...And We Will Have Snow

Chapter 2-4: Drake on Q

So it was set. Drake ran some tests, then Tengri took a turn, and over the next several days the rest lined up to find out what it was all about. Ray set up a VR show on the side, so those who wanted to could see Dema's snake and Cheryl's ocean model, and interesting things the others discovered, without needing the Q link. That way they could share in the excitement while they were waiting their turn.

But it was the Q that was the biggest deal. In their evening meetings in the lounge everyone had new ideas to share, realizations of how this link to the Q was actually very familiar. It was the computer link, the feedback that allowed them to capture sights and sounds from their own minds, that was new.

Drake ended up moderating the discussion about what the Q was and how the link worked. This was by default as he was the only one who had given it much thought before Ray did his trick with the computer.

Drake said, "I've known for a long time there was an unexplained phenomenon at work that accounted for dogs knowing when their masters were coming home, birds flying in flocks, fish swimming in schools, mice as a group getting better at solving mazes. It was all evidence for some kind of telepathy, or group memory."

Jack said, "Hasn't a lot of that been explained by things like pressure waves, electric fields, and so on?"

Drake smiled. "Those turn out to be half-explanations. Even if the fields are there, why do the animals respond to them? And they haven't even got that far with the mice.

"The biggest question really was why people didn't seem to have these abilities. But on closer examination it turned out that we did. It was only that there was a cultural bias among scientists to not believe it."

Karen said, "Training as scientists tends to make people like us believe that when there's no accepted scientific explanation for observations, then the popular explanations must be faulty, the popular beliefs unfounded."

"Right," said Drake. "When I tried to get other scientists to study this with me, I got nowhere. It took me a long time to realize that the reason was not that they had contrary factual scientific evidence, but that they had unscientific cultural bias.

"That's when I stopped trying to persuade nonbelivers, and began to look for believers. Turned out there are plenty of us. So here I am singing to the choir." He gave Tengri a special look.

"But even among believers I found a cultural bias. Most non-scientists would go with Dema, and call it 'spooky real.'

"I still wanted a scientific explanation. Like everyone else I had first hand experience with memory and thinking, with my own personal view of the world. The first thing I found out was that for most people, even scientists, all this is just a given. It's just how it is. No need to name it, no thought required."

There were several nods of understanding.

"But then, even when I thought about it I didn't make much progress. I could tell people I was trying to explain this thing they just accepted, and they would have some passing interest and be glad I was working on it, but it was rarely a pressing concern. For most people it was like thoughts about God and religion, something you might give lip service to on Sunday but otherwise don't bother much about."

More nods and some understanding chuckles.

"So instead of scientists I found myself in the company of psychics and religious fanatics.

"Eventually I began to see why. I could describe what I was talking about, and make up new names for it, classify observations about it, even run tests to prove it was real. But as for explaining it, I was as much at a loss as everyone else.

"Except for the quantum physicists, and people like Ray and Jack."

Jack said, "You include us because we know a little quantum theory. But most physicists who try to explain the Q with extra dimensions or 'realms of consciousness' are suspected of being kooks or religious fanatics themselves."

"Were," said Ray. "Were brushed off that way. Now we have proof."

"Yes," said Drake, "Or at least better evidence. Calling it 'the plenum' or 'the Q' still doesn't explain it. Naming it doesn't make it acceptable. I'm sensitive about that. But now we can demonstrate it, and that makes it pretty hard to deny."