Xref: csiph.com sci.physics:630235 sci.physics.relativity:416986 rec.arts.sf.written:469583 Newsgroups: sci.physics,sci.physics.relativity,rec.arts.sf.written Path: csiph.com!xmission!news.snarked.org!news.exile.org!news.kjsl.com!usenet.stanford.edu!kithrup.com!djheydt From: djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) Subject: Re: The Speed of Thought Message-ID: Date: Sun, 23 Apr 2017 16:31:20 GMT References: <58FBA2D2.5616@ix.netcom.com> <58fc9ce1$0$1811$e4fe514c@textnews.kpn.nl> Organization: Kithrup Enterprises, Ld. X-Newsreader: trn 4.0-test77 (Sep 1, 2010) In article , J. Clarke wrote: >In article , djheydt@kithrup.com says... >> >> In article <58fc9ce1$0$1811$e4fe514c@textnews.kpn.nl>, >> Sjouke Burry wrote: >> >On 23.04.17 7:05, The Starmaker wrote: >> >> Ned Latham wrote: >> >>> >> >>> The Starmaker wrote: >> >>>> >> >>>> The Speed of Thought >> >>> >> >>> Depends on the indiviual. Most people should be able to manage 80 wpm >> >>> or more. >> >>> >> >>>> I don't think >> >>> >> >>> We know. >> >>> >> >>> Ned >> >> >> >> >> >> The speed of light is not about how fast it can type...but how fast it >> >can move. >> >> >> >> >> >> Once you understand 'thought' as information... then you can measure >> >how fast thought can move. >> >> >> >> >> >> Let me give you a simple example.. >> >> >> >> Your great great grandmother puts her thoughts in a letter and give it >> >to a letter carrier, the pony express. >> >> >> >> A 'letter carrier' is a person who carries a letter containg your >> >great great grandmother thoughts , jumps on a pony and delivers it. >> >> >> >> >> >> What is the speed of thought? ....today, might be a little faster. >> >> >> >> How long did it take 'this thought' to reach You? And add all the >> >different modes of..transportation. >> >> >> >> >> >> Also add galaxies that are moving faster than the speed of light which >> >also contain...information. >> >> >> >> >> >> What is The Speed of Thought? >> >> >> >> >> >> I think it's fair to say it's a little more than..."80 wpm". >> >> >> >Nerve conduction velocity - Wikipedia >> >https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nerve_conduction_velocity >> >Nerve impulses are extremely slow compared to the speed of electrical >> >impulses which are on the order of 50?99% of the speed of light, >> >however, very fast compared to the speed of blood flow, with some >> >myelinated neurons conducting at speeds up to 120 m/s (432 km/h or 275 mph). >> >> That was what I thought when I first saw this Subject line. I >> actually knew that number at some point, 'cause I asked my boss >> the scientist and he told me, and I put it into _A Point of >> Honor,_ at the point where the programmer tells the swordswoman >> that, as you say, nerve impulses travel more slowly than >> electrical impulses, so that (contrary to popular belief) she >> *can't* tell whether she's in a VR on a local machine or a remote >> one. > >That would depend though on how remote "remote" is. Across town, it would >be hard to tell. Lag from NY to LA over landline is about the same as the >interval between movie frames--some people can see that. Lag from NY to >Melbourne would be more like a tenth of second--that's perceptible for most >people. Put in a satellite link and it's enough to be annoying in >telephone conversations. Well, the distance in the specific context is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to San Jose, California. But the story is set somewhere-in-the-moderately-near-future (Florida is being evacuated because of sea level rise, hydrocarbon-fueled vehicles are rare antiques, and full-sensory VR is available at a highish price), so maybe their communication speeds have improved. Note that I am not an EECS major, but my husband is. Or was, since he's retired. -- Dorothy J. Heydt Vallejo, California djheydt at gmail dot com