"Тед Чан. Seventy-Two Letters (72 буквы, Рассказ) (англ.)" - читать интересную книгу автора

expressing the creation of two levels of order. Further suppose that we
discover a euonym for the human species, and were able to incorporate this
epithet into the name. What do you imagine would be generated by
impressing the name? And if you say СtwinsТ I shall clout you on the head."
Stratton laughed. "I dare say I understand you better than that. You
are suggesting that if an epithet is capable of inducing two levels of
thermodynamic order in the inorganic domain, it might create two
generations in the organic domain. Such a name might create males whose
spermatozoa would contain preformed foetuses. Those males would be
fertile, although any sons they produced would again be sterile."
His instructor clapped his hands together. "Precisely: order that
begets order! An interesting speculation, wouldnТt you agree? It would
halve the number of medical interventions required for our race to sustain
itself."
"And what about inducing the formation of more than two generations of
foetuses? What kind of capabilities would an automaton have to possess,
for its name to contain such an epithet?"
"The science of thermodynamics has not progressed enough to answer that
question, IТm afraid. What would constitute a still higher level of order
in the inorganic domain? Automata working cooperatively, perhaps? We do
not yet know, but perhaps in time we will."
Stratton gave voice to a question that had posed itself to him some
time ago. "Dr. Ashbourne, when I was initiated into our group, Lord
Fieldhurst spoke of the possibility that species are born in the wake of
catastrophic events. Is it possible that entire species were created by
use of nomenclature?"
"Ah, now we tread in the realm of theology. A new species requires
progenitors containing vast numbers of descendants nested within their
reproductive organs; such forms embody the highest degree of order
imaginable. Can a purely physical process create such vast amounts of
order? No naturalist has suggested a mechanism by which this could occur.
On the other hand, while we do know that a lexical process can create
order, the creation of an entire new species would require a name of
incalculable power. Such mastery of nomenclature could very well require
the capabilities of God; perhaps it is even part of the definition. "This
is a question, Stratton, to which we may never know the answer, but we
cannot allow that to affect our current actions. Whether or not a name was
responsible for the creation of our species, I believe a name is the best
chance for its continuation."
"Agreed," said Stratton. After a pause, he added, "I must confess, much
of the time when I am working, I occupy myself solely with the details of
permutation and combination, and lose sight of the sheer magnitude of our
endeavor. It is sobering to think of what we will have achieved if we are
successful."
"I can think of little else," replied Ashbourne.


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