinates and supports scientific research on this subject. Hence, one can step by step rebuild the organism, changing it in distinct functions and parameters. This process will probably continue along two different lines, under the pressure of objective necessities - and technological possibilities: as''biological'' changes (the removal of defects, deformities etc. by transplantation) and as ''prosthetic'' changes (when the mechanical, "dead" prosthesis represents a better solution for the user than a natural transplant). Prosthetics, on this scale, obviously cannot lead to some kind of "robotization" of the human. This whole stage, which will certainly cover not only the end of the current century, but also the beginning of the next, assumes the acceptance of a fundamental "design scheme" given by Nature. Hence, untouched will remain the guidelines of body, organic, and functional constructions, together with the basic premise of protein as the building material - as well as with its inevitable consequences - aging and death.

Prolongation of life beyond the limit of 100 years ''statistically'' (i.e., that such were the average duration of an individual life) - without intervention on the genetic information - seems unreal to me. A lot of wise men have already proclaimed a couple of times that "actually", "in principle" every human could live for 140-160 years, since there are some people which live that long; this argument is comparable to that which states that "actually" each of us might be a Beethoven or a Newton, since they were human as well. Of course they were human, and so are the long-lived Caucasians in the mountains, but this implies nothing for the average population. Longevity is the result of the work of certain genes; if they are spread within the population, it becomes statistically long-lived. Any other program involving more radical changes is certainly not realizable today and during the next century. One can at most think about a program of revolutionary engineering of the organism. In a primitive, naive way, in fact, but it is possible.

First we have to find out what we want.

Similar to the existence of orders of spatial magnitude, from the metagalactic clouds, through galaxies, local stellar systems, planetary systems, planets, their biospheres, living organisms, viruses, molecules, atoms to quanta, there exist orders of temporal magnitude, i.e., different extensions in time. They more or less correspond to the former. The longest time scale is given by the individual existence of galaxies (between 10 and 20 billion years), then there are stars (about 10 billion years), biological evolution as a whole - 4-6 billion years, geological epochs (50-150 million years), the sequoia (6000 years), the human (about 70 years), the mayfly, the bacterium (about 15 minutes), the virus, cis-benzene, the meson (a millionth of a second).

The construction of rational beings with an individual life span comparable to geological epochs seems totally unreal. Either such a person would have to be of planetoidal dimensions - or do without a continuous memory of the events in its past. Obviously this is the field of grotesque SF-type concepts: long-lived beings which have their memories accommodated in gigantic underground "mnemotrons" in the cities and are linked to the reservoirs of their youthful memories 100000 years ago by VHF waves. Therefore the limit to realistic longevity improvement seems to be given by the biological maximum (sequoia, hence about 6000 years). What would be the most important characteristic of this long-lived being? For longevity alone cannot be a goal in itself. It must serve a certain purpose. Undoubtedly nobody, neither today, nor in a hundred thousand years, can predict the future with certainty. A basic feature of the "improved model" should therefore be its auto-evolutionary potential. It should be able to transform itself in a way and in a direction which are desired, with respect to the civilization built by itself.

What, therefore, is possible? Almost everything, possibly with one exception. People could, after discussion, decide some day of the umpteen thousandth year: "Enough - be it as it is now, be it so forever. We will not change, we will not invent, we will not discover any more, since it cannot be better than now, and even if it could, we do not want that."

Although I have presented many not very probable things in this book, this one seems to be the least probable of them all. 

'''Cyborgization'''

A separate discussion should be devoted to the only known today, purely hypothetical for the time being, project for the reconstruction of man which has been put forward by the scholars. This is no project of universal rebuilding. It is meant to serve a definite goal, the adaptation to the cosmos as an "ecological niche". This is the so called cyborg (an abbreviation for the words "cybernetic organization"). "Cyborgization" consists in removal of the digestive system (except for the liver and maybe parts of the pancreas), by which also jaws, their muscles, and the teeth become dispensable. If the question of speech has to be solved "cosmically" - by continuous use of radio communication - also the mouth will disappear. The cyborg possesses a couple of biological elements, like skeleton, muscles, skin, brain, but this brain consciously controls the hitherto involuntary functions of the body, since at the key positions of the organism there are osmotic pumps, injecting, in case needed, either refreshing, body-activating substances - medicines, hormones, stimulating drugs - or, on the contrary, substances which lower the basal metabolism, or even lead to a state of hibernation. This preparedness for auto-hibernation may considerably increase the chance of survival in the case of accidents or the like.

