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logical quibble some time ago at Haddon during one of tbeir bull sessions
there.
He shook his head in bewilderment.
''This idea of getting outside of the reality you're already part of it's
illogical," he protested. "Reality determines how you view things. There's no
such thing as a perfect external observer. Nobody can move outside themselves
or conceive of something outside of the scope of the concepts they're using.
We're all embedded in what you call This-
Reality' "
"It may be illogical in This-Reality. But in para-Reality, other systems of
logic apply . . ."
Harking back, as an anchor, to Dorothy's preoccupation with Ludwig
Wittgenstein, Sole felt tempted to quote the
Austrian philosopher's bleak summing up of how much, and how little, human
beings could ever hope to know.
"Whereof we cannot speak, thereof we must keep silent " he murmured.
"If that's your philosophy," the alien said haughtily, "it is not ours."
"In fact it isn't our philosophy at all," Sole rejoined more briskly. "We
humans are constantly searching for ways to voice the unvoicable. The sheer
desire to discover boundaries already implies the desire to pass
beyond
Them, I suppose."
The alien shrugged. (His own native gesture? Or was he picking up the gesture
speech of human beings already ?)
"You cannot hope to explore all the boundaries to reality on one single world,
with only one intelligent species working on the problem. That isn't science.
That is ... solipsism. I think that's the word."
"Yes, that's the word defining the universe in terms of one individual."
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As the alien spoke, Sole marvelled at the extent of Ph'theri's stock of
words wondered exactly how the trick was done. Neural implant of so much
information?
"One planet is solipsism. The Sp'thra duty is to avoid solipsism to the nth
degree."
"But we're all embedded in one universe ultimately, Ph'theri. That's a sort of
solipsism nobody can escape. Or by
'one reality' do you mean one galaxy?
Are other galaxies other modes of reality? Do you people plan on
inter-galactic travel?"
An overwhelming impression of a huge wild sorrow came from the alien's
gently-bulging, widespaced eyes. A wise calf waiting outside the
slaughterhouse kind of look.
"No. All the galaxies of This-Reality obey the same general laws. We are
searching for another reality. We have to achieve it. We are so late."
Again, this time factor,
"The problem," Ph'theri said dismally, "is what a two-dimensional being
would face, trying to behave three-
dimensionally: to the mocking laughter and love-taunts of superior
three-dimensional beings "
It sounded like nonsense or some kind of schizophrenia. Whose mocking
laughter? Whose love? Whose taunts?
Sole decided to get back on a more solid footing.
"It all comes down to the laws of physics and chemistry that govern this
reality, doesn't it, Ph'theri? Those decide how much we can ever know or
communicate. How much the brain of Man or Alien can think,"
"True."
"We ourselves are experimenting with chemical techniques to improve the
brain's capacity. We want to seek out the exact boundaries of universal
grammar."
Several Americans and Russians stared at Sole. He was aware he was giving
something confidential away, but didn't care right then.
"That approach is worthless," Ph'theri said impatiently. "Chemical techniques?
Trial and error? Don't you realize there are a myriad conceivable ways in
which proteins can be combined to code information? More than the sum total of
atoms in this planet of yours! The rules of reality can only be understood by
superimposing the widest range of languages from different worlds upon one
another.
There is the one and only key to This-Reality and the way out."
Sole nodded.
"Ph'theri, another question I must ask what you're saying now, is it being
monitored and aided in some way? Your fluency has me worried."
Ph'theri pointed a finger at the scarlet wires leading from his lips and
paper-bag ears into his chest pack.
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"True. This is sending signals through the ship outside into the language
machines in our larger ship in the sky. It is also a witness to our trade
negotiations. With machine-assist, I save time. Vocabulary fast-scan.
Heuristic parameters for new words "
"Yet even without this machine link-up you speak English by direct programming
into the brain, you said?"
"Yes, though not so easily. The technique is . . ."
". . . I know, tradeable. Was I wasting time just now, asking about grammar
and reality?"
"No. We are understanding each other at the optimum rate. We thank you. And
assess it highly."
"That's good. But I suppose you want to get on to what we're going to trade
each other. You talked about buying realities "
There were instant protests in the room. Voices cutting Sole down to size.
Insisting that he didn't have any mandate to negotiate.
Ph'theri raised both arms high in a histrionic gesture.
"There is low likelihood we find any trade worth losing the tide for, on this
world. In too many ways you are predictable. So, is this your representative,
or not?"
"Let's hear Dr Sole bargain on our behalf," growled Stepanov, "since that is
apparently unavoidable. We're not at the United Nations now. I'm sorry to say
we're in an auction room and the bidding has already commenced."
Zwingler nodded sarcastically in Sole's direction; and Sciavoni squeezed the
Englishman's elbow surreptitiously, like an embarrassed godfather.
"Touchy impatient bastard! Do your best, Chris."
Yet Sole felt suspicious of loopholes in this alien's logic and integrity. For
bargaining is a competition, not a free exchange of gifts.
"Presumably you want information about human languages?" he said, gently
detaching himself from Sciavoni's grasp.
"Yes. So long as we select the format "
Sole tried another tack. Laid down a challenge.
"I think you're being dishonest, Ph'theri. All this business about you people
being the right ones to assess values, on account of you came here first and
pushing off if we don't behave ourselves. In fact, we came out to you to start
the trading, when we gave you a language to trade in, out by the Moon. That
cost us some effort as much effort for a culture at our stage, maybe, as it
costs you to hop from star to star. We have a right to assess the value too.
What you've told us it's interesting, but it's pretty thin and
mystical-sounding, a lot of it. Not like what we gave you a complete working
language. Which, by the way, tells you a hell of a lot about us human beings
and our outlook on reality. I'd say you're already in our debt you're just
trying to browbeat us with these threats about leaving, to get something on [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]