stonebender | (no subject)

lysana

You realize that I could write a book on most of these questions?

1) You have been granted true god power over the SF Bay Poly mailing list (as opposed to listowner, which is mere demigod status). You can rewrite it to your dreams, from software through topics and flamewars. What do you do with it?

The list software would be voice-activated and sentient. It would automatically filter all the spam. It would handle sub and unsub requests from folk who can't cope with the web site. It would translate messages into what the authors mean to say in a way that everyone reading those messages would understand them and take them constructively.

2) What do you do when you've done something unforgiveable? You may take this question as generic or specific to your comfort level.

I'm still struggling with this question myself. I think you accept responsibility for whatever you did. You try to do what you can to minimize whatever damage you have caused. You continue to make efforts to repair the damage and try to accept whatever directions the injured party gives you to move towards whatever actions can mitigate what you did.

3) Is it possible for non-sentient beings to grant consent?

No it isn't. This question refers to a book review list I wrote for

serenejournal. I think I made my response too short. David Brin's Uplift books presents a world that I find incredibly paternal and patronizing. I meant to compare it to how the medical profession handles children with disabilities. As I was growing up. There was a great deal of energy focused on making me as close to able-bodied as I could be. Since I couldn't be very able-bodied at all. These efforts were doomed to failure and much of that failure felt like my fault. So they were ultimately more damaging than helpful. What compounds all of this is that the object of these efforts (me) was never asked if the goal was useful or valuable to me.

What's tricky is if I was asked at the time whether I wanted to be able-bodied, I would say yes. How do you ask consent of someone who can't really perceive the consequences of an action? You got me, but if one can't really ask the person who will pay the price for doing something. How can you ethically do it?

4) Which artist, living or dead, would you most like to have paint your body and then photograph it for posterity?

This one's really hard for me. Perhaps Rodin? He wouldn't be a bad choice.

5) Why weren't you at BayCon this year?

I used to go to BayCon all the time. I'm not sure when it happened but at some point WisCon got scheduled against it. Whenever that happened, most of my friends started going to WisCon. I'm not the most gregarious person and had trouble meeting new people. So BayCon became less and less fun for me.

I actually thought of coming this year. At least for a day, but getting a ride and money got in the way. I plan on going next year since it appears that I know more folk who will be there.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

David Brin's Uplift books presents a world that I find incredibly paternal and patronizing.

Have you met Mr. Brin?

Unfortunately yes, which is the main reason I can't read any of his books anymore

[sound of RJ stifling too many bad ideas in response to question one.]

Watch it fella! I'm trying to be politic here! :-)

How do you ask consent of someone who can't really perceive the consequences of an action?

If sentience is "perceiving the consequences of an action," then I submit that adult humans aren't fully sentient either. Even smart adult humans can't perceive many of the consequences of an action with much accuracy, although this ability does, for some of us, increase over time.

Do you agree at all? If so, does that change your answer any?

I do think that part of sentience is perceiving the consequences of an action. I would agree with you that it is not possible to be aware of all the consequences of an action, but I think we get pretty good at seeing the main ones. I guess what I'm trying to get too is that, at least in medical situations, someone has to live with the results of a medical intervention. Where it is possible I prefer that the person who lives with the consequences of a medical treatment be the one to make the decision. I do understand that this is difficult to achieve because in many cases people will not be able to really comprehend how other life will be changed, but I still want them to have the option. I also want the patient to be given as much real information as possible from people who have gone through the medical procedure.

So I guess it might change my answer by degree but I still stand by it.

I agree that the person who lives with the consequences should be the one to make the decision, ideally. I also think they should be given as much help as they need in making an informed decision. One tricky bit there is that most of said help and information is biased, sometimes for business reasons, sometimes for other reasons. [sigh]

Yes, it is a puzzlement!