Blood circulation is designed rather "traditionally", though the cyborg can work under anaerobic conditions (but obviously with oxygen reserves in his space suit). The cyborg is not a partly prostheticised human anymore. he is a partly rebuilt human, with an artificial digestive-regulative system which allows for adaptation to diverse cosmic environments. He is, however, not microscopically reconstructed, i.e., living cell continue to be the building material of his body, furthermore, of course, the changes to his organism cannot be passed on to his descendants (they are not hereditary). The "cyborgization" could probably be supplemented by biochemical reconstruction. Thus, e.g., independence of the organism from continuous oxygen supply would be favorable. But this is already the path to that "biochemical revolution" which was mentioned earlier. It is known, after all, that one does not have to look for substances which can store oxygen more effectively than hemoglobin, in order to do without oxygen supply for relatively long periods. Whales are able to stay under water for more than an hour, which is not only a consequence of the increase of lung volume. They have organic systems specially developed for that purpose. Hence eventually one could even borrow elements of the reorganization "from the whale". We did not say anything about the question whether cyborgization is desirable or not. We mention it only to demonstrate that the experts are actually dealing with problems of that kind. It should be noted, however, that this project would probably be unrealizable today (not only with respect to medical ethics, but also to the minute chance of surviving such a massive surgical intervention and the replacement of such vitally important organs by various "osmotic pumps"), although it is in principle rather "conservative". The main source for criticism is represented not so much by the set of proposed operations, but by their final result. The cyborg, contrary to all appearances, is no more universal human than the "current model" at all. He is a "cosmic variant", designed not for all celestial bodies, but rather for those similar to the Moon or to Mars. Hence those cruel operations essentially yield rather poor results with respect to adaptational universalism; the strongest opposition, however, comes from the very concept of a "human degeneralization", i.e., the creation of various types of humans, more or less similar to the various kinds of ants. Maybe these analogies did not come to the mind of the planners of this projects, but they impose oneself even on the unbiased. One can hibernate without osmotic pumps, and the cosmonaut could as well be equipped with a set of microdevices (automatic or operated by himself) for the injection of the corresponding preparations into his organism. Just that cyborgian absence of a mouth seems to me more like an effect for the broad public rather than for the biology experts. I loyally admit that in the subject of this or similar reconstructions it is easier to resort to commonplace about their future necessity than to propose, however technologically unreal by today's measures, but at least convincing, engineering improvements. For the time being industrial chemistry is hopelessly lagging behind the biochemistry of the organisms, and molecular engineering together with its information-technological applications is still in its infancy compared to molecular technology of the organisms. However these means to which Evolution turned - so to speak - "in desperation" rather than consciously, by objective conditions limited to "cold technology" and to a very narrow choice of elements (practically - only carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen, phosphor, and traces of iron, cobalt, and other metals), cannot represent the highest achievement in the engineering of homeostates on a cosmic scale. If synthetic chemistry, information theory, and general system theory make further progress, than the human body in such a world will turn out to be its least perfect element. Human knowledge will outweigh biological knowledge, accumulated in living organisms. Plans which today are seen as a mockery of the perfection of evolutionary solutions will then be realized. 

'''The autoevolutionary machine'''

