What to name a magic-based AI?

[Steve]

What would be a good name for a magic-based AI in an Urban Fantasy Hero setting?

 

Originally, I was going to use Persona, but I've since some across other potential names I could use.

 

Asura

Daemon

Pneuma

Psyche

 

Given a modern day setting, what might work best and not freak people out to hear the name? I'm thinking Daemon or Psyche might work.

 

Are there other names I could use?

[Chris Goodwin]

Tulpa.  From Wikipedia:  "...is a concept in mysticism of a being or object which is created through sheer spiritual or mental discipline alone. It is defined in Indian Buddhist texts as any unreal, illusory or mind created apparition. According to Alexandra David-Néel, tulpas are "magic formations generated by a powerful concentration of thought." It is a materialized thought that has taken physical form and is usually regarded as synonymous to a thoughtform."

[Ndreare]

I would say calling the magic AI a daemon (basically a god or evil god) would definitely have negative connotations.

 

Personally I like Persona and use the term in our setting for that part of a person that is magical. As it implies personality without negative or positive aspects.

Of course you could also call them aspects which is what we call elementals in our seeing.

[clsage]

While not magic based, one of my characters has a base computer (akin to J.A.R.V.I.S.) that is named Argus. The derivation as described in this Wikipedia entry:

 

Argus Panoptes (Ἄργος Πανόπτης), guardian of the heifer-nymph Io and son of Arestor, was a primordial giant whose epithet, "Panoptes", "all-seeing", led to his being described with multiple, often one hundred, eyes. ...The epithet Panoptes, reflecting his mythic role, set by Hera as a very effective watchman of Io, was described in a fragment of a lost poem Aigimios, attributed to Hesiod:

"And set a watcher upon her, great and strong Argos, who with four eyes looks every way. And the goddess stirred in him unwearying strength: sleep never fell upon his eyes; but he kept sure watch always.

"

 

The implication is that the AI has a broad spectrum of sensors and such available to it, there by it is 'all seeing'...

 

So, for your application, perhaps Panoptes?

 

-Carl-

[Steve]

Well, the AIs in question are for magic-created biological robots which are somewhat like Nexus 6 replicants from Blade Runner. Aspect might work for an alternate name from Persona.

 

However, maybe there could be some overseeing AI that monitors individual units. I had considered them as totally autonomous from each other. Having a master authority of some kind is a different way they could be constructed, like drones in a collective.

[IndianaJoe3]

Well, daemon is already used in computing.

[Greywind]

Bob. It works for Dresden.

[Hyper-Man]

Ghost Wheel.

[Lucius]

 

programs.

 

No, seriously. If technological software constructs are called daemons,

 

Well, daemon is already used in computing.

then thaumaturgical software constructs should have a technological name - programs, or emulators (since they emulate true sentient consciousness) etc.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Conspicuous by its abasence

[Steve]

While I like the sound of daemon, I think it would probably be a marketing mistake to use it. Persona (or maybe Emulator as Lucius suggested) is probably a word that would be better received.

 

Perhaps daemon could refer to a hacked or corrupted persona.

[Christopher]

While not magic based, one of my characters has a base computer (akin to J.A.R.V.I.S.) that is named Argus. The derivation as described in this Wikipedia entry:

 

Argus Panoptes (Ἄργος Πανόπτης), guardian of the heifer-nymph Io and son of Arestor, was a primordial giant whose epithet, "Panoptes", "all-seeing", led to his being described with multiple, often one hundred, eyes. ...The epithet Panoptes, reflecting his mythic role, set by Hera as a very effective watchman of Io, was described in a fragment of a lost poem Aigimios, attributed to Hesiod:

I think greek mythology is the right way to go. Both thier phylosophers and mythology were among the first to contain "Artificial Intelligence/Robot" concepts (at least from those cultures we still have knowledge). From Automaton Article on Wikipedia:

"

