In the previous passage, Paul showed how attaining righteousness by faith was in fact the essence of the Old Testament, not its antithesis. In this passage, Paul begins to describe the effects of righteousness by faith. Verses 1 and 2 seemed to show the change in our relationship with God once we embrace the salvation plan. Verses 3 through 5 guide us to a new understanding of suffering and life. The rest of the extract portrays the depth of God's love.
Verses 1 and 2 state that justification by faith leads to peace with God, grace obtained by faith and hope in the glory of God. I found the identification of the temporal status of these three effects quite insightful. For a believer, grace has been received in the past, peace with God is what we possess in the present, and hope is directed to the glory of God that will be manifest in future.
The suffering to hope sequence is quite interesting, especially in light of how I'm trying to understand the tenets of Buddhism. Suffering leads to endurance, endurance to character and character to hope. I wonder if Lucas drew inspiration for the fear to anger to hate to suffering sequence from these verses. Maybe not. Anyway, suffering produces endurance, we persevere under the stress, tell ourselves to carry on in spite of our circumstances. Not to give up and despair.
A very useful definition of character has 'something that has been proven' was offered. It is only in suffering that we identify those who can truly act out what they profess to believe. Trial by fire, and when the conflagration has swept through, individuals who remain standing have had their mettle tested and verified.
Why then, does character lead to hope? I personally understood it as hope based on experience. The experience of surviving a time of testing, leaning on God for support. Each time we do that, the more certain we can be that He is a reliable bedrock. Building up trust, we cling to the final hope of salvation even more tangibly.
Sidetracking a little here, but Buddhism as I understand it, appears to try and eliminate suffering. In Buddhism, the pains and distress of life are held to have their origin in desire. To transcend suffering, desire must be controlled and the self denied. It seems quite a different picture from what Paul presents to the Roman church. Paul takes suffering as a chance to develop personally and grow closer to God.
Perhaps it would be right to say that suffering comes from the knowledge that our situation is not what we wish it could be, what we desire. Certainly, sometimes what we desire is wrong and those should be denied and suppressed. Suppressing desires is one way to understanding suffering and coping with it. I could give an example of envy. Someone looks at what another has and covets it; that longing and jealousy result in the green-eyed someone suffering. No doubt such a desire is unhealthy and should be starved.
However where Christianity begs to differ from Buddhism seems to be that Christianity acknowledges that some desires are worth preserving and fulfilling. Some desires; for a world that is fairer, for an end to hunger, for a transparent and honest government; make us painfully aware that the world is unfair, that people do starve and that many countries are plagued by corruption. Am I correct to understand that Buddism suggests that the first step to end such suffering comes when I simply accept that the world is rife with maladies?
Christianity focuses on the other way to deal with suffering, looking forward to a time when the suffering is at an end, when the wish has been fulfilled. This allows endurance, resilience and determination to pass through a time of suffering and into a better phase. It develops hope. Suffering is accepted because it will all be better in the end. The desire is not killed, but its fulfillment is reserved for the only time when it will truly be sated, in the Kingdom of God.
The second half of the passage assures the Christian that God's love will not fail us. Its unconditional, selfless and merciful nature did not forsake us when we were enemies. So what more will it be, now that the Christian and God are reconciled.
Ergo, in summary, I would say this passage relates this : Righteousness by faith, assured by the sheer magnitude of God's love, reconciles us to God and changes our attitude towards suffering.
25 May 2013
23 May 2013
Indefinite Taciturnity
I'll be taking a break from posting Eldawn related developments while I work on the actual writing for awhile. It's time to channel all these ideas into the actual prose. I haven't revealed much in terms of the actual characters involved in the story, partly because they aren't fully fleshed out in all aspects.
In other respects, I'm attempting to devise a believable hydrological cycle that does not require precipitation, and yet leaves maneuverability for a deluge. I'm also trying to characterise the second era of Eldawn, post Deluge and the collapse of the first cities. In a time when the stories that I am crafting now have turned into legend and myth, and the original creation story recedes further into the myst of memory. Not to mention language development, scripts; pictorial or phonetic?
One thing is for certain; I've a slightly better understanding of the hardships of world-building, and in the process of my research, a better understanding of this world. Meanwhile, I'll still post Vignettes, Thoughts and Perspectives as and when I feel motivated to do so.
