[macrolime]

There's been scientific studies on whether people can get "machine elves" to tell them some actual factual information that they didn't already know.

In all of the studied cases the things that were told by the "machine elves" was either something that got verified as false/made up or something the user already knew.

[boppo1]

I think machine elves a BS but if you're gonna claim they verified it with a study you'd better link it. Idk how they could verify the elves were created by trippers' imaginations, sounds like disproving Jesus.

[macrolime]

The conclusion of the study was that the machine elves was simply created by the trippers' imagination as they couldn't get any knowledge out of them. Like they tried asking questions that the users didn't know the answer to to see if they could get the machine elves to tell them. Of course it doesn't really prove that machine elves aren't real either, just that they didn't answer any questions with information that trippers didn't know.

It was something I read many years ago. Didn't find it from a quick search now.

[alexvoda]

As in other threads about psychoactive substances I wonder how much the result of the trip is influenced by the psychonaut's predisposition towards spirituality and magical thinking.

[pyinstallwoes]

There is a thing such “rules of engagement.” Perhaps these beings operate on a harm none protocol which requires not introducing new information. Only rehashing prior.

[Tenoke]

Que Scott Alexander's cute short story on the topic.

https://slatestarcodex.com/2015/04/21/universal-love-said-th...

[stevedewald]

That was delightful. Thanks