Pondering 42 in Finite States

2006-10-22

Nightfall and Rendezvous with Rama

I am torn between Rendezvous with Rama (by Sir Arthur C. Clarke) and Nightfall (by Isaac Asimov and Robert Silverberg) when it comes to deciding which is the best science fiction novel that I have read so far.

The characters are more real in Nightfall, when compared to those of Rendezvous with Rama, some of whom behave more like characters from fairy tales. On this ground, I could pick Nightfall, but we are talking about science fiction here; who cares about character development anyway.

Rendezvous with Rama is also dealing with a subject matter that would necessitate some fantastic devices for the story to move move forward; not that there is a story. In a way, the only really fantastic device is the "reactionless drive", which interestingly is left to the one of the mysteries that the book does not care to elaborate.

It is an exploration of the unknown exclusively from the view of the explorers, without being colored by any special knowledge about the explored or of the future. Nightfall is another look at the effect of another kind of encounter with the unknown, in a very different scale.

Furthermore, Rendezvous with Rama has one of the funniest summaries I could come up with:

A spaceship makes a refueling stop and leaves, while a few locals boards and inspect it.

In the end, I am still torn.

Labels: books, fiction, fun fiction

Posted by FiniteState42i @12:23 | Permanent Link

2006-10-11

Laws of Parity and Happiness

Happiness is about Satisfaction. When do we achieve Happiness? When we cross the minimal target satisfaction level (S_m).

Satisfaction level is cumulative, therefore, the cumulative minimum target satisfaction (∑S_m) will form the basis of finding when we have achieved satisfaction. Say, the actual level of satisfaction is S_r, and the cumulative level, ∑S_r.

Now, we can say that we reach Happiness when:

Happiness is a almost a plateau, after maybe a slight spike at the point of reaching happiness, nothing more is added. You are satisfied. You are happy. On the other hand, Unhappiness (U) can be increase or decrease. Unhappiness can be quantified as follows:

Note that U is not defined for ∑S_m < ∑S_r.

∑S_m grows in a somewhat logarithmic logarithm (y = log_e (log_e x)) fashion. However, we will consider a simplified linear growth that skews the real curve, but presents a really low S_m level to compensate. We will use a linear 1.5 per cent per unit rate.

Assuming that you start with an initial S_m of 45, the satisfaction level growth will be as follows:

y	Sm	∑Sm	Sr	∑Sr	U
0.0	45.00	22.50	22.00	11.00	11.50
0.5	45.00	45.00	39.50	30.75	14.25
1.0	45.68	67.84	39.50	50.50	17.34
1.5	45.68	90.68	45.00	73.00	17.68
2.0	46.36	113.86	51.00	98.50	17.68
2.5	46.36	137.04	51.00	124.00	15.36
3.0	47.06	160.56	61.00	154.50	6.06
3.5	47.06	184.09	61.00	185.00	-0.91
4.0	47.76	207.97	61.92	215.96	-7.99
4.5	47.76	231.85	61.92	246.92	-15.07
5.0	48.48	256.09	62.84	278.34	-22.25
5.5	48.48	280.33	62.84	309.76	-29.43
6.0	49.20	304.93	63.79	341.65	-36.72
6.5	49.20	329.53	63.79	373.55	-44.02
7.0	49.94	354.51	64.74	405.92	-51.41

I have added the real satisfaction levels (S_r) and the corresponding cumulative value, and the quantification of Unhappiness (U).

From this it is quite evident that the level of unhappiness rises and falls.

Even bigger jumps did not help bring down unhappiness levels. Note the change in S_m and S_r levels for unit 0.0 and 0.5. ΔS_m is 0 while ΔS_r is 17.5 (an 80% increase), yet the ΔU is 2.75 (a 24% increase).

Until we cross the threshold, we are still unhappy.

But once you do, you are happy that is it. All those negative values do not have much meaning and can be approximated to a truth value (happy).

Now, all you need to do is to keep it that way. A modest increase in satisfaction can keep it going, matching the increasing minimum cumulative level.

Another way to look at S_m as infrastructure or foundation. Once you have it in place, you can pretty much forget about it (other than to make sure it is still in place).

Posted by FiniteState42i @12:05 | Permanent Link