In other respects, I'm attempting to devise a believable hydrological cycle that does not require precipitation, and yet leaves maneuverability for a deluge. I'm also trying to characterise the second era of Eldawn, post Deluge and the collapse of the first cities. In a time when the stories that I am crafting now have turned into legend and myth, and the original creation story recedes further into the myst of memory. Not to mention language development, scripts; pictorial or phonetic?
One thing is for certain; I've a slightly better understanding of the hardships of world-building, and in the process of my research, a better understanding of this world. Meanwhile, I'll still post Vignettes, Thoughts and Perspectives as and when I feel motivated to do so.
21 May 2013
Societal Allegory : The Filial - Religion
The Filial and the Radiant are opposites in many social attitudes and their systems of faith are no exception. The religion of the Radiant could be described as a veneration of scientific advancement and the code of ethics for proper research. On issues of morality it was largely silent, individuals left to their own devices and judgements. A judicial system was established, under the domain of Saroza, but for the most part, the rest of the gods were unconcerned with morality.
In contrast the belief system of the Filial is based on ideals of community and a continual striving by works and actions to reconcile the Repentant to harmony with Eleyon. I have a feeling that this sort of focus would result in a strict legal codex, akin to the lengthly compilation of Leviticus or Islamic Law. Some actions would be clearly delineated as sins, but as expected, unusual cases would spring to light. There would be a gradual inflation of specifications, exceptions and justifications as the Filial struggle to balance on the hairline between justice and mercy.
Some guidance would be provided by the intact moral compass of the Guardians. They would probably have had greater authority on all matters concerning righteousness and sin. Of course this would lead to disputes where some individuals of the fallen Repentant disagree with the final judgement of the elves. Fragment groups, splinters, schools of thought, doctrinal disputes.
Over the duration of two millennia, a key problem would reveal itself, the same problem that plagues our courts today. Simply put, no man can ever see into another's true heart. People may fulfill all ritual expectation and keep all the laws, but their hearts turn callous with pride in the process. The true attitude that was supposed to be the source of devotion to the law is lost. The external display supersedes the internal belief and the essence of obedience is lost.
The arrival of the physical aspect of Eleyon to Yevanis would have had a significant impact on religious development. He would have set many laws straight and given a lot of advice surely. I should really say more, but I'd be at risk of revealing as of yet unconfirmed plot details. All in all, since the Filial have a religion that fits I suppose, the conventional character of religion, it does not warrant much further explanation. It is a belief that good works and a willing heart can redeem the sin that lies within us all.
In contrast the belief system of the Filial is based on ideals of community and a continual striving by works and actions to reconcile the Repentant to harmony with Eleyon. I have a feeling that this sort of focus would result in a strict legal codex, akin to the lengthly compilation of Leviticus or Islamic Law. Some actions would be clearly delineated as sins, but as expected, unusual cases would spring to light. There would be a gradual inflation of specifications, exceptions and justifications as the Filial struggle to balance on the hairline between justice and mercy.
Some guidance would be provided by the intact moral compass of the Guardians. They would probably have had greater authority on all matters concerning righteousness and sin. Of course this would lead to disputes where some individuals of the fallen Repentant disagree with the final judgement of the elves. Fragment groups, splinters, schools of thought, doctrinal disputes.
Over the duration of two millennia, a key problem would reveal itself, the same problem that plagues our courts today. Simply put, no man can ever see into another's true heart. People may fulfill all ritual expectation and keep all the laws, but their hearts turn callous with pride in the process. The true attitude that was supposed to be the source of devotion to the law is lost. The external display supersedes the internal belief and the essence of obedience is lost.
The arrival of the physical aspect of Eleyon to Yevanis would have had a significant impact on religious development. He would have set many laws straight and given a lot of advice surely. I should really say more, but I'd be at risk of revealing as of yet unconfirmed plot details. All in all, since the Filial have a religion that fits I suppose, the conventional character of religion, it does not warrant much further explanation. It is a belief that good works and a willing heart can redeem the sin that lies within us all.
18 May 2013
Perspectives : Romans 3:27 - 4:25
The cell group I'm blessed with is an excellent mix of humour and debate, socialising and bible study. I come away with fresh insights that I may or may not have a chance to share with the group. I've decided that I'll add them here. My understanding of the world, in particular my faith and relationship with God, are deeply intertwined with the development of Eldawn. I will not be in the least surprised if many of the concepts ascertained from my fellowship with my cell group work their way into my fiction. After all, that is what happened with 'The Chronicles of Narnia'.
