ikrase comments on Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality discussion thread, part 20, chapter 90 - Less Wrong

9 Post author: palladias 02 July 2013 02:13AM

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Comment author: cywtLC2Fy8A 03 July 2013 09:58:07AM 32 points [-]

Harry has already upgraded two existing spells: partial transfiguration and Patronus 2.0

In both cases, he achieved the impossible by ignoring what wizards believe and instead concentrating on his own beliefs.

What does Harry believe about Hermione that other wizards do not? He believes she is a purely biological machine, that there are no souls, and that a reductionist viewpoint is correct.

Therefore, in the right frame of mind, perhaps Harry can reparo a dead human (although canon!reparo cannot repair magical items properly, I wonder if it might restore Hermione without her magic, and if she might just be just as awesome without it.)

Comment author: ikrase 04 July 2013 01:00:05AM 6 points [-]

According to Quirrel (this might not actually be accurate) troll regeneration works by constantly transmuting itself into its own body. I wonder if that can be applied to a human...

Comment author: chaosmage 05 July 2013 01:49:55PM 2 points [-]

But memories, like wounds, would be constantly overwritten. This troll, while quite competent in many ways, never displayed learning ability.

Somehow I don't think a human unable to learn would be what Harry would consider a valuable result.

Comment author: Sheaman3773 24 August 2013 04:03:35AM 2 points [-]

First, I'm not sure how much learning precisely you were expecting from the troll in this limited period of time, most of which was taken up by it feeling fly-bites and smacking around the flies, nor even how you would expect for such to be seen.

Secondly, it did seem to learn. George hit it with three Ventus spells, each one moving it further towards the edge of the terrace. Between the second and the third, the troll dug its hand into the stone, anchoring it in place so that it would not be blown over the edge. If that's not adapting to match a new threat, I'm not sure what would be--certainly not in the brief time of the fight where most of the attacks were on the level of fly-bites.

If that is not displaying a learning ability, I would like to hear an example of a learning ability that it could have displayed.

Comment author: ikrase 05 July 2013 06:39:31PM 2 points [-]

I... think that the effects there would actually be much worse: The troll would be basically stateless. It's not even clear how that sort of thing would avoid disrupting the transfig. process.

Perhaps it's somewhat more advanced, like the charms that McGonagall was mentioning.

Comment author: falenas108 15 September 2013 04:34:17AM -1 points [-]

This is if the spell made logical sense when carried out to the fullest. But, magic doesn't work like that, it works the way we would naively think if we said "transforming back into itself."

Comment author: NihilCredo 04 July 2013 03:25:28AM 2 points [-]

Harry would have to maintain the transfiguration for the rest of Hermione's life, or until they find a replacement solution. Given the extent of the injuries that may not be within his strength.

Comment author: sketerpot 04 July 2013 06:24:45AM 3 points [-]

It does sound like exactly the kind of clever hack Harry would use to get an indefinite healthy lifespan, though.

Comment author: ikrase 04 July 2013 03:52:28AM 1 point [-]

Hermione would probably maintain it. Or maybe someone else. Harry should probably be doing this to himself, too.

Comment author: ChristianKl 04 July 2013 09:30:37PM 0 points [-]

According to Quirrel (this might not actually be accurate) troll regeneration works by constantly transmuting itself into its own body. I wonder if that can be applied to a human...

Given that human exert sweat I doubt that doing transmution directly on humans is a good idea.