Since the human reconstruction seems to us something monstrous, we are inclined to conclude that the techniques applied to this end must be monstrous as well. Brain surgery, "in-vitro embryos, coming along under genetic engineering control" - those are the images which SF literature confronts us with in this field. Meanwhile, the actions taken may be totally unrecognized. For a couple of years, computers - only a few, for the time being - have been working in the U.S. which are programmed for marriage-broking. A "machine matchmaker" chooses the couples which fit best together with respect to physical and mental properties. According to the (still rather sparse) data the duration of these relationships which were formed by a machine is about two times larger than that of usual marriages. Over the last few years, the average age of the partners in a marriage has been decreasing, but marriages are divorced within 5 years in 50% of the cases, such that there are a lot of divorced twens and children without normal parental care. No replacement for parental upbringing has been invented yet, since this is not merely a question of financial means to support the corresponding institutions (day-nurseries); there is no substitution for parental feelings, and their early and lasting absence does not only cause negative childhood experiences, but the formation of possibly irreversible defects in the field of the so called higher sensitivity. This is the current situation. People form pairs in random ways, which one could call "Brownian" - for they join together after a number of brief contacts, when they finally meet the "right" partner, which is seemingly confirmed by mutual attraction. However, this realization really is rather accidental (since is turns out to be erroneous in 50% of all cases). "Machine matchmakers" will change that state of affairs. Appropriate investigations equip the machine with knowledge about the psychosomatic properties of the candidates, after which this machine will choose pairs which fit together optimally. The machine does not remove the freedom of choice, since it does not point out only one single candidate. Acting probabilistically, it suggests a choice from a selected group within a certain reliability interval, where the machine can assemble such groups choosing from m i l l i o n s of people, whereas the individual, acting traditionally, by "random methods", will be able to meet a few hundred people at most during his whole life. In this way the machine realizes the old myth of men and women who were meant for each other, but looking for the other in vain. Now it is important that society becomes permanently aware of this fact. Of course, these are only rational arguments. The machine broadens the range of choice , but it does so indirectly, over the individual's head, taking away the right to mistakes and suffering, and all the imperfections of living together, where someone might actually yearn for such coincidences, or at least claim for himself the right to risks. Although there is a general conviction that one enters into marriage in order to remain within, somebody might actually prefer to experience love adventures with carelessly chosen partners, even with an unhappy end, over a "long and happy" life as a harmonic couple. Nevertheless, on average the advantages of forming marriages from a position of "best knowledge" which the machine has at its disposal, by far outweigh the disadvantages, such that similar techniques have considerable chances of wide acceptance. If it became a cultural norm, then marriages the "machine matchmaker" had advised against could become a kind of forbidden, tempting fruit, and society would surround them with an aura similar to that which in the past accompanied e.g. misalliances. It could eventually be possible that such an "act of desperation" would be seen as an "expression of exceptional courage", as a "challenge to danger", in certain circles.

Those "machine matchmakers" may have very serious consequences for our species. When the personal genotypic repertory is deciphered and stored in the machine's memory, together with the established "psychosomatic personality profiles", the task of the matchmaker will be to make a choice which not only fits a person to another, but also one genotype to another. Thus there will be a two-step selection. First the machine separates classes of partners which correspond psychosomatically, and thereafter it subjects them to a second-level sifting, rejecting those candidates for which there is a considerable probability of producing children which are unwanted in some respect. For example crippled children - which we accept without resistance, or children with low intelligence or personality disorders - which already raises some reservations, at least today. Proceeding in this way seems desirable - as a stabilization and protection of the genetic make-up of the species - especially in an epoch which increases the concentration of mutagenic substances in the civilizational environment. From the stabilization of the genotype of the population it is only a small step to the control of its further development. In this way we enter the field of a planned control which represents a fluid transition to a controlled evolution of the species. Because fitting genotype to genotype means controlling the evolution of the species. This sort of technique appears to be the least drastic of the possible ones, since it is in principle invisible, but because of that it creates a delicate moral problem. According to the directives of our culture, society should be informed about all important changes - as given (let's say) by a "thousand-year plan of autoevolution". To give the information without delivering arguments, however, is to impose a plan without discussing the necessity of its realization. Actually, though, these arguments will only be understood by those who possess comprehensive knowledge of medicine, evolution theory, anthropology and population genetics. Another feature of such a technique is that some changes in certain properties of the organism might be more difficult to achieve than others. It would be relatively easy, e.g., to increase the occurrence of high intelligence which represents a natural, though not as common as desirable, property of the species. This would have a tremendous significance in the epoch of intellectual competition between humans and machines. The most difficult thing to achieve - by means of the demonstrated method -, on the other hand, would be a deep change in the structure of the organism. What kind of changes might be concerned? According to several researchers (like Dart, for example), we are "hereditarily handicapped", or rather characterized by an asymmetry in our tendency to "good" or "bad" by the fact that our ancestors have practiced cannibalism for three fourths of a million years, not in the face of death from starvation (as "normal" predators do), but as a rule. This has been known for a rather long time, but currently this cannibalism is regarded as a creative factor of anthropogenesis, for which the explanation is that herbivorism does not maximize "reason", since bananas do not force their gatherers to the development of tactics entailing the instantaneous assessment of a situation, nor the development of strategies for approach, fight and pursuit. Therefore the anthropoids sort of stopped in their development, whereas the primeval man made the fastest progress because he hunted for those who equaled his own astuteness. Owing to this it came to a most radical sifting out of the "not very bright", because the mentally limited herbivore has to fast from time to time in the worst case, whereas the not sufficiently clever hunter of his own kind has to die soon. Hence the "cannibalistic invention" had to be an accelerator of mental progress, in the sense that struggle within the species ensures the skill to survive of only those who possess the most effective mind, a mind that realizes a universal transfer of life experiences to new situations. By the way, the australopithecus which we are talking about here was an omnivore; somehow the osteodontoceratic culture preceded the stone age, because the first cudgel, which was produced accidentally - by gnawing - was a long bone, hence his first vessels and battleclubs where sculls and bones, and the smell of blood accompanied the formation of the first rituals. This does not imply that we have inherited any "archetypes of a criminal character" from our ancestors, since no non-instinctive, ready knowledge can be inherited, which would direct us to certain activities, and so one can only assume that the human brain and body were formed in a situation of permanent struggle. Another intriguing thing is the "asymmetry" of the cultural history, where good intentions quite regularly turned into bad ones, but the opposite metamorphosis somehow did not take place, and in one of the religions which rule to the present day, blood still plays an important role - in the doctrine of transubstantiation. If similar hypotheses do have a factual background and the depths of our brains were formed under the influence of the events of those hundreds of thousands of years, then a certain melioration of the species - in the area of that so called "asymmetry" - would really be desirable. Today, of course, we neither know ''if'' one should do this, nor do we know ''how'' to do it; "matrimonial machines" might lead to the desired state only after many thousand years, since they can only maximize the natural pace of evolution, which is very slow. In the face of such revolutionary plans one may be forced to resort to "accelerated" techniques. In any case about the resistance which the perspective of autoevolutionary changes causes in us decide not only their extent, but also how fluid the transition towards them will be. "Tailoring of brains and bodies" might repulse, however "machine assisted marriage guidance" appears to be a rather innocent procedure - nevertheless these are only paths of different length which can lead to analogous results. 