The passage we studied this week is Paul's reconciliation of apparently contradictory salvation plans; righteousness by faith and righteousness by the law. He shows how faith was the essence of man's favour and relationship with God all along, since Abraham. The biological father of the Jews, but the spiritual father of many nations, Abraham set an example of faith for the rest of his spiritual children to follow. That pattern of faith motivating works and a reliance on the promises of God.
Faith in God is the axiom on which the covenant of God and all His promises are built. Attempting to achieve righteousness and salvation by works denies that axiom, and so the covenant is rendered inapplicable to those who attempt to fulfill the law by works alone. In addition, the covenant can only be fully realised once it includes 'many nations'. Nations that have the revelation of the law and those who were not privy to the holy statutes. Only by faith is the covenant valid and fulfilled.
All these points were discussed in the study time, but another thought has occurred to me since then. I would like to tie in the idea of faith with this verse :
'The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.' - 1 Samuel 16:7b
Allow me to explain. To obtain the righteousness of God, we have to be justified in the eyes of God. For a long time, and even now, humanity has believed that by doing good deeds, by earning our way into heaven, we can achieve this devine righteousness. Why is this belief so prevalent? I submit that part of the reason is that we think God thinks in our terms.
We are restricted from understanding another person's true heart. No person can claim to understand the core, the soul, the true essence and motivations of another. Sometimes we cannot even comprehend our own heart. As a result, we look to actions, achievements, possessions, behaviour, appearance. Works. We judge and value each other based on the things we can evidence and deem as points of credibility. Sometimes this system works, sometimes it does not, as with when John Bates was incorrectly condemned for murder of Viera Bates, his wife. I'm sorry, I just watched Downton Abbey's Season 2 Christmas Special. Back to the point...
Erroneously, we extend such a limited perception to the omniscient God. We think that just because we judge others by their works, God will judge us by our works as well. From this misunderstanding stems the belief that we can obtain righteousness by works.
Thankfully, God is able to look into our hearts. And guess what - To have faith is a choice of the heart. It is an internal change, placing trust in the salvation plan of Jesus. It's something that God alone sees for certain, a quiet revolution that happens beneath the appearance. Based on this change of heart, God is able to justify us by His strategy for redemption, the Son's sacrifice. It is this faith that is counted unto us, and unto the paragons of the Old Testament, as the righteousness of God.
11 May 2013
Societal Allegory : The Filial - Science and Technology
The scientific philosophy of the Filial is entirely unlike the manner in which the Radiant strive for advances. Instead of a focus on mechanics, computing and physics, the Filial directed their research into biochemistry, ecology and genetics. To me, this has come to symbolise the Älloran and Yevanian contrast between the two factions. It isn't that biology is inherently Yevanian while physics is inherently Älloran, that's not it at all. I am considering the attitudes they adopted as they pursued knowledge in these areas. The Älloran attitude of focusing on an idealised, visionary goal at the expense of understanding things around us is exemplified by the choice to focus on the heavens and light at the cost of neglecting the rest of creation.
The key point with Ällora is that he sets himself on a dream, and drives towards it with ambition, but doesn't take time to appreciate what he already has. Yevassë lives more from day to day, developing as necessary, and through that, achieves another species of societal progress. The society of the Filial is consequently one that is integrated into the mesh of its supporting environment. As much as properties are understood, they are linked to practical purpose. Problems that are encountered are viewed less as obstacles, but more as opportunities to identify new utility from a characteristic of nature; its just waiting for someone to find a way to channel that trait constructively.
Now this all certainly seems in line with the idea behind biomimicry, learning from nature. Nonetheless there is a distinction between Yevanian technology and our biomimetic devices. Our nature inspired designs are still artificial in their construction. The Filial have designed their directives into the organisms themselves, their designs are organically based and grown. Perhaps it would be useful to describe it as artificial selection for useful traits in plants and animals, but in more areas than simply agriculture and farming.
