From: johnson@sleipnir.mnesouth.corp.mot.com ("Johnson")
Subject: Magic, Intelligence, Perception and Reality
Reply-To: johnson@sleipnir.mnesouth.corp.mot.com
Organization: Motorola Wireless Enterprises, Schaumburg, IL
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 18:06:51 GMT

In article <1992Oct12.224327.2180@cbnewse.cb.att.com>, gmark@cbnewse.cb.att.com (gilbert.m.stewart) writes:
=)
=)Personally, the fact that we are filled with lots of information
=)and memories that are plain false smacks of Bladerunner and Total
=)Recall, and I find it completely fascinating.  Consider that the
=)world in our heads really doesn't exist.  Think how uncomfortable
=)that would make most people if they realized this.  Brings new
=)meaning to the phrase, "Perception is Reality."
=)
=)GMS

Okay, I guess it's time to jump into the fray here.  I've been
(somewhat) inertly monitoring the occultist discussions to see
where they went, but I guess I'll go proactive at this point--
it seems ripe.

Many profound insights such as this one are covered in the basic
principles of natural magic.  First a definition:  Natural magic
is the subset of magic which deals with direct interactions between
individuals and reality, without the involvement of deities, demons,
dead folks, or other spiritual entities.

The absolute basics of it can be expressed as a layered communications
protocol.  It is probably easiest to picture cocentric circles to
represent the various layers.  At the center, draw a small circle or
point.  This is the central part of you, identifiable as yourself.  It
could arguably be called a spirit or soul.  For the purposes of this
discussion, it can be called more neutrally the Experient.

The Experient, as implied by the choice of words, is the entity which
experiences the world.  The world which it interfaces with, however,
is not objective reality.  It interfaces with an internally stored
virtual reality referred to as the Microcosm.

The Microcosm is a representation of objective reality as perceived by
the individual.  Learning is the process of building and maintaining
the Microcosm to keep it in line with the Macrocosm, which can roughly
be described as the aforementioned objective reality.

The Microcosm is itself surrounded by a negotiating layer, which can
be called the Arbitrator.  The function of this layer is to negotiate
between the Microcosm and the Macrocosm, finding the most minimal
adjustments necessary to the Microcosm to maintain adequate
correlation.  This process works in both directions, as discussed
below.

The Arbitrator is surrounded in turn by the Perceptor, which
negotiates with the Macrocosm through the physical mechanisms of
action and perception.

The Macrocosm is what we normally refer to as reality.  The scientific,
or mechanistic, viewpoint is that the Macrocosm is involiate, existing
independently of our perception of it.  The magical viewpoint is that
the Macrocosm is an abstraction representing a consensus definition of
all Microcosms, and has no existence of its own except as it is
perceived.  Both viewpoints are correct to an extent.

There are two directions to any communication.  In the "outbound"
direction, the Experient forms a modification to the Microcosm.  Note
that the Microcosm has mechanisms for supporting information not yet
existing in the Macrocosm for this purpose.  This is imagination; one
can see from this standpoint the etymological relationship of image,
magic, and imagine.  If the modification is deemed desirable, the
Microcosm activates the Arbitrator, which acts as a sort of devil's
advocate, and negotiates the idea with the internal representation of
the Macrocosm in order to convert it to a form which is reasonably
compatible with the Macrocosm.  This process is creation, which is
etymologically related to creed, credence, credo, etc. and can be
considered to mean in this context "to make believeable."  Once the
modification or idea is tempered in this way, appropriate data are
passed to the Perceptor to enable it to impose the necessary
modification(s) on the Macrocosm.

Note that it is common for people to skip steps in this process.  
One of the most common mistakes is to skip the Arbitration step, and
bringing the modification directly to the action layer while it is
still in a form incompatible with the Macrocosm.  This generally
results in ineffective action and a considerable amount of wasted
effort.

In the "inbound" direction, information is received from the Macrocosm
via the Perceptor.  The Perceptor's main purpose in this transaction
is to limit the available information to a level which can be processed
adequately.  The Perceptor passes the filtered information to the 
Arbitrator, which compares the new information to the Microcosm and
initiates a negotiation process which includes modifying the received
information, weighting aspects of it, and searching for a minimal set
of adjustments required to the Microcosm to incorporate it.  These
adjustments may include reevaluation of the source of the information.
Without this process, the Microcosm could never achieve a stable state
since all information presented would need to be equally weighted and
believed.  The updated Microcosm is then available to the Experient.

Again, the most common misuse in this transaction is that of the
Arbitrator.  To underuse the Arbitrator is gullibility, and has the
end result that the Microcosm is somewhat unstable.  To overuse the
Arbitrator is closed-mindedness, and in its extreme form, schizophrenia.

Most interaction represents an attempt to achieve commonality between
Microcosms.  This can be done by modification of one's own Microcosm, or
by modification of someone else's.  First reaction is generally to attempt
to impose one's own Microcosmic structure on another, since there is
usually a reason for building your own Microcosm in a particular way.
Exceptions, of course, include lecture environments, entertainment, or
speeches where the general direction of communication is preestablished.

Another important concept, which is hopefully fairly self-explanatory,
is the Minicosm--a set of commonality between some or many Microcosms
which is not (yet!) incorporated into the Macrocosm.  Religious groups
create their own Minicosms.  Liberals, Conservatives, and other political
factions create their own Minicosms.  A work environment generally has
its own Minicosm.  Most individuals are participants in many Minicosms,
and political rallies, religious services, business meetings, and other
gatherings usually serve the primary function of building and reinforcing
a Minicosm.  From a magical standpoint, a Minicosm represents strength in
numbers, and a better chance at influencing the Macrocosm.  The power of
the Minicosm is the reason for covens, prayer groups, and the "herd
mentality."

Having said this (whew!), I'll offer a strawman definition of intelligence
(a subject not covered extensively in magical literature :-) as "the
ability to incorporate and reconcile usefully in one's Microcosm the
structure of the Macrocosm or that of another Microcosm or a Minicosm."
Note that the ability does not necessarily imply that it is always used...

Most of the basic concepts discussed here are ages old, but the
presentation is largely my own.  I know of no primal source where the
above model is discussed in whole.  Any comments, suggestions, or even
flames are appreciated.
-- 
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| "Johnson"                              | Don't say words you're gonna regret|
| johnson@sleipnir.mnesouth.corp.mot.com | Don't let fire rush to your head   |
|                                        |        -- The Alan Parsons Project |
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