Concepts of Fine Structure

The first central concept of Fine Structure is that the real universe in which we exist, "Alef", is one of a near-infinite array of ever-larger universes. This "Fine Structure" displays size, coherence, intelligent life and all kinds of wonders on every scale and in every conceivable cross-section. Being only 3+1-dimensional, we exist right at the very bottom of this scale.

The second major concept is that intelligence, thought, ideas and coherent information are all aspects of a superdimensional force, existing alongside gravity and electricity. Information is substance, and can be manipulated.

Information is a much more powerful force in the higher dimensions, which is why they are filled with intelligent life. In a three-dimensional universe, however, information is a very weak force, so intelligent life is rare. Humans are the only intelligent life anywhere in Alef. We are extremophiles, existing far below the point where most higher-dimensional individuals believe that intelligent life becomes impossible to sustain, like those freakish creatures which live at the ocean floor, or bacteria clinging to life in the Antarctic.

In the opening of Fine Structure, two high-D creatures, Xio (75+5D) and Oul (80+6D), go to war. Xio, the less powerful of the two, turns the tables on the other by intentionally trapping them both in Alef, a 3+1D world in which neither of them can do any damage; indeed, where sentient life, it is believed, cannot exist.

The two beings land fairly early in the universe; after the development of stars, but before any sentient life has arisen. Oul is apparently killed and Xio goes to his rest happy that his home is safe.

Then, everything goes catastrophically wrong.

As we all know, a 3+1D universe can support sentient life. Xio survives. For an extra-dimensional creature, a 3+1D prison is hell. So the task becomes escape - escape from the very "cell" which he originally built for himself.

This prison is structured with the purpose of preventing the use of super-dimensional technologies, so that no escape to higher dimensions is possible. A variety of such super-advanced technologies are initially available in Alef - technologies such as FTL communication, FTL travel, antigravity, force fields and so on. But each time a technology is used for the first time, it works only for a limited period before the "cell", which is semi-intelligent, registers this as an escape attempt and changes the rules of the universe, to block it permanently. The third major concept of Fine Structure, then, is that each technology can be used once only.

Combining all three concepts, the "A-layer" or "Eka Script" which is discovered in "On Digital Extremities" is a natural informational representation of the fundamental properties of the Structure. The Structure and the Eka Script are the same thing, presented from different perspectives. When technologies are progressively locked out, the A-layer changes to reflect this.

Discussion (14)

2010-01-27 19:53:50 by Pavel:

Wow, fascinating. Now I'm gonna have to go back and read everything, which I've been skipping so far.

2010-01-27 20:50:40 by Jake:

Is it, just me. Or, does there seem to be a-lot more punctuation, here, than normal.

2010-01-27 21:22:27 by Boter:

Yeah, a bit. I'm wondering if it was written in some sort of word processor with hyphenation turned on. It's a bit per-plexing.

2010-01-27 21:55:50 by qntm:

Well, Fine Structure was intentionally written to move at a fast pace, especially in its later stages. I also use run-on sentences a lot in my fiction. This, however, is basically a Bible or production document which I wrote to keep my own head straight some years ago and am just sharing with you guys now because I thought you might be interested.

2010-01-28 20:17:54 by Fred:

I think the remark wasn't about style. There are some extraneous hyphens, like in "sur-vives" which should be one unpunctuated word.

2010-01-28 20:21:36 by qntm:

Ah, you're right, that's due to MS Word. Fixed.

2010-01-29 20:06:18 by EJL:

This is very useful, thanks (I had only grasped about 3/4 of these ideas previously). Could you do perhaps a another, similar document regarding just a few of the more complex features of Fine Structure, e.g. the Crashes & the the various civilisations that Anne & Mitch keep visiting on Earth?

2010-02-01 01:43:33 by Neorb:

I get everything else, but I don't understand the +1D or the +5D +6D. 3+1D I took to mean x,y,z, and time. But that doesn't make sense with +5D and +6D. Or is there no real explanation? Or are we going on the idea that its just +perception of the next 5 or 6 layers? Xio inhabits (can interact with) 75 dimensions and perceives the next 5? Oul inhabits (can interact with) 80 dimensions and perceives the next 6. Then again that means Oul would have to be in the 75th for the fight to be possible? Am I trying to hard, or using the wrong Dimensional theory?

2010-02-01 06:32:29 by Iydak:

from what I can tell from the story, dimentions are presented in (x+yD) form, where x is spatial dimentions, and y is dimentions of time. although how you can have 6 dimentions of time is beyond me (probably along with everyone else from 3+1).

2010-02-01 14:01:45 by fzzrmiller:

In "Sundown" Mitch says they have six dimensions of time where he's from. It made me think he was Oul for a while.

2010-02-01 22:35:36 by Neorb:

I didn't catch that line from Mitch. That explains it then. So I had the right idea, I just can't fathom extra dimensions of time. Well I guess I can; just in a different way. The old idea of time being the 4th. So the extra dimensions makes plenty of sense. +1 is a point in time. +2 could be a time line. And continue from there.

2010-02-01 23:35:37 by qntm:

I can't fathom extra time dimensions either. That's a hint. You don't need to.

2010-02-15 07:07:41 by none:

Wikipedia actually has an article on extra time dimensions, but they tend to be unpredictable.

2010-11-28 15:19:26 by PhantomHoover:

One thing that bugs me is the way the imprisoner can change the Structure. I was under the impression that it was the source code for the entire multiverse and everything in it, not just Alef, so its mutability would imply that it was possible to change more than the conditions within the prison itself.

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