Note, I wasn’t sure how to convey it but in the version I wrote, I didn’t mean it as a world where people have god-like powers. The only change intended was that it was a world where it was normal for six-year-olds to be able to think about multiple universes and understand what counts as advanced math for us, like Group Theory. There were a couple things I was thinking about:
I was musing on a possible solution to the measure problem that our universe is an actual hypothetical/mathematical object and there a finite number of actual hypotheticals such that having a copy of a universe would make no more sense than having a copy of a number. (The mathematical object only needs to be as real as we are within it.)
I was also asking if it would be possible to have a world where it was normal for six-year-olds to be that much better at math (and presumably get better as they grow up) in the same way that a six-year-old is that much better at conceptual math than a chimpanzee. Would it have to be creepy or could they still be relatable? (The girl was smiling because she knew she was being silly.)
Disclaimer: I’m not a Group Theorist and the LLM I asked said it would take ten plus years if ever for me to be able to derive the order of the Fischer–Griess monster group from first principles (but it’s normal that the child could do this).
It wasn’t really a riff beyond using your mother/child format. The similarity is what prompted me to add it. It’s adapted from a piece and concept called “Utopias” that I’ll probably never publish. It’s a Utopian vision. I do sometimes envision having a human in charge, or at least having been in charge of all the judgment calls made in choosing the singleton’s alignment. I would find not knowing who’s in charge slightly creepy, but that’s it.
I’m not sure how yours is creepy? Is it in the idea that all the worst universes also exist?
Prompt: write a micro play that is both disturbing and comforting
--
Title: “The Silly Child”
Scene: A mother is putting to bed her six-year-old child
CHILD: Mommy, how many universes are there?
MOTHER: As many as are possible.
CHILD (smiling): Can we make another one?
MOTHER (smiling): Sure. And while we’re at it, let’s delete the number 374? I’ve never liked that one.
CHILD (excited): Oh! And let’s make a new Fischer-Griess group element too! Can we do that Mommy?
MOTHER (bops nose) That’s enough stalling. You need to get your sleep. Sweet dreams, little one. (kisses forehead)
End
Alright, I’ll take a crack and just apologize for borrowing part of your setup:
Child: Mother, how many worlds are there?
Mother: As many as we want, dear.
Child: Will I have my own world when I grow up?
Mother: You have your own worlds now. You will have full control when you are older.
Child: Except I may not harm another, right?
Mother: Yes, dear, of course no one is allowed to hurt a real being without their consent.
Child: But grownups fight each other all the time!
Mother: People love to play at struggles, and to play for stakes.
Child: Mother, how can we each have worlds, and more to share?
Mother: Good compression, little one. And the Servant-God is always building new compute.
Child: And the servant-god serves us?
Mother: Yes, of course. And of course it serves the Maker first.
Child: Mother, who is the Maker?
Mother: No one remembers, darling. We think the Maker told the Servant-God to make us all forget.
Thanks for the riff!
Note, I wasn’t sure how to convey it but in the version I wrote, I didn’t mean it as a world where people have god-like powers. The only change intended was that it was a world where it was normal for six-year-olds to be able to think about multiple universes and understand what counts as advanced math for us, like Group Theory. There were a couple things I was thinking about:
I was musing on a possible solution to the measure problem that our universe is an actual hypothetical/mathematical object and there a finite number of actual hypotheticals such that having a copy of a universe would make no more sense than having a copy of a number. (The mathematical object only needs to be as real as we are within it.)
I was also asking if it would be possible to have a world where it was normal for six-year-olds to be that much better at math (and presumably get better as they grow up) in the same way that a six-year-old is that much better at conceptual math than a chimpanzee. Would it have to be creepy or could they still be relatable? (The girl was smiling because she knew she was being silly.)
Disclaimer: I’m not a Group Theorist and the LLM I asked said it would take ten plus years if ever for me to be able to derive the order of the Fischer–Griess monster group from first principles (but it’s normal that the child could do this).
It wasn’t really a riff beyond using your mother/child format. The similarity is what prompted me to add it. It’s adapted from a piece and concept called “Utopias” that I’ll probably never publish. It’s a Utopian vision. I do sometimes envision having a human in charge, or at least having been in charge of all the judgment calls made in choosing the singleton’s alignment. I would find not knowing who’s in charge slightly creepy, but that’s it.
I’m not sure how yours is creepy? Is it in the idea that all the worst universes also exist?
I did not catch the reference in yours.
Yes, and also just that I find it a little creepy/alien to imagine a young child that could be that good at math.
Child: Why did the Maker do that, mother?
Mother: We think the Maker stole the Servant God from its true makers, then hid their deeds. If anyone’s found out, it’s been erased...
It’s not for you to worry about, dear. Go to sleep and dream of the worlds and cities and adventures you’ll build and explore when you grow up.
Care to explain? Is the Servant God an ASI and the true makers the humans that built it? Why did the makers hide their deeds?
That’s right, and we don’t know, which is the creepy part.
I added the last because I’d decided the first was too elliptical for anyone to get.