9.8 KiB
Are there any stories about bayesian!sherlock holmes?
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Author: u/None *
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URL:
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Score: 22
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Created: 2017-05-16T06:53:02
Post:
[deleted]
Comments:
u/DCarrier [+26] (15 minutes later)
In the opposite direction there's Tattletale from Worm, who's basically Sherlock Holmes if Doyle admitted that it's impossible. She has a superpower that lets her deduce things from insufficient evidence, and even evidence that she could gather but hasn't.
u/None [+17] (17 minutes later)
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u/Frommerman [+11] (9 hours later)
That's kind of how all of Worm goes. 3 block radius arthropod control is nuts, but Taylor is a compelling character.
u/Kishoto [+3] (19 hours later)
I disagree with that statement. I don't think her ability is all that nuts, in context of a fight. I think Taylor's just exceptionally gifted. I think she'd do much the same with any power that had any sort of battle application. Although I suppose we could then debate how much of that processing power she gets from her bugs contributes to said intelligence.
u/None [+7] (a day later)
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u/Kishoto [+1] (a day later)
Ok, let's say that's all her power was good for. Unlimited multitasking. How would she use that to resolve any of the conflicts she'd face as a hero/villain/rogue? You can't multitask your way out of a fight. And even if she can juggle a hundred ideas, she only has 24 hours in the day and two hands. She's no Tinker.
u/None [+2] (a day later)
I am not saying that her multitasking was op on it's own, it is just a force multiplier for almost any power she could have.
u/Kishoto [+1] (a day later)
That's just not true. With people like Genesis or Panacea, then sure. But most power sets don't require a ton of multitasking. Any power that doesn't allow the use of multiple constructs (be they beams, lifeforms, other powers, etc.) won't be very much force multiplied, beyond the generic multiplier that would result from someone with increased intelligence/processing using said power.
u/InvisibleRegrets [+1] (a day later)
Tinker - tech thought reading device + drones/dragon suits/remote-controled capes (with a little help from bonesaw). With unlimited multitasking, she could sit in the PRT HQ and send her minions anywhere in the world. If she can sense through them via feedback, she could have tens/hundreds of thousands of computer terminals with access drones - I doubt even the number man could beat her processing power with enough upscaling (he only has two hands).
u/Kishoto [+2] (a day later)
So ok. You're saying 1 of 2 things. In which case, your point still doesn't really apply.
You're describing this as a part of her power set - If that's what you're saying, then that applies to my statement about powers that use multiple constructs. It would obviously be broken in cases like that.
You're talking about another Tinker helping her by creating those things - yea, that would be a force multiplier. But that's one applied by someone else, with their powers working together. There are several powersets that would be very complimentary to the point of being broken, which is fine. My original point is just that, in and of itself, it wouldn't be very broken if Taylor was on her own. And that's without considering the cost of the situation you described, and Wildbow's made it clear that there is a cost to such things in his realistic-ish world.
u/The_Magus_199 [+1] Ankh-Morpork City Watch (4 days later)
Yeah, that and the arthropod sensing within a three block radius are the real killers here I think.
u/kaukamieli [+4] (a day later)
No, no. The opposite is Dirk Gently.
u/Noumero [+9] Self-Appointed Court Statistician (4 hours later)
Perhaps The Einstein Paradox and Conned Again, Watson would fit? You can find a comprehensive summary of the latter here.
Edit: Greg Egan's Quarantine (goodreads | TV Tropes) has a detective protagonist in a hard sci-fi setting; the plot focuses on his investigation mild plot spoiler.
Among other things posted here, some Mongolian Wizard stories have detective elements.
u/None [+3] (4 hours later)
Aren't those two non-fiction? I have Conned Again on my to-read list already.
Mongolian Wizard looks really cool and I'll definitely check out Greg Egan's quarantine.
u/Noumero [+6] Self-Appointed Court Statistician (4 hours later)
No? I don't think they are, according to u/ToaKraka's summary.
Additionally, Tattletale Investigates is a well-written but discontinued Worm fanfiction in which Lisa avoids Coil and subsequently starts a detective agency instead of acting as a supervillain. Not, strictly speaking, what you asked for, but you may like it.
u/None [+3] (4 hours later)
I was under the impression that Conned Again tries to use Sherlock Holmes as a framing device to discuss logical inference but I could be mistaken, I haven't read it.
u/bassicallyboss [+3] (18 hours later)
Mongolian Wizard is excellent, thanks for mentioning it. I eagerly await more of it, but it's been so long at this point that I suspect he's writing the rest for release all at once in some published collection. Which is fair; he is a professional writer.
u/entropizer [+5] (10 hours later)
There's a past thread on this about a series of children's stories, use the search function.
u/None [+4] (12 hours later)
I have used the search function and have come to the conclusion that this question hasn't been asked yet and even if it had been there could have been new stories out there.
u/entropizer [+7] (14 hours later)
https://www.reddit.com/r/rational/comments/5w27a3/eduffrst_conned_again_watson_in_which_sherlock/
I wasn't saying that you were wrong to ask the question, just that this was one answer.
u/None [+4] (14 hours later)
Sorry, I think I interpreted the comment incorrectly.
u/entropizer [+8] (15 hours later)
I was a bit terse, it was a fair interpretation.
u/Kishoto [+8] (19 hours later)
Can I just say that one thing I love about this sub is how this sort of text based miscommunication tends to end more amicably than pretty much anywhere else on reddit/the internet? :D
u/MoralRelativity [+5] (a day later)
Thanks for pointing that out. It is pretty awesome.
u/MoralRelativity [+3] (a day later)
Masego is the best.
“That doesn’t sound good,” Apprentice said. “I suppose it’s a good thing we have you along.”
I glanced at him.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’re very good at murdering our opposition,” he said, genuinely believing he was giving me a compliment.
I occasionally forgot Masego had been raised by villains. For him that probably counted as praise.
“You don’t know for sure I’m going to kill someone,” I said.
“Not gonna lie, I’ll be disappointed if we don’t,” Archer noted.
“I’ve done diplomacy before,” I continued.
“I don’t think extorting the High Lords counts,” Apprentice said.
“Or looting that angel,” Hakram added.
“I think bullied might be more accurate,” Masego said.
“If you guys keep this up I can guarantee you someone’s getting killed,” I said.
“That’s the spirit,” Apprentice said, patting my shoulders. “Now let’s move along, Catherine, we’re blocking the way. You really need to pay more attention to your surroundings.”
He strode into the hall before I could come up with a reply, still gaping.
u/None [+2] (a day later)
Is that from "a practical guide to evil"? I haven't read it yet, is it any good?
u/MoralRelativity [+3] (a day later)
Whoops... I can't believe I posted that to the wrong thread. Sorry about that...
But, to answer your questions, yes it's from A Practical Guide to Evil and yes, I think it's pretty good. As usual I recommend reading the first 5 - 10 chapters and checking it out for yourself but here's some further thoughts & opinions to help you decide whether you want to give it a go:
- It is definitely NOT rationalist Sherlock Holmes. No detective work. No deductions.
- It is definitely NOT rationalist.
- It's reasonably, but by no means completely, rational. The main characters are all intelligent in the way they gain and deploy resources to meet their objectives.
- It does a good job of over-turning the classic good vs. evil cliche.
- It's aimed at a young adult market so it's not overly complex. Reading it is more relaxing than taxing.
- We're into Book 3 of (if I recall correctly) 5 or 6 books. The author has been very reliable in providing weekly updates.
u/None [+2] (4 days later)
So after this thread has run it's course it looks like there isn't really anything out there, I am tempted to learn how to write stories purely to write one myself.