Most of the technology would have come from the Elves, instead of the Repentant. Elves, with their mastery over energy, would have been able to sense workings of living organisms in intricate detail. It is possible that they would be able to identify the functions of organic compounds much more easily than we have historically. Being in tune with the strong nuclear force would have revealed clusters of energy that were concentrated in the nuclei of atoms. Detecting nuclei would make the shapes, bonds and relationships between organic compounds apparent to an experienced magic user. Not to mention these living processes could be observed in real time, without having to dissect an organism or subject it to microscopic scrutiny. How much clearer their knowledge of the molecular processes of life would be compared to ours!
Based on this line of thinking, and the time frame of the story, the Elves would have ample opportunity to craft many organisms into specialised functions. I'm imagining water giver trees, that draw up water from the soil, purify it and secrete it into leaves grown into bowl like forms. Lamps based on bioluminescent bacteria in a symbiotic relationship with algae; light energy taken in during the day and released in a gentle glow at night. Trees that house silkworms that produce silk to be harvested, before using a final reserve for their own cocooned metamorphoses. Vines that grow into thin, strong and flexible ropes with interlocking carbon chains as their structural basis. Of course their crop varieties would be extremely well crafted as well, efficient in nutrition and yield.
The technology of the Filial may not have the raw power and exuberance of the Radiant technology, but it is a system built to last, sustainable and cohesive, ubiquitous but unassuming.
The key point with Ällora is that he sets himself on a dream, and drives towards it with ambition, but doesn't take time to appreciate what he already has. Yevassë lives more from day to day, developing as necessary, and through that, achieves another species of societal progress. The society of the Filial is consequently one that is integrated into the mesh of its supporting environment. As much as properties are understood, they are linked to practical purpose. Problems that are encountered are viewed less as obstacles, but more as opportunities to identify new utility from a characteristic of nature; its just waiting for someone to find a way to channel that trait constructively.
Now this all certainly seems in line with the idea behind biomimicry, learning from nature. Nonetheless there is a distinction between Yevanian technology and our biomimetic devices. Our nature inspired designs are still artificial in their construction. The Filial have designed their directives into the organisms themselves, their designs are organically based and grown. Perhaps it would be useful to describe it as artificial selection for useful traits in plants and animals, but in more areas than simply agriculture and farming.
Most of the technology would have come from the Elves, instead of the Repentant. Elves, with their mastery over energy, would have been able to sense workings of living organisms in intricate detail. It is possible that they would be able to identify the functions of organic compounds much more easily than we have historically. Being in tune with the strong nuclear force would have revealed clusters of energy that were concentrated in the nuclei of atoms. Detecting nuclei would make the shapes, bonds and relationships between organic compounds apparent to an experienced magic user. Not to mention these living processes could be observed in real time, without having to dissect an organism or subject it to microscopic scrutiny. How much clearer their knowledge of the molecular processes of life would be compared to ours!
Based on this line of thinking, and the time frame of the story, the Elves would have ample opportunity to craft many organisms into specialised functions. I'm imagining water giver trees, that draw up water from the soil, purify it and secrete it into leaves grown into bowl like forms. Lamps based on bioluminescent bacteria in a symbiotic relationship with algae; light energy taken in during the day and released in a gentle glow at night. Trees that house silkworms that produce silk to be harvested, before using a final reserve for their own cocooned metamorphoses. Vines that grow into thin, strong and flexible ropes with interlocking carbon chains as their structural basis. Of course their crop varieties would be extremely well crafted as well, efficient in nutrition and yield.
The technology of the Filial may not have the raw power and exuberance of the Radiant technology, but it is a system built to last, sustainable and cohesive, ubiquitous but unassuming.
3 May 2013
Societal Allegory : The Radiant Wings - Medicine
As previously detailed, the natural lifespan of the Radiant Wings was enhanced above baseline humanity by virtue of Ällora's gift of a strengthened spirit link. In spite of this, they were still subject to age and its posse of infirmities, and it is estimated that 1200 years was the maximum biological limit on their earthly time. Naturally, the Radiant rebelled against this limit, intervening with their magic to prop up their degenerating physiques.
The magic system of Eldawn is such that energy within a person's body normally cannot be manipulated by another user's will. The control that someone has over magic in the area diminishes with distance from the body, but within the confines of the skin itself, absolute control is normally maintained. This natural barrier can be circumvented in a number of ways, and one of those ways is when an individual willingly allows it to drop for another trusted individual to enter. In this state, another person can observe and alter the movement of energy within the exposed individual's body. Of course someone with magical senses is able to detect the energy pathways and structure of their own body with practice and refined technique.
