#sciencedude

soul : spell : program : seed :: creature : magic : robot : plant

Everything needs some kind of "spark of life" to move and respond to stimuli. Spells, programs, and seeds have information in common. Indeed, each may simulate the other, and information can be written down which fully describes the behavior of each one. Perhaps there is some higher-order class which satisfies the constraints of both information and souls.

Alternative Hypothesis

dna : spell : program :: life : magic : robot

and

soul : seed :: creature : plant

Everything which moves and responds to stimuli has information in common. Indeed, each may simulate the other, and information can be written down which fully describes the behavior of each one. Just as a spell written down is different from an activated one, and a copy of a program is different from one running, so too is dna different from a soul or seed. The first is dormant information in storage, but the second is a medium reacting to the information held within.

However, there is also information which does not animate a body. Therefore, there is some subset of information which causes a medium to move and respond to stimuli.

Corollary I

There exists some information for any medium which, upon activation, will cause it to move and respond to stimuli.

For example, glass. It may be possible to strategically add impurities to glass in such a way that they act as information describing the behavior of a robot. Upon activation via some kind of current, the glass may then respond to stimuli.

Corollary II

MMO but it's all one hotel.

Each floor is a server.

Server list is the elevator buttons / stairwell floor signs.

Elevator buttons take everyone on the elevator to that floor, even if it's not on your server list.

Stairwells are liminal spaces and are only client-side.

I perfected my pizza dough recipe.