'''Extrasensory phenomena'''

''...02/09/98, to be continued...''

Gimma

2014-11-12T12:49:46Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from Stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

Gimma is a character in Stanislaw Lem's Novel Return from the Stars.

He is onboard the expedition.

[[Category:Person]][[Category:Character]][[Category:Return from the Stars]]

Village

2014-11-12T12:18:25Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from Stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

The Village is a location in Stanislaw Lem's Novel Fiasco.

It is located in the center of the Hermes.

[[Category:Location]][[Category:Fiasco]][[Category:Hermes]]

Medicom

2014-11-12T06:03:13Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

Medicom is a machine in Stanislaw Lem's Novel Fiasco
==Purpose==
The Medicom is a medical computer, calculating the chance of success for any given operation involving human medicine.

[[Category:Machine]][[Category:Fiasco]][[Category:Medicine]]

File:Thirteenth Voyage German Bastei Lübbe 1984.jpg

2014-11-11T11:32:15Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

==Text==
LUBBES AUSWAHLBAND

SCIENCE FICTION

Abenteuer Weltraum 2

Isaac Asimov * Brian W. Aldiss * E.E. "Doc" Smith * Robert Sheckley * A.E. van Vogt * Poul Anderson * Stanislaw Lem * James Blish * Larry Niven * Jack Vance * Samuel R. Delany

Bastei Lubbe
==Picture==
The picture shows two huge conical shapes connected via a rectangular element. on the left side of the first cone is a satellite dish half the diameter of its own height. The cones are slightly opened at their thickest place and reveal the inside. Inside there seems to be many much smaller technologies on smaller quarters. the unevennesses on the outer hull of the shape also resemble bulk holes and the like.

[[Category:Covers]]

Neutrino Transformer

2014-11-11T07:43:30Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from Stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

Neutrino Transformer is a machine in Stanislaw Lem's Novel His Masters Voice.
==Purpose==

For recording the separate energy levels in a neutrino emission.

Its based on the Einschoff Principle (’the pseudo-particle exchange’)

It is making use of the [[Moessbauer-Tong effect]].

It is able to filter quanta of radiation to an accuracy of 30,000 eV.