Among the Radiant Wings, Älloran magic would allow them to detect electrical signals within the body; perhaps most directly, the pulses of neural signaling. The brain would be a perpetual cluster of electrical activity, but it would take an experienced individual to distinguish the pathways within it. So somewhat amusingly, the Radiant may have had a better understanding of nervous control and systems before any other part of the body.
Mastery of other wavelengths of light and magnetism would eventually have allowed the Radiant Wings to perceive much of the internal workings of the physical body, just as we have x-rays and magnetic resonance imaging today.
Medicine would only have come be an area of interest as the eldest individuals of the Radiant started to notice their declining health. I'm placing this at a rough estimate of 850 AE, since their lifespans are about 1200 years. The signs would be slight at first; shortness of breath, lethargy, diminished strength. Eventually this would get to the point where a person's capability was noticeably affected. I do not wish to have infectious disease and horrific conditions such as cancer enter the picture just yet. The world of Eldawn cannot fall so far in its youth.
It would not have taken much thinking to design magically enhanced mechanisms to assume some of the physical demands of the body. These would be automatically powered rather than manually driven; manually directed manual machines would be just as taxing, defeating the purpose entirely. After these reactive measures, there were two resulting schools of thought. The first was to find ways of restoring the body to its original state. They focused on trying to determine the body's pathophysiology and correct whatever was faltering. Once the root cause of the problem was elucidated, it would be corrected by surgical intervention if it was structural. The fields of biochemistry and genetics remain rather undeveloped compared to our own, at least in Radiant Wings cities, as a result, pharmaceuticals and drugs are not viewed as the most promising option.
Surgery could be performed by another once an individual's natural barrier was lowered. With delicate control, an atherosclerotic vessel could be unclogged, calculi disintegrated or thrombi dissolved. Anesthetic effects would be easily achieved by temporarily disabling the electrochemical signals of the sensory neurons in the area.
The other approach would be quite different; its proponents preferred instead to find better and more efficient ways of magical integration. Feeble muscles would be augmented by contractile fibres that responded to the same motor impulses just as organic muscle would. The body would gradually be replaced by reliable magically supported technologies. The users of this sort of treatment would gradually turn away from biological substance, becoming more of hybrid creatures of magical structures and a withering anatomy. One thing that could not however, be replaced was the brain. Perhaps due to its complexity, and partly due to beliefs that the electrically active brain housed the anchor for the spirit link, the brain remained sanctified long beyond any other part of the body.
Eventually the integrative approach won out over the restorative approach. The restorative approach only seemed to target superficial symptoms, but not the underlying illness. The body continued to malfunction, and in greater severity, even after repeated surgical intervention. It was deemed inferior to the integrative approach that made better long term economies. The search for underlying causes was abandoned as too tedious and also due to the fact that a working alternative was so apparent.
The integrative approach eventually bore a more radical school of thought, which I have already mentioned in 'Societal Allegory : The Radiant Wings - Agriculture and Gastronomy', namely, the school of Postcorporism. Subscribers to this view believed that the body could be all but entirely done away with. Living well into the time of Connectivity, existence could be moved to digital expression and manifestation. The Postcoporists began to integrate their neural circuitry into the computers around them. The brain took information in directly from the virtual world around it, the process was dubbed abstraction. Those who had undergone it had their physical bodies kept in a stasis, while their mental selves wandered swiftly through datastreams and networks, exploring, creating, dreaming, interacting. If they so wished, idealised holographic projections could manifest themselves in the buildings and halls of Elenis and Alanis. The troublesome body was redundant, life could be just as fulfilling without it.
So medicine moves from being a unsettling necessity, to a mix of restorative and integrative approaches, before finally becoming redundant in light of the Postcorporist movement. The inventions of medicine were of course, useful for many other things. It was applicable to those who still preferred their physical bodies, and for the young who wished to enhance their physiques. However to the most advanced and respected elderly bimillenials by the time of the story, 2168 AE, medicine was superfluous, they had become ghosts in their machines.
