Using 3e's Tech Levels, or adding more Tech Levels beyond 12.

Johnny1A.2 · 09-08-2022, 10:58 PM

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Originally Posted by DangerousThing

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Originally Posted by Johnny1A.2

The only thing about R2-D2 and C-3P0 that would strain our understanding of How Things Work is their conscious AI. Which might or might not be superscience, since we know nothing about how consciousness happens or works, we know things that can affect it, but nothing about it itself.

The power source for C3P0 is much smaller than anything we can design today.

True, but that's not superscience. Nothing in our understanding of physics or natural law says such a power source is impossible, we just don't know how to build one. It's not impossible by any theory, unlike, say, FTL travel. We even have theoretical ideas about how it might be done, even if we can't do it yet, unlike the conscious AI feature.

maximara · 09-09-2022, 08:34 AM

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Originally Posted by Johnny1A.2

True, but that's not superscience. Nothing in our understanding of physics or natural law says such a power source is impossible, we just don't know how to build one. It's not impossible by any theory, unlike, say, FTL travel. We even have theoretical ideas about how it might be done, even if we can't do it yet, unlike the conscious AI feature.

The problem there is the same argument can be used regarding FTL travel as the Alcubierre drive is not strictly impossible but requires some plausible but unverified exotic magic or manipulation of Dark Energy.

More over quantum entanglement ("Spooky Action at a Distance") allows FTL communications and doesn't strictly violate physical laws as we currently know them.

FTL is a real headache but it could be like light under Newtonian physics which didn't behave as that model of the universe said it should.

maximara · 09-09-2022, 08:40 AM

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Originally Posted by maximara

The problem there is the same argument can be used regarding FTL travel as the Alcubierre drive is not strictly impossible but requires some plausible but unverified exotic magic or manipulation of Dark Energy.

More over quantum entanglement ("Spooky Action at a Distance") allows FTL communications and doesn't strictly violate physical laws as we currently know them.

FTL is a real headache but it could be like light under Newtonian physics which didn't behave as that model of the universe said it should.

That was supposed to be "exotic matter" not "exotic magic" but the point is there are ways to allow FTL under our current understanding of physics — it just involves things that are possible but not confirmed or something we really don't understand.

I mean if Dark Energy is a form of Energy then where is it coming from as energy cannot be created or destroyed? How can the universe continue to expand if that continuing expansion takes energy?

Varyon · 09-09-2022, 08:56 AM

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Originally Posted by maximara

More over quantum entanglement ("Spooky Action at a Distance") allows FTL communications and doesn't strictly violate physical laws as we currently know them.

From what I understand, quantum entanglement doesn't allow for manipulation of the particles in a fashion that is shared, such that you'd be able to use it for FTL communications. If it did, either someone would have made a time machine out of it or we would need to heavily revise our understanding of relativity to allow for FTL communications.

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Originally Posted by maximara

That was supposed to be "exotic matter" not "exotic magic"

Honestly, I think you may have had that right the first time...