BY LETTER
Filium's Proof
One of the shortest lived, yet most intriguing (though some academics would say annoying) esoteric grails is Filium's Proof. By about 4210 Kaldus Tetron, a minor academic habitat on the edge of Keterist space, had a reputation as a center for the study of baseline-transcendent phenomena and other baseline occult and esoteric studies. The evidence for many of these phenomena is indeed intriguing, but many seem confined to the realm of subjective interpretation. Standing out from these is a theorem devised by the baseline (1) magus Filium (sometimes known as Philium) along the lines that the will and subjective understandings of individual sentients can be made manifest in the realm of objective, tangible phenomena. This is in no way a unique idea, even among baselines, but in 4217 Filium designed and enacted an experiment to demonstrate the veracity of his theorem on an undeniable macroscopic scale.
Witness accounts portray the magus using common chalk(2) to scribe cabbalistic line and semi-circle diagrams complete with arcane glyphs of ancient or unknown origin on the iron meteoric paving stone of the central academic quadrangle. Reports have Filium throwing down his chalk for emphasis upon completion. To all observation this act triggers the manifestation Filium's Proof as the air begins to grow thick with the heady scent of Uumian Briarrose (tm). Within about 1.5 meters above the diagram lines and intersections of light, apparently of schematic significance, were noted to etch themselves in the air. From the curves implied by these schematics an authentic 50x scale Uumian Briarrose (tm) blossom (3), devoid of stalk or support, began to manifest. Said flower was seen to attain maturity, bloom, and die over the space of half an hour shedding wafting petals over the ground.
For all it's dramatic nature and arcane trappings Filium's Proof was disproven within only a few minutes of it's execution as the chalk he used was found to contain a set of nanites designed to reflect ambient light to holographic effect. Despite his being discredited Filium stuck by his theorems until his dying day (only 2 years later in 4219). But some scholars who have studied Filium's Proof are skeptical about it's disproof. For one thing the actual Briarrose petals, though larger than standard are quite real. Their material is genetically to the standard Uumian Briarrose (tm). A few have been preserved and other petals have been cloned for sale on the open market. To add to this anti-disproof no bionano construction apparatus was ever discovered among the holographic chalk nanites, nor in any area nearby. Of course this lack of nanites proves nothing either since any clarketech advanced enough to build such a bioconstruct and keep it suspended in the air is likely able to dismantle it's self beyond recognition by most baseline or near-baseline detection equipment.
It has been suggested that Filium intentionally perpetrated an act that at first glance was a hoax, but which on closer inspection was actually genuine in it's claims. It is held in some circles that Filium was trying to draw observers to some deeper or clearer level of understanding and/or initiate a grail quest. In this latter at least, and no doubt the former as well to some degree, it is evident that he had some success, if such was indeed his goal. Even at present there are perhaps several hundred thousand individuals and institutions attempting, with questionable degrees of success, to duplicate Filium's Proof or some aspect thereof.
Among main detractors of the proof is Thompson (55) of the local "500nm Group" who has repeatedly suggested Filium's possible connection to the Nuage movement. Though the proof's proponents point out that if the proof is valid any associations Filium may have had with pro-esoteric groups are irrelevant though interesting in a social/historical context.
Interestingly the Power/Archai Sophia Scientia has remained silent on the subject of Filium's Proof. On occasions when an avatar of Sophia Scientia was specifically queried regarding the validity of the proof, E has replied that more time is necessary to make an accurate determination. Coming from an archailect or seraiph of this caliber such a response can, unfortunately, give no indication to baselines of Er current leanings on the subject one way or the other.
(n1) - In reality Filium had minor genetically induced dermal color patterns fashionable among the nearby Gajaan caste of which he was a member. However this minor genetic tweaking is not known to promote unusual mental, physical or esoteric abilities among baselines.
(n2) - chalk, though not naturally occurring in the nearby star systems was often nano-manufactured by academics with sentimental, anachronistic, or whimsical leanings, especially among certain proponents of various esoteric arts.
(n3) - about 2 meters wide rather than 4 cm wide.
Witness accounts portray the magus using common chalk(2) to scribe cabbalistic line and semi-circle diagrams complete with arcane glyphs of ancient or unknown origin on the iron meteoric paving stone of the central academic quadrangle. Reports have Filium throwing down his chalk for emphasis upon completion. To all observation this act triggers the manifestation Filium's Proof as the air begins to grow thick with the heady scent of Uumian Briarrose (tm). Within about 1.5 meters above the diagram lines and intersections of light, apparently of schematic significance, were noted to etch themselves in the air. From the curves implied by these schematics an authentic 50x scale Uumian Briarrose (tm) blossom (3), devoid of stalk or support, began to manifest. Said flower was seen to attain maturity, bloom, and die over the space of half an hour shedding wafting petals over the ground.
For all it's dramatic nature and arcane trappings Filium's Proof was disproven within only a few minutes of it's execution as the chalk he used was found to contain a set of nanites designed to reflect ambient light to holographic effect. Despite his being discredited Filium stuck by his theorems until his dying day (only 2 years later in 4219). But some scholars who have studied Filium's Proof are skeptical about it's disproof. For one thing the actual Briarrose petals, though larger than standard are quite real. Their material is genetically to the standard Uumian Briarrose (tm). A few have been preserved and other petals have been cloned for sale on the open market. To add to this anti-disproof no bionano construction apparatus was ever discovered among the holographic chalk nanites, nor in any area nearby. Of course this lack of nanites proves nothing either since any clarketech advanced enough to build such a bioconstruct and keep it suspended in the air is likely able to dismantle it's self beyond recognition by most baseline or near-baseline detection equipment.
It has been suggested that Filium intentionally perpetrated an act that at first glance was a hoax, but which on closer inspection was actually genuine in it's claims. It is held in some circles that Filium was trying to draw observers to some deeper or clearer level of understanding and/or initiate a grail quest. In this latter at least, and no doubt the former as well to some degree, it is evident that he had some success, if such was indeed his goal. Even at present there are perhaps several hundred thousand individuals and institutions attempting, with questionable degrees of success, to duplicate Filium's Proof or some aspect thereof.
Among main detractors of the proof is Thompson (55) of the local "500nm Group" who has repeatedly suggested Filium's possible connection to the Nuage movement. Though the proof's proponents point out that if the proof is valid any associations Filium may have had with pro-esoteric groups are irrelevant though interesting in a social/historical context.
Interestingly the Power/Archai Sophia Scientia has remained silent on the subject of Filium's Proof. On occasions when an avatar of Sophia Scientia was specifically queried regarding the validity of the proof, E has replied that more time is necessary to make an accurate determination. Coming from an archailect or seraiph of this caliber such a response can, unfortunately, give no indication to baselines of Er current leanings on the subject one way or the other.
(n1) - In reality Filium had minor genetically induced dermal color patterns fashionable among the nearby Gajaan caste of which he was a member. However this minor genetic tweaking is not known to promote unusual mental, physical or esoteric abilities among baselines.
(n2) - chalk, though not naturally occurring in the nearby star systems was often nano-manufactured by academics with sentimental, anachronistic, or whimsical leanings, especially among certain proponents of various esoteric arts.
(n3) - about 2 meters wide rather than 4 cm wide.
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Development Notes
Text by Peter Kisner
Initially published on 23 June 2002.
Initially published on 23 June 2002.