The magic system of Eldawn is such that energy within a person's body normally cannot be manipulated by another user's will. The control that someone has over magic in the area diminishes with distance from the body, but within the confines of the skin itself, absolute control is normally maintained. This natural barrier can be circumvented in a number of ways, and one of those ways is when an individual willingly allows it to drop for another trusted individual to enter. In this state, another person can observe and alter the movement of energy within the exposed individual's body. Of course someone with magical senses is able to detect the energy pathways and structure of their own body with practice and refined technique.
Among the Radiant Wings, Älloran magic would allow them to detect electrical signals within the body; perhaps most directly, the pulses of neural signaling. The brain would be a perpetual cluster of electrical activity, but it would take an experienced individual to distinguish the pathways within it. So somewhat amusingly, the Radiant may have had a better understanding of nervous control and systems before any other part of the body.
Mastery of other wavelengths of light and magnetism would eventually have allowed the Radiant Wings to perceive much of the internal workings of the physical body, just as we have x-rays and magnetic resonance imaging today.
Medicine would only have come be an area of interest as the eldest individuals of the Radiant started to notice their declining health. I'm placing this at a rough estimate of 850 AE, since their lifespans are about 1200 years. The signs would be slight at first; shortness of breath, lethargy, diminished strength. Eventually this would get to the point where a person's capability was noticeably affected. I do not wish to have infectious disease and horrific conditions such as cancer enter the picture just yet. The world of Eldawn cannot fall so far in its youth.
It would not have taken much thinking to design magically enhanced mechanisms to assume some of the physical demands of the body. These would be automatically powered rather than manually driven; manually directed manual machines would be just as taxing, defeating the purpose entirely. After these reactive measures, there were two resulting schools of thought. The first was to find ways of restoring the body to its original state. They focused on trying to determine the body's pathophysiology and correct whatever was faltering. Once the root cause of the problem was elucidated, it would be corrected by surgical intervention if it was structural. The fields of biochemistry and genetics remain rather undeveloped compared to our own, at least in Radiant Wings cities, as a result, pharmaceuticals and drugs are not viewed as the most promising option.
Surgery could be performed by another once an individual's natural barrier was lowered. With delicate control, an atherosclerotic vessel could be unclogged, calculi disintegrated or thrombi dissolved. Anesthetic effects would be easily achieved by temporarily disabling the electrochemical signals of the sensory neurons in the area.
The other approach would be quite different; its proponents preferred instead to find better and more efficient ways of magical integration. Feeble muscles would be augmented by contractile fibres that responded to the same motor impulses just as organic muscle would. The body would gradually be replaced by reliable magically supported technologies. The users of this sort of treatment would gradually turn away from biological substance, becoming more of hybrid creatures of magical structures and a withering anatomy. One thing that could not however, be replaced was the brain. Perhaps due to its complexity, and partly due to beliefs that the electrically active brain housed the anchor for the spirit link, the brain remained sanctified long beyond any other part of the body.
Eventually the integrative approach won out over the restorative approach. The restorative approach only seemed to target superficial symptoms, but not the underlying illness. The body continued to malfunction, and in greater severity, even after repeated surgical intervention. It was deemed inferior to the integrative approach that made better long term economies. The search for underlying causes was abandoned as too tedious and also due to the fact that a working alternative was so apparent.
The integrative approach eventually bore a more radical school of thought, which I have already mentioned in 'Societal Allegory : The Radiant Wings - Agriculture and Gastronomy', namely, the school of Postcorporism. Subscribers to this view believed that the body could be all but entirely done away with. Living well into the time of Connectivity, existence could be moved to digital expression and manifestation. The Postcoporists began to integrate their neural circuitry into the computers around them. The brain took information in directly from the virtual world around it, the process was dubbed abstraction. Those who had undergone it had their physical bodies kept in a stasis, while their mental selves wandered swiftly through datastreams and networks, exploring, creating, dreaming, interacting. If they so wished, idealised holographic projections could manifest themselves in the buildings and halls of Elenis and Alanis. The troublesome body was redundant, life could be just as fulfilling without it.
So medicine moves from being a unsettling necessity, to a mix of restorative and integrative approaches, before finally becoming redundant in light of the Postcorporist movement. The inventions of medicine were of course, useful for many other things. It was applicable to those who still preferred their physical bodies, and for the young who wished to enhance their physiques. However to the most advanced and respected elderly bimillenials by the time of the story, 2168 AE, medicine was superfluous, they had become ghosts in their machines.
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