I hear a Babylon 5 reboot is in the works

[Nealithi]

In Babylon 5 souls are explicitly a real thing that technology can interact with. Soulhunters can trap them, Minbari can scientifically show someone is a reincarnation of a specific person. We actually see a few on screen at the end of the very second episode.

JMS was fucking with the audience to an extent, though. The Mimbari believe in reincarnation and they have "proof" because Valen's soul is identified as having been somehow inside Sinclair. Except, we know there's another reason for that.

You can always assume that device also is designed to read a person's genetic makeup in a super fast way and it's programmed only to read Sinclair's/Valen's genetics. Could be very well Vorlon in its origin.

It was used for Valen/Sinclair's DNA. Delenn had a reaction to the Triluminary and could do the cocoon thing because she is a descendant of Valen. It was even mentioned that there are so many now they can't count them all.

[CharlesPhipps]

In Babylon 5 souls are explicitly a real thing that technology can interact with. Soulhunters can trap them, Minbari can scientifically show someone is a reincarnation of a specific person. We actually see a few on screen at the end of the very second episode.

JMS was fucking with the audience to an extent, though. The Mimbari believe in reincarnation and they have "proof" because Valen's soul is identified as having been somehow inside Sinclair. Except, we know there's another reason for that.

You can always assume that device also is designed to read a person's genetic makeup in a super fast way and it's programmed only to read Sinclair's/Valen's genetics. Could be very well Vorlon in its origin.

Well we know souls exist. However, I'd assume it's more likely to read his brain patterns than his genetics.

[Frustration]

It can work if established early on as part of that universe. Trek has its mind melds,

From a certain point of view, psionics seemed to be a potential new science in the 60s - it hadn't yet been shown that all the claims of psychic abilities were either fraudulent or delusional. A lot of SF from that era and before has psychic powers treated as something we'd learn about and develop in the future.

JMS has a background in psychology. He knows better.

[Frustration]

JMS was fucking with the audience to an extent, though. The Mimbari believe in reincarnation and they have "proof" because Valen's soul is identified as having been somehow inside Sinclair. Except, we know there's another reason for that.

Except, it's also made clear that the Minbari are at least superficially correct, although reincarnation of souls has yet to be demonstrated. There are some indications that sapient beings have 'souls' because, in the distant future, an ultimate Mind reaches back in time to preserve and distribute the informational content of individual sapient minds. This still doesn't explain why AI is impossible in the Babylon 5 universe, of course.

[Nealithi]

JMS was fucking with the audience to an extent, though. The Mimbari believe in reincarnation and they have "proof" because Valen's soul is identified as having been somehow inside Sinclair. Except, we know there's another reason for that.

Except, it's also made clear that the Minbari are at least superficially correct, although reincarnation of souls has yet to be demonstrated. There are some indications that sapient beings have 'souls' because, in the distant future, an ultimate Mind reaches back in time to preserve and distribute the informational content of individual sapient minds. This still doesn't explain why AI is impossible in the Babylon 5 universe, of course.

Hang on. Its impossible in B5 verse?
I thought B5 had an AI initially but it was deactivated because it was a jerk? And when Sheridan, Garibaldi, and Ivanova reset security of the B5 computers it reactivated during that episode and irked Garibaldi to shooting a speaker in a lift?

[Riedquat]

It can work if established early on as part of that universe. Trek has its mind melds,

From a certain point of view, psionics seemed to be a potential new science in the 60s - it hadn't yet been shown that all the claims of psychic abilities were either fraudulent or delusional. A lot of SF from that era and before has psychic powers treated as something we'd learn about and develop in the future.

JMS has a background in psychology. He knows better.

Fair enough, but a good part of speculative fiction is "given this assumption (which may or may not be nonsense, but it might be interesting to explore the ramifications regardless) let's run with it."

It's when something lazily goes beyond that to introduce any old nonsense at the drop of the hat and idiots wave it away with "well it's science FICTION" that I get annoyed. People who accept that will accept being fobbed off with anything.

[hammerofglass]

It's a setting with cyborg wizards that set holodemons on people and advanced races made of sentient light who are secretly the source of legends about angels and demons. Genetically engineered psychic powers just doesn't stand out that much to me on the silliness level.

[Madner Kami]

Hang on. Its impossible in B5 verse?
I thought B5 had an AI initially but it was deactivated because it was a jerk? And when Sheridan, Garibaldi, and Ivanova reset security of the B5 computers it reactivated during that episode and irked Garibaldi to shooting a speaker in a lift?

"Sparky the Computer", an AI personality construct. Voiced by none other than Harlan Ellison. The episode is "Ceremonies of Light and Dark" Season 3, Episode 11.

[Nealithi]

Thank you Madner Kami!

[TGLS]

Hang on. Its impossible in B5 verse?
I thought B5 had an AI initially but it was deactivated because it was a jerk? And when Sheridan, Garibaldi, and Ivanova reset security of the B5 computers it reactivated during that episode and irked Garibaldi to shooting a speaker in a lift?

"Sparky the Computer", an AI personality construct. Voiced by none other than Harlan Ellison. The episode is "Ceremonies of Light and Dark" Season 3, Episode 11.

Hey, I've played "I Have no Mouth..."; I'd unplug a Harlan Ellison voiced computer at the first opportunity.