One thing I noticed about Harry’s language—increasing talk in computer terms. PC, SYSTEM ERROR, Internal Consistency Checker.
His Dark Side is tremendously efficient at information recall and causal inference. Interesting that Quirrell remarked on the value of memory recall to a wizard. I’ve wondered if the Dark Side was just an interface to a computing system, but it’s clear that’s not all that it is.
It seems like the Dark Side is two things, an efficient computation engine, and the dark emotions related to Death: the terror and hatred. Why are those linked? Why does a computation and recall engine have to be linked to emotions at all, and if it’s going to be emotions, why not positive Mr. Glowy Person feelings?
Probably meant to indicate an unremarkable element of the background. I can’t think of a suitable term that would extend the roleplaying game metaphor; “extras” is about as close as I can get, but I don’t think I’ve ever actually seen it used in a gaming context.
But every time you talk about following rules or relying on teachers, I get that same feeling, like it’s bound up with this one last thing that’s stopping you, one last thing that puts your PC self to sleep and turns you into an NPC again...”
Wallpaper would be one step below NPC, presumably. But yeah, it’s mixing metaphors a bit.
Why does a computation and recall engine have to be linked to emotions at all, and if it’s going to be emotions, why not positive Mr. Glowy Person feelings?
The dark side is presumably the result of the botched Horcrux creation ritual and is in some way an aspect of Voldermort’s mind or soul. An AI might have different modules for emotions and computation, but a human mind is not so cleanly separated.
One thing I noticed about Harry’s language—increasing talk in computer terms. PC, SYSTEM ERROR, Internal Consistency Checker.
His Dark Side is tremendously efficient at information recall and causal inference. Interesting that Quirrell remarked on the value of memory recall to a wizard. I’ve wondered if the Dark Side was just an interface to a computing system, but it’s clear that’s not all that it is.
It seems like the Dark Side is two things, an efficient computation engine, and the dark emotions related to Death: the terror and hatred. Why are those linked? Why does a computation and recall engine have to be linked to emotions at all, and if it’s going to be emotions, why not positive Mr. Glowy Person feelings?
PC means Player Character in this instance.
That would explain a lot, but
is “wallpaper” also a similar term? Or is EY just referring to literal wallpaper? Either way the combination is pretty misleading.
Probably meant to indicate an unremarkable element of the background. I can’t think of a suitable term that would extend the roleplaying game metaphor; “extras” is about as close as I can get, but I don’t think I’ve ever actually seen it used in a gaming context.
Wallpaper would be one step below NPC, presumably. But yeah, it’s mixing metaphors a bit.
There’s always the old intelligence implies belligerence school of thought.
The dark side is presumably the result of the botched Horcrux creation ritual and is in some way an aspect of Voldermort’s mind or soul. An AI might have different modules for emotions and computation, but a human mind is not so cleanly separated.