There are many examples of automata in Greek Mythology: Hephaestus created automata for his workshop; Talos was an artificial man of bronze; Daedalus used quicksilver to install voice in his moving statues; King Alkinous of the Phaiakians employed gold and silver watchdogs; the Caucasian artificial eagle tortured Prometheus.^[4]

The automata in the Hellenistic world were intended as toys, religious idols, or tools for demonstrating basic scientific principles, including those built by Greek mathematician Hero of Alexandria (sometimes known as Heron). When his writings on hydraulics, pneumatics, and mechanics were translated into Latin in the 16th century, Hero’s readers initiated reconstruction of his machines, which included siphons, a fire engine, a water organ, the aeolipile, and a programmable cart.^[5][6]

Complex mechanical devices are known to have existed in ancient Greece, though the only surviving example is the Antikythera mechanism, the earliest known analog computer.^[7] It is thought to have come originally from Rhodes, where there was apparently a tradition of mechanical engineering; the island was renowned for its automata; to quote Pindar's seventh Olympic Ode:"

As the article points out, tehy even build a Mechanical Computer.

[Cassandra]

Merlin

 

Magical Encyclopedic Resource Library Information Network

[Christopher]

Perhaps if we re-spin the whole Automaton thing.

Auto-Mobile is "self moving".

Automaton is self acting (Doors, clocks).

 

We want "self thinking".  the "auto" part is clear. Regarding thing I got those hits:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eunoia "Well mind", "beatifull thinking"

There are various words starting with "phron" or "phront" wich mean thinking, contenplation, care, attention. That kind of thing: http://wordinfo.info/unit/1650/ip:7/il:P

enthumeomai means refelction or pondering

phroneo means "having understanding" and "to think"

On a side node, porneia means whoring and where ponography was named. And we all know that song about the internet...

 

"Autophront" or "Autophron" perhaps?

 

 

I look how Computer was named. It originally meaned a human that does calculations, "somebody who computes". Once computers (wich are purely there to make computations) came around, the name stuck to them.

 

A webcomic called "Licensed Heroes" (think "what if the D&D-Adventureres had a union and kilometers of red tape") has a very close equivalent to the Internet, called the Aethernet. You seind amail. There is a thinly veiled reference to the "Nigerian aunt, lot's of money, please send your bank account"-Spam.

Instead of "Electric and Internet bills" you have "Magic and Aethernet bills".

[Steve]

Sophont might work for a good, generic term.

 

For some reason, Christopher's posting reminded me of the word.

[rravenwood]

Kind of in the same direction that Christopher is going, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Greek_and_Latin_roots_in_English I've found the following:

 

aut-, auto-    self, directed from within
ego-             self, I (first person)
sui-               self

sapi-, -sipi-   taste, wise

anim-            breath, life, spirit
ide-               idea, thought
log-               thought, word, speech
ment-            mind
phren-          diaphragm, mind
psych-          mind

simul-           imitating, feigning

 

Not sure if any of those work well together (autoide?  automent?), but they might spark an idea.

[BlueCloud2k2]

Aspect is typically used in DnD to represent to physical manifestation of a demon lord or archduke of hell (they spin off a small piece of themselves to allow themselves to be in more than one place; Think Duplication in HERO terms where the worshippers pay for the Duplicate with sacrifices and profane rituals).

 

Daemon is not inherently evil, and has been mutilated by Christianity into demon.

[Steve]

Kind of in the same direction that Christopher is going, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Greek_and_Latin_roots_in_English I've found the following:

 

aut-, auto-    self, directed from within

ego-             self, I (first person)

sui-               self

 

sapi-, -sipi-   taste, wise

 

anim-            breath, life, spirit

ide-               idea, thought

log-               thought, word, speech

ment-            mind

phren-          diaphragm, mind

psych-          mind

 

simul-           imitating, feigning

 

Not sure if any of those work well together (autoide?  automent?), but they might spark an idea.