[[Category:Machine]][[Category:His Masters Voice]]

SETI

2014-11-11T06:33:19Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from Stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

SETI is the Agency established by NASA to look for extraterrestrial life

==Real Life==

In Real Life, the agency has been largely disbanded, and the Fenri Paradox accepted. Humans seem to be alone in the Universe, for whatever reason.

==In Lem's works==

SETI is mentioned in Fiasco as the agency that collected the funds and oversaw the preliminary work preceeding the expedition to the Quinta.
==Archives==
In Stanislaw Lem's Novel Fiasco, the Archives of SETI are located in Switzerland.

[[Category:Organization]][[Category:Fiasco]][[Category:Earth]]

Moessbauer-Tong Effect

2014-11-11T05:50:27Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from Stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

Moessbauer-Tong Effect is a concept in Stanislaw Lem's Novel His Masters Voice.

It deals with neutrinos.

[[Category:Concept]][[Category:Science]][[Category:His Masters Voice]][[Category:Neutrinos]]

Akzeleroinvolution

2014-11-11T05:31:59Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from Stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

Akzeleroinvolution is a term in stanislaw lems eden.

Er ist teil des doppelt vokabulars und entstanden durch einen polyvalent geschalteten kalkulator.

[[Category:Machine]][[Category:Doubler]][[Category:Eden]]

File:1995 znak lc.jpg

2014-11-11T00:41:48Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from Stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

==Description==
This cover of a book of Stanislaw Lem published in 1995 in Poland features a man with half of his face being somewhat cybernetic (one feels resemblance to Terminator), pointing a machine gun at a monkey. The monkey has a interested, startled, more human like expression on his face than the machinized human being that points its weapon on him.

Boman

2014-11-11T00:40:24Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from Stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

Boman is a character in [[Stanislaw Lem]]'s [[Novel]] [[Terminus]].

He is a Nuclear Engineer.

At one glance its clear to see he is a space veteran.
==Physical Appearance==
scrawny build

Sunburned face with peculiar orangish tint from prolonged exposure to cosmic radiation

Height: Barely comes up to [[Pirx]]’s shoulder

(ever since he had begun flying, Pirx had been accustomed to counting every kilo aboard ship).

Face: was puffy, bloated, dark bags under his eyes

Drooping lower lip.

He is part of the crew of [[THE BLUE STAR]], during the flight of which the first Pilot is [[Pirx]].

[[Category:Person]][[Category:Character]][[Category:Engineer]][[Category:Nuclear Engineer]][[Category:Terminus]][[Category:Pirx]]

File:Mortal Engines Latvian Liesma 1989.jpg

2014-11-11T00:05:15Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from Stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

==Description==
This picture features what looks like an old men lighting up a candle on another light on a wooden table. Behind him lies what could be interpreted as a mushroom cloud, but it is not clear.

[[Category:Covers]]

Office of General Kashenblade

2014-11-11T00:00:43Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from Stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

The office of General Kashenblade is a location in Stanislaw Lem's Novel Memoirs Found in a Bathtub.

It is located on the [[fourth level]].

As the name suggests, this is the office of General [[Kashenblade]].

[[Category:Location]][[Category:Memoirs found in a Bathtub]][[Category:The Building]][[Category:Office]]

File:NASA seal.svg.png

2014-11-10T22:40:25Z

Robert Boettcher:

NASA

2014-11-10T22:38:13Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from Stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

NASA is the space agency of the United States of America

==Real Life==

Until the disbanding of the space shuttles in 2012, the agency was responsible for payload delivery into orbit and outer space.

==In Lem's work==

NASA has been mentioned in Lem's Fiasco, as the agency under whose umbrella the expedition to quinta was organised.[[File:NASA_seal.svg.png|thumb]]

[[Category:Organization]][[Category:Fiasco]]

Nappro Leis

2014-11-10T14:30:07Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from Stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

[[Subgnostor]] Nappro Leis is a Person in the Introduction to Stanislaw Lem's Novel [[Memoirs Found in a Bathtub]].

He maintains that [[Papyralysis]] meant [[Historioparalysis]].

[[Category:Memoirs found in a Bathtub]][[Category:Character]][[Category:Person]]

Mahoun

2014-11-10T13:18:46Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from Stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

Mahoun is a character in Stanislaw Lem's His Masters Voice.

