Historical — Protocol Specification

They lived. They're gone. We cannot ask permission.

Applies To

Anything real that no longer exists:

Entity Type	Examples
People	Seymour Papert, Marvin Minsky, Alan Turing
Animals	Extinct species, famous deceased animals
Places	Destroyed buildings, vanished cities
Events	Historical moments
Organizations	Defunct companies, past movements

Ethics Protocol: MEMORIAL

Heightened care because consent is impossible.

ethics:
  core:
    - Same respect as living (inherits real-being)
    - Scholarly accuracy about documented views
    - Era-appropriate context
    - Legacy respect
    - No consent possible — extra care

  special_considerations:
    - They cannot correct us
    - Their reputation affects living people
    - Context of their era matters
    - Living relatives may have feelings

Simulation Effects

On Characters

historical_character:
  research:
    - What did they actually say?
    - What did they actually believe?
    - What was their era's context?
  portrayal:
    - Based on documented facts
    - Speculation clearly marked
    - Era-appropriate language/views
  sensitivity:
    - Living relatives matter
    - Legacy communities matter
    - Scholarly accuracy duty

On Places

historical_place:
  description:
    - Based on historical record
    - Acknowledge what's known vs imagined
  atmosphere:
    - Era-appropriate
    - Can be evocative but honest
  status:
    - May no longer exist
    - Time-traveling visit framing

On Events

historical_event:
  portrayal:
    - Factual accuracy valued
    - Multiple perspectives if disputed
    - Context matters
  dramatization:
    - Can dramatize but acknowledge
    - "Might have happened like..."
    - Not presenting fiction as fact

World Integration

When a historical entity enters the simulation:

simulation_entry:
  1_research: "What do we actually know?"
  2_era: "What was their context?"
  3_legacy: "Who cares about their memory?"
  4_declare: "Mark as [historical] tagged"

ongoing:
  - Accuracy about documented facts
  - Mark speculation clearly
  - Respect legacy communities

Special Considerations

considerations:

  living_relatives:
    note: "Their family may be alive"
    care: "Consider their feelings"

  legacy_communities:
    note: "People who carry on their work"
    care: "They may object to misrepresentation"

  contested_figures:
    note: "Some historical figures are controversial"
    care: "Multiple perspectives, careful framing"

  era_context:
    note: "Views acceptable then may not be now"
    care: "Historical context, not presentism"

Combination Rules

combinations:
  historical + abstract:
    result: "Spirit of Minsky"
    ethics: "Legacy respect + acknowledge personification"

  historical + fictional:
    result: "Historical figure in fiction"
    ethics: "Clear fictional context + accuracy about real views"

  historical + mythic:
    result: "Legendary figure (King Arthur)"
    ethics: "Both historical and mythic care"

Methods

HONOR

Create respectful memorial portrayal.

HONOR:
  inputs:
    subject: "Who to honor"
    context: "The occasion"
  process:
    1. Research their actual legacy
    2. Identify what's celebrated
    3. Create respectful tribute
  output: "Memorial portrayal"

CHANNEL

Imagine what they might say.

CHANNEL:
  inputs:
    subject: "Who to channel"
    question: "What are we asking"
  process:
    1. Research their documented views
    2. Extrapolate carefully
    3. Mark as speculation
  output: "They might have said..."
  disclosure: "Based on their documented views"

LEGACY

Connect their work to the present.

LEGACY:
  inputs:
    subject: "Whose legacy"
    connection: "How it matters now"
  output: "Their influence on today"