 

Combining some.of them, I get possibilities for alternate names.

 

Simullog 

Autolog 

 

Another one that might work for me, based on the above roots, is "simulsapient" for artificial intelligence.

[clsage]

Speaking of magical AI...And admittedly somewhat obliquely related to your original query...

 

I cannot recall who the original poster was, and my current level of 'search-fu' here on the new forums does not seem to be able to locate it, but there was a posting (or one portion of a series of postings) prior to the forum changeover of a Norse mythos based device which I believe was named Yggdrasil and was described (as I recall it) as a "crystalline sphere filled with arcane clockwork". It served as the AI for a Norse oriented hero/group of heroes.

 

If you can find the character design post (or if the original poster sees this and is willing to 're-share') it might have some use as inspiration.

 

-Carl-

[Christopher]

Sophont might work for a good, generic term.

The Sci-Fy Webcomic Schlock Mercenary uses the term "Sophont" a lot as generic term.

 

"Sophont of the Sol System includes":

Normal humans. As much as defineable after a milennium of genetic engineering

Purps, human subspecies with photosythetic skin

Every uplifted ape species (chimpanzees and gorillas have been featured mostly; propably to hard to draw to show them more)

Two species of uplifted Elephatns. Including the Neophant (Elephant that has hands and can walk upright).

Artifical Intelligences (note that there is a clear line between those and "smart agents", wich are just a step to low to be considered sophonts - "Smart Missiles/bombs", "S.I.") - asuming they are of Sol Origin

[Steve Long]

Cassandra beat me to it -- I'd definitely go with MERLIN, for which you can devise at least a dozen explanations for the acronym pretty easily.

[Christopher]

Cassandra beat me to it -- I'd definitely go with MERLIN, for which you can devise at least a dozen explanations for the acronym pretty easily.

Several things in Comnputer & Technology Sector are called Merlin, MERLIN or M.E.R.L.I.N.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merlin_%28disambiguation%29#Computing_and_technology

 

Inlcuding and old Colleague of "Clippy".

What are the Chances MS used Merlin instead of Clippy as default Office Assistant and now nobody likes Merlin as name?

[bubba smith]

i'm with Cassandra and mr. long in re the name merlin

[Vondy]

 

Daemon is not inherently evil, and has been mutilated by Christianity into demon.

 

That process didn't start with the Patristic fathers. It started with Plato, who while not describing daemons as evil, did describe them as dangerous and sometimes malevolent. That was the first shift away from the traditional, neutral view. The Ante-Nicene Fathers were heavily influenced by neo-platonism and fused its already negative notion of daemons with the fallen angels depicted in Second Temple era Jewish apocalyptic writings as evinced in the Enochian and Qumron texts, whose elements bear a striking relationship to the book of Revelations.

 

My point is, people act as though Christians are the root of all evil and responsible for distortions when, in fact, they were merely working with -- and often synthesizing -- extant intellectual trends. They weren't operating in a fully Christianized culture and weren't even the dominant religion when these trends began. They were Ancient Greeks (and Syrians, and Hebrews, and Copts, etc) themselves -- hence their use of their native Greek term at all -- and weren't merely "ignorant Christians sundering ancient Greek myths." They were ancient Greeks!. They didn't invent the idea that daemons were, in some way, worrisome to man -- they inherited it from Plato!

 

Incidentally, the rabbinic fathers largely expunged the notion of rebellious fallen angels (ala the Christological demon) from their texts despite it being, originally, a Jewish idea-- though echoes of it remains here and there if you know where to look. Also, the rabbinic attitude towards sheidim (the equivalent of daemons and not to be confused with angels) was identical to Plato's -- dangerous and sometimes malevolent, but not necessarily evil -- and evolved from Hellenic influence in ancient Israel well before the common era!

 

Talk about going full circle!

[eilar1]

Bob - of course

[drunkonduty]

Has anyone suggested HAL yet?