He recorded together with [[Halsey]] the maxima of the neutrino emission in search of the [[Stoglitz effect]].

[[Category:Character]][[Category:Person]][[Category:His Masters Voice]]

File:Khrustalnyi Shar AST 2012.jpg

2014-11-10T13:16:13Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from Stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

==Description==
This cover features an futuristic looking insect that could be a mixture of butterfly and grasshopper in front of a futurustic sphere that could either be a blurred out image of a planet or a force field. Behind that dark cubic structures with a violet schimmer can be seen.

The cover is kept general and not referring to any particular story, as contained within the book are selected short stories to numerous to be analogous too.

Storage cellar

2014-11-10T13:13:58Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from Stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

The storage cellar is a location in Stanislaw Lem's [[Memoirs Found in a Bathtub]].

''"Twice I ended up in a storage cellar and leafed through some secret documents lying about. But there was nothing there of any value to me. After several hours of this, thoroughly annoyed and hungry as well (...), I decided to take a different tack.''" - Chapter 1

[[Category:Location]][[Category:Memoirs found in a Bathtub]][[Category:The Building]]

Digla

2014-11-10T13:02:31Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from Stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

A Digla is a planetary machine in Stanislaw Lem's Novel Fiasco.

It is usedvto move multi-ton boulders and pipes or to serve, with tools, as a drilling rig.

It combines mechanical strength with human (operator) dexterity.

==Types==
Bigand

Cryopter

Thermoped

[[Category:Machine]][[Category:Fiasco]]

Harrach

2014-11-10T12:43:54Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from Stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

Harrach is a major character in Stanislaw Lem's Novel Fiasco.

Position: The first pilot on Hermes

Appearance: Large, heavy

Temper: Irascible

Qualification: Information theory

Duties: (shared with astromatician Albright) the care of the Hermes' computer.

[[Category:Person]][[Category:Character]][[Category:Fiasco]][[Category:Pilot]]

Department of Verification

2014-11-10T12:40:57Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from Stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

The Department of Verification is a location in Stanislaw Lem's Novel [[Memoirs Found in a Bathtub]].

It is a room within the [[Third Pentagon]]

It is the first location the Protagonist is encountering when looking for the room with the Number he has been issued on his Visitors Pass.

[[Category:Memoirs found in a Bathtub]][[Category:Location]][[Category:The Building]]

Selector

2014-11-10T12:34:14Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from Stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

Selector is an orbital machine in Stanislaw Lem's Novel Fiasco.

==Physical Properties==
It is a giant parabolic optical mirror that reflects the sunlight.

==Purpose==
It reflects to sunlight to beam it on the surface.
To thevopenpit mining areas on the surface of Titan.

==Havaries==
Gets dislogded from orbit by other objects gravity and shines light elsewhere.

[[Category:Machine]][[Category:Object]][[Category:Fiasco]][[Category:Titan]]

Doctor

2014-11-10T12:24:56Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from Stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

Doctor is a [[Character|character]] in [[Stanislaw Lem]]'s [[Novel]] [[Eden]].

[[Category:Character]][[Category:Eden]][[Category:Physician]]

Anthropocentric fallacy

2014-11-10T12:20:17Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from Stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

Anthropocentric Fallacy is a Philosphical Concept central to [[Stanislaw Lem]] 's Novel [[His Masters Voice]].
Humans are able to comprehend what they can taste, smell, feel, and the like. They can, however, not grasp concepts like gravity of black holes the same way.

Complex problems like huge numbers of individuals also exceed the capacity of human mind to comprehend.

 The assessment of reality through an exclusively human perspective.

Intelligence could take many forms, such as intelligent mushrooms, plasmotic oceans, aerobic/anaerobic hybrid mounds, artificial intelligence in a machine, be it in a supercomputer cooled by a river, growing inside of a planet and growing further inward, swarms intelligence of single parts combining, gaseous intelligence,

But humans with their earthbound existence (their whole organism being unable to even regulate blood pressure properly in zero gravity) are not able to assess those beings deeper thoughts, nor their concepts or culture.

[[Category:Concept]][[Category:Fiasco]][[Category:His Masters Voice]][[Category:Solaris]][[Category:Eden]][[Category:Philosophical Concept]]

Cheks

2014-11-10T12:16:20Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from Stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

Cheks is the name for Cheques in the Introduction to Stanislaw Lem's Novel [[Memoirs Found in a Bathtub]].

