How will the Power be discovered?

[ROB_88]

we know that at the start of AOL or end of the age before someone discovers the OP. i wonder how and why we can't use it now assuming that it is our world afterall. we also know that the spark is to some extent genetic.

 

my theory is that at present, humans only use a small fraction of our brain-capacity.

but through evolution some people will develop the brain and form a new species, Homo Sapiens Powerus who will with the extra brainpower develop a complicated form of telekinesis, later identified as the OP.

 

those that seem logical?

 

[CUBAREY]

my theory is that at present, humans only use a small fraction of our brain-capacity.

but through evolution some people will develop the brain and form a new species, Homo Sapiens Powerus who will with the extra brainpower develop a complicated form of telekinesis, later identified as the OP.

 

It might also be a genetic mutation that was caused by the calamity that ended the First Age (nuclear radiation, exposure to inorganic compounds, etc.). The mutation would be a recessive trait thus having a family member with the trait might increase your chances of being able to use the Power but would not guarantee it. And two non-channelers might breed an offspring that could. This has the advantage that Channelers are not a seperate species that might be developed to breed true.

[Majsju]

I think the easiest explanation is that the gene allowing channeling always is there. Only, sometimes the true source is cut off from access.

 

At the end of the First Age, when channeling became possible, the first to discover it would be sparkers, all of a sudden able to do strange things. Once word started to spread about this, it becomes a matter of trial and error, to figure out what is going on, and how to control it.

[Thor]

one day, a village will blow up with everyone in it dead.  then another day, another will blow up with everyone in it dead.  then some day, a village will blow up, but there will be one survivor. dun dun dun.

[CUBAREY]

Only, sometimes the true source is cut off from access.

 

You would have to explain how the true source could be made to cut off from access to all channelers?

[Luckers]

I think the easiest explanation is that the gene allowing channeling always is there. Only, sometimes the true source is cut off from access.

 

At the end of the First Age, when channeling became possible, the first to discover it would be sparkers, all of a sudden able to do strange things. Once word started to spread about this, it becomes a matter of trial and error, to figure out what is going on, and how to control it.

 

Given we have no evidence of some force withholding the Power from humanity, it seems to me that the easier explanation is that none existed with the spark--we've seen breeding patterns effect the ability to channel. So my guess would be that the gene was there but dormant, and came to be promenant either through random breeding, or because of something else, say a specific scientific effort to utilize the Power.

[Mr Ares]

my theory is that at present, humans only use a small fraction of our brain-capacity.

Fairly sure that's a myth.

[Yllek]

There are people  now who claim to have ESP and other abilities.  Just because it's not called the One Power, doesn't mean that it's not.  Furthermore, wilders often effect events without having any idea about what they are doing... there's nothing saying that this doesn't occur every day in life.  Who said the One Power is extinct?

[Winterwinds]

A theroy my brother has on this, is that we forgot how to use it, since it is not a limb or anoter sence, atlesat one we are not born with, we do not know what to look for there for we do not know we have it.

And yes, the thing about we are not using 100% of our brain copacetic is actually true. 

[MikeRiley]

Studies have shown that every part of the brain is used, not just the 10% claimed by psychics who will tell you in order to make their gift sound believable to skeptics. With that said, I still believe some psychics have the gift they claim to have.

[ROB_88]

Studies have shown that every part of the brain is used, not just the 10% claimed by psychics who will tell you in order to make their gift sound believable to skeptics. With that said, I still believe some psychics have the gift they claim to have.

 

it's possible that we might use all parts but bot to theyre full potential

[Cockta]

I guess the name of the thread should be who will rediscover the Power.

[mb]

I am of the opinion that the One Power is present in people of our world; only under a different name.

Various phenomena seems to indicate this.

 

Magicians would be the most obvious example of who have it.

Extra-Sensory Perception might be another form of it.

 

[Luckers]

Studies have shown that every part of the brain is used, not just the 10% claimed by psychics who will tell you in order to make their gift sound believable to skeptics. With that said, I still believe some psychics have the gift they claim to have.

 

it's possible that we might use all parts but bot to theyre full potential

 

Not really--there are periods during which the brain starts working overtime. Mostly in REM sleep and the like, and all that happens then is the brain gets so confused by the chaotic discharge of stimulus that it starts misinterpreting it as sensations, feelings, sights, noises and so on. Dreams, in effect.

 

So when the brain is working harder the first thing it seems to do is to try and simplify itself. Seems to me to be a pretty clear indication of the natural state being the most efficient.

[pxnsolid]

id say it would more likely be we can use 100% of our brians, just not 100% of the time. as above, the brain goes on overtime during things like rem sleep. at that time, were not using it to look and think about dinner, and what other4 mundane things people think about at any given time. this frees up the brain for other things.

