142 lines
7.0 KiB
Markdown
142 lines
7.0 KiB
Markdown
---
|
|
role: experimental
|
|
summary: |
|
|
Borges-inspired alternative keywords for OpenProse. A "what if" exploration drawing
|
|
from The Library of Babel, Garden of Forking Paths, Circular Ruins, and other works.
|
|
Not for implementation—just capturing ideas.
|
|
status: draft
|
|
---
|
|
|
|
# OpenProse Borges Alternative
|
|
|
|
A potential alternative register for OpenProse that draws from Jorge Luis Borges's literary universe: infinite libraries, forking paths, circular dreams, and metaphysical labyrinths. Preserved for future benchmarking against the functional language.
|
|
|
|
## Keyword Translations
|
|
|
|
### Agents & Persistence
|
|
|
|
| Functional | Borges | Connotation |
|
|
| ---------- | ----------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
|
|
| `agent` | `dreamer` | Ephemeral, created for a purpose (Circular Ruins: dreamed into existence) |
|
|
| `keeper` | `librarian` | Persistent, remembers, catalogs (Library of Babel: keeper of infinite knowledge) |
|
|
|
|
```prose
|
|
# Functional
|
|
agent executor:
|
|
model: sonnet
|
|
|
|
keeper captain:
|
|
model: opus
|
|
|
|
# Borges
|
|
dreamer executor:
|
|
model: sonnet
|
|
|
|
librarian captain:
|
|
model: opus
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
### Other Potential Translations
|
|
|
|
| Functional | Borges | Notes |
|
|
| ---------- | ---------- | ---------------------------------------------------- |
|
|
| `session` | `garden` | Garden of Forking Paths: space of possibilities |
|
|
| `parallel` | `fork` | Garden of Forking Paths: diverging timelines |