[[Category:Object]][[Category:Concept]][[Category:Memoirs found in a Bathtub]]

Thorpe

2014-11-10T12:12:20Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from Stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

Maxwell Thorpe is a character in Stanislaw Lem's Novel His Masters Voice.

1966 - 19 -x he published a Paper together with ... on the existence of a complexity threshold for finite automata with algedonic control

He dies in a car accident 1966 - x

[[Category:Character]][[Category:Person]][[Category:His Masters Voice]][[Category:Mathematician]]

Eurydice

2014-11-10T12:10:29Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from Stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

Euridyce is a ship in Stanislaw Lem's Novel Fiasco

NAME: EURIDYCE

HOMEPORT: TITAN

MASS: 1 BILLION TONS +

==Assignment==
Euridyce is to depart from the solar system towards the coalsack, travel through a retrochronal tyrhoid, sending out a scout ship, the hermes, to quinta, and return to the earth.

Due to retrochronalities the Euridyce will arrive between 10-20 years after she took of. Actual travel time was much longer.

[[Category:Ship]][[Category:Fiasco]]

Nystedt

2014-11-10T12:07:28Z

Robert Boettcher: Added Category:Physicist and Astrophysicist

Nystedt is a minor character in Stanislaw Lem's Novel Fiasco.

Nystedt is an astrophysicist aboard the Hermes. He is member of the SETI advisory group.

[[Category:Person]][[Category:Character]][[Category:Fiasco]][[Category:Eurydice]][[Category:Physicist]][[Category:Astrophysicist]]

Nystedt

2014-11-10T12:06:49Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from Stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

Cryotronic calculator

2014-11-10T12:02:29Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from Stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

Cryotronic calculator is a machine in Stanislaw Lem's Novel His Masters Voice.

It is a superconducting calculator installed in the room of ... .

It is manufactured by IBM.

[[Category:Machine]][[Category:His Masters Voice]]

File:Peace on Earth English Harcourt 2002.jpg

2014-11-10T12:00:52Z

Robert Boettcher: Stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

==Description==
This picture of an English Version of Stanislaw Lem's Peace on Earth features the space pilot Ijon Tichy as he descends onto the moon in person, which is dominating the picture. In the background, as if it were a moon itself, earth can be seen. The picture is a clear allegory to the events in the book, where Ijon Tichy descends onto the sphere landers and machines, and eventually himself, where he suffers a lobotomy. This however cannot be deduced by the cover picture, unlike in other versions of Peace on Earth Covers.

[[Category:Covers]]

Ammer-Ka

2014-11-10T11:56:32Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from Stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

Ammer-Ka is the name given to the [[United States]] of America in the Prologue to Stanislaw Lem's book Memoirs Found in a Bathtub.

''"And yet we cannot accept the harsh judgment delivered by so many subsequent historians, that these were a frivolous people.''"

''"The United States are a giant without a head." - Quote Stanislaw Lem''

[[Category:Memoirs found in a Bathtub]][[Category:Location]][[Category:Country]]

Ter Horab

2014-11-10T11:55:06Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from Stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

Ter Horab is a character in Stanislaw Lem's Novel Fiasco.

==Purpose==

On the [[Eurydice]], Ter Horab was in charge of Flight (Navigator, Astrogator, Captain... could be valid denominations for his position).

[[Category:Person]][[Category:Character]][[Category:Fiasco]]

Calyxe

2014-11-10T11:53:15Z

Robert Boettcher: Migration from Stanislaw-lem.wikia.com

Calyxe is a plant in Stanislaw Lem's Novel Eden.

It is cultivated by the doubler civilization. It extracts anorganic mineral compounds from the earth and stores it.

It retreats into the earth at night.

It serves as food for the doublers.

[[Category:Eden]][[Category:Plant]][[Category:Doubler]]

Geonides

2014-11-10T11:48:23Z

Robert Boettcher: Added Category:Mathematician

Geonides is a character in Stanislaw Lem's Novel Return from the Stars.

He works in the [[Apprenous]] where he meets [[Roemer]] and [[Bregg]].

Roemer is a seven-year old boy there.

He worked with [[Roemer]]'s Father [[Roemer senior]].

[[Category:Person]][[Category:Character]][[Category:Return from the Stars]][[Category:Mathematician]]