Writer's Block: Merlin revisited

[seawasp]

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If they're unlimited, I could do everything in zero time, so I'd basically make the world as much perfect as it can be with humans in it. (I have no intention of transforming people directly, that's immoral, but making everyone healthy, etc., that's fine. I'd start by speeding my time ratio up so I had effective years to work in, increase my knowledge and wisdom magically so I was effectively godlike in my understanding of all things including people's emotions, consequences of changes to the world, and so on (scrying would help with that), figure out the best approaches, etc., and then apply them carefully. Once I was done I'd reverse myself to my proper capabilities (though with perfect health, etc.) and add a contingency to not mind the loss TOO much.

Comments

[sinanju.livejournal.com]

You power-gaming rules lawyer, you!

[seawasp]

If you don't mean "unlimited" you shouldn't SAY "unlimited".

"Are you a god?"

"Why.. yes. Yes, I do believe I AM!!"

[muirecan.livejournal.com]

That is what the thought experiment says. You get to be a god with no power limits for 5 minutes. My assumption is that is 5 real minutes and not 5 perceived minutes. Just like Ryk's is.

[muirecan.livejournal.com]

for that matter why do I lose the powers at the end of 5 minutes? If I have omnipotence shouldn't I have the ability to confer it on myself again? Well probably some cosmic override. But nothing says I have to be what I was at the start of the five minutes at the end of them. :D

[melchar.livejournal.com]

5 minutes of omnipotence? I think there would be enough time. After all, I -brood- about how I would change the world if given the chance. ^_^ Fun, fun, fun.

[dbdatvic.livejournal.com]

you are Rudy Rucker, and I claim a third chance with the last color.

--Dave

[seawasp]

I know not this "Rudy Rucker" and thus do not know how the above ties in with him.

[dbdatvic.livejournal.com]

Mathematician and SF author. novels include White Light and Master of Space and Time; the above is a reference to the latter. Shorter fiction includes a couple in the delightfully odd anthology Mathenauts (also contains Kagan's story of the same name, and others you've probably seen). Nonfiction includes a book called Infinity and the Mind, part of which is a really good introduction to transfinite numbers.

--Dave