On Jun 27, 2:44Â am, "bigflet...@
gmail.com"
gmail.com>
wrote:> On Jun 27, 2:40Â pm, turtoni
fastmail.net> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>>> As established by Frank Herbert, following the defeat of the thinking
>> machines by humanity in the Butlerian Jihad, it was forbidden to
>> create sentient machines. The Mentat discipline was developed as a
>> replacement for computerized calculation, just as the Bene Gesserit
>> and the Spacing Guild took on functions previously provided by
>> thinking machines. For thousands of years, society considered Mentats
>> the embodiment of logic and reason.
>
>> Unlike computers, however, Mentats are not simply calculators.
>> Instead, the exceptional cognitive abilities of memory and perception
>> are the foundations for supra-logical hypothesizing. Mentats are able
>> to sift large volumes of data and devise concise analyses in a process
>> that goes far beyond logical deduction: Mentats cultivate "the naïve
>> mind", the mind without preconception or prejudice, similar to the
>> contemporary practice of Zen, that can extract the essential patterns
>> or logic of data, and deliver useful conclusions with varying degrees
>> of certainty. They are not limited to formulating syllogisms; they are
>> the supreme counselors of the Dune universe, filling roles as menial
>> as archivists and clerks, or as grand as advisors to Emperors.
>
>> A Mentat's capabilities can be greatly increased by taking sapho
>> juice, but using it leads to addiction. Sapho is extracted from the
>> root of the Ecaz tree and its use doubles or even triples the Mentat's
>> already immense processing power. However, repeated use leaves a
>> permanent "cranberry-colored stain" on the user's lips.
>
>> Being a Mentat can be a profession in itself, or the discipline can be
>> added to other roles. Only a small number of people have the ability
>> to be a Mentat; thus, those with the discipline are prized in whatever
>> role they choose. There are also varying degrees of ability. In Dune,
>> Thufir Hawat is considered to be one of the best mentats known at the
>> time. Paul Atreides is a Mentat duke (and later emperor) in Dune, and
>> in Heretics of Dune and Chapterhouse Dune, Miles Teg is a Mentat
>> bashar (or general) and the most formidable military commander in the
>> known universe. In Dune Messiah, Duncan Idaho is recreated as a ghola,
>> and trained as both a Mentat and as a Zensunni philosopher; he then
>> serves Paul as the House Weapons Master. In Children of Dune, he
>> marries the Regent, Paul's sister Alia, but is then instrumental in
>> protecting the royal heirs from her, demonstrating that Mentats are
>> rarely simply disinterested observers and counselors.
>
>> It is also possible to vary the discipline: In Dune, the Tleilaxu
>> create 'twisted Mentats' for the Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Piter de
>> Vries being the most notable example). These are sociopathic Mentats
>> free from the usual constraints of human morality or instinctual
>> considerations (de Vries is, among other things, a sadist and acts as
>> torturer for the Baron). In Heretics of Dune the Duncan ghola supplied
>> to the Bene Gesserit by the Tleilaxu has been altered in many subtle
>> and hidden ways by the Tleilaxu, including the addition of submerged
>> Mentat abilities.
>
>> In God Emperor of Dune, Leto II outlaws the order and crushes any
>> renegade training schools he finds. Unlike his execution of historians
>> for the purpose of controlling his legacy and symbolism, Leto never
>> explicitly mentions why he suppresses Mentats, leaving the reader to
>> conclude that it simply plays a role in his larger purpose of
>> oppressing humanity in order to create his Golden Path. The art is not
>> eliminated, however, surviving through underground schools; notably,
>> the Bene Gesserit preserve the art, assuming that Leto knows of this
>> (through his prescience) and approves.
>
>> Later, in Chapterhouse Dune, the Duncan ghola speaks to the Bene
>> Gesserit Reverend Mother Bellonda and recalls his past incarnation
>> from the time of Leto II:
>
>> I went to Wallach IX at the Tyrant's command ... My orders were to
>> suppress the Mentat school you thought you had hidden there ... I, a
>> Mentat, forced to suppress a school that trained people the way I was
>> trained. I knew why he ordered it, of course, and so do you.
>
>
> Many variations on a theme.
>
> Skywalked vs Darth was an excellent example.
>
> Derren Brown has mastered the art of such suggestion.
> He can send marshal arts students into severe pain with a sweep of his
> hand,(even with no visual contact) and also collect large amounts of
> money from bookmakers when producing a losing ticket.
>
> Id love to see some academic experiments on him.
>
> BOfL
I've brought up NLP on a number of occasions in this newsgroup.
"In a Daily Telegraph article published in 2003 Simon Singh criticised
Brown's early TV appearances, arguing that he presented standard magic
and mentalism effects - such as the classic Ten Card Poker Deal trick
- as genuine psychological manipulation.[9] On Brown's television and
live shows he often appears to show the audience how a particular
effect was created—claiming to use subliminal imagery, body language
reading and so on. Singh's suggestion is that these explanations are
dishonest. Furthermore, Singh took exception to the programme's
website being categorised under Channel 4's "Science" section. The
minisite was moved to Entertainment for later series.
In his book Tricks of the Mind, Brown writes, "I am often dishonest in
my techniques, but always honest about my dishonesty. As I say in each
show, 'I mix magic, suggestion, psychology, misdirection and
showmanship'. I happily admit cheating, as it's all part of the game.
I hope some of the fun for the viewer comes from not knowing what's
real and what isn't. I am an entertainer first and foremost, and I am
careful not to cross any moral line that would take me into
manipulating people's real-life decisions or belief systems."
Brown claims he has never used actors or stooges in his work. In
Tricks of the Mind he offers the defence that such a ploy is
"artistically repugnant and simply unnecessary"; furthermore, he
"would not want any participant to watch the [TV] show when it airs
and see a different or radically re-edited version of what he
understood to have happened".[10] Certainly, during stage
performances, Brown chooses participants at random by throwing an
object (a frisbee or stuffed animal) to the audience and having them
pass it around; whoever ends up with the object joins him on stage.
[11]
In response to the accusation that he unfairly claims to be using NLP
whenever he performs, Brown writes "The truth is I have never
mentioned it". Brown does have an off-stage curiosity about the
system, and discusses it in the larger context of hypnotism and
suggestion."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derren_Brown
