In the discussion of pregnant women making dittoes, what would happen at the end of the day when they download the ditto's memories? Would the child (assuming it has enough of a brain at the time) get any of mom's memories? We already know that trying to download one complete imprint onto another brain with its own imprint causes personality problems, but concievably the fetus doesn't have one yet. Also there's the chance that there's a lot of signal attenuation, so the child's brain could only be slightly affected (e.g. it gets memories but not the personality, or vice-versa, or nothing at all).
I could see warnings on the download unit saying that "expectant mothers should not download ditmemories", but that they could make dittoes to carry on the chores for a day... Hmm...if there's a chance that the unborn child gets a full imprint, we could have something along the lines of a Bene Gesserit Reverend Mother before too long. At the very least, it could introduce a form of racial memory and/or serial immortality: you get to *be* your own children. <shudder> Another thing to think about, how much of a distinct pattern would a newborn have? would a download from an adult be able to overwrite the nascent pattern? It obviously didn't work with an older child, but maybe dad just waited too long? -- Matt _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