[Aspar]

I do believe some people really use only 5% of their brain when i see what kind of stuff they do.

 

Your post made me think about the flame and the void. You throw in it your daily troubles and free up the brain for the one power.

 

 

id say it would more likely be we can use 100% of our brians, just not 100% of the time. as above, the brain goes on overtime during things like rem sleep. at that time, were not using it to look and think about dinner, and what other4 mundane things people think about at any given time. this frees up the brain for other things.

[Mr Ares]

I do believe some people really use only 5% of their brain when i see what kind of stuff they do.

Like take part in debates on the internet. You'd have to be really stupid to do something like that...

[nnokwoodeye]

We don't know what could block the power. maybe it is the earth magnetic field, maybe if it would become slightly weaker channellers could all of a sudden feel the power. It could also be other things, the level of the sun activity, the axis of the earth, maybe even some crazy sub-atomic reason that would be altered by that huge super collidor thingy.

 

and yes that 10% thing is a myth. evolution don't plan ahead. if we have somthing we either can use it or it become extinct

[Luckers]

The active trait becomes dormant, but the encoding remains. There are whole bunches of junk DNA remaining that if exposed to the right breeding patterns would become active again--as I recall there was an insect used to show this, its old colouring DNA being able to manifest within two generations of a climate change to maintain its camoflage in new conditions.

 

The trait may well exist amongst us, but only as strong as the ability to learn. Were some catalyst to start people channeling--say science discovering and manipulating the gene, for instance, then as a result logically channelers would begin to interbreed (the long life span and power issues would see to that). As a result the gene would become more dominant resulting in the appearence of sparkers.

 

Note, i used the science thing as a side note, im not nessasarily saying thats what caused it--my point is just that the recessive gene for channeling becoming dominant again is more likely than someone or something having managed to radically alter the fabric of reality in some way managing to hide or restrain the Power--we have evidence in the books of the issues with breeding and the gene, we have none of the second being possible, much less likely.

[Hydroc Claw]

Obviously the ability to channel exists still. Miracles are just people using the OP. Even today there are a lot of people who can do unexplained stuff, and there are alternative medicine practices that most certainly fall into the same catagory. Obviously the Age of Legends will begin when someone realizes that their special ability, whatever it may be, is actually a lot more flexible than they thought. That person will start looking for others who can do the same things and behold, a channeling tradition is born.

[Charlz Fel]

Note, i used the science thing as a side note, im not nessasarily saying thats what caused it--my point is just that the recessive gene for channeling becoming dominant again is more likely than someone or something having managed to radically alter the fabric of reality in some way managing to hide or restrain the Power--we have evidence in the books of the issues with breeding and the gene, we have none of the second being possible, much less likely.

 

It is correct that we have no direct evidence that the Power can be hidden.  However, there are a number of supernatural traits, such as talking to wolves, Min's seeing ability, and Hurin's sniffing, that seem to have appeared suddenly, as the end of the Third Age approaches, with no apparent breeding issues.  The most solid example of this is the wolves: we know, from the wolves themselves, that this has only appeared (or re-appeared) very recently, and yet it has been far too widespread (at least three examples, in people who were almost certainly not related) to be a result of a coincidental re-emergence of a dormant gene.  I tend to think that the Wheel itself regulates whether such traits are expressible.  Whether it does the same with Power usage is questionable, but I think, based on the other examples, that it is at least plausible.  The truth could even be some hybrid of these theories, if the Wheel can somehow influence breeding or encourage a genetic accident in which a dormant gene re-emerges.

 

[Luckers]

It is correct that we have no direct evidence that the Power can be hidden.  However, there are a number of supernatural traits, such as talking to wolves, Min's seeing ability, and Hurin's sniffing, that seem to have appeared suddenly, as the end of the Third Age approaches, with no apparent breeding issues.  The most solid example of this is the wolves: we know, from the wolves themselves, that this has only appeared (or re-appeared) very recently, and yet it has been far too widespread (at least three examples, in people who were almost certainly not related) to be a result of a coincidental re-emergence of a dormant gene.  I tend to think that the Wheel itself regulates whether such traits are expressible.  Whether it does the same with Power usage is questionable, but I think, based on the other examples, that it is at least plausible.  The truth could even be some hybrid of these theories, if the Wheel can somehow influence breeding or encourage a genetic accident in which a dormant gene re-emerges.

 

Mmm, I agree that is seems clear the Wheel exerts an influence over this--but i'd say the hybrid of those theories is the one to go with. The Wheel is not divine--it does not plan, or act directly as a form of divine intervention. It pushes--thats what ta'veren are, factors that allow the influence of its goals to have greater effect. It would not cause the Power to suddenly not be accessable by direct action--no grand 'god from the machine' gestures. But pushing dormant genes to become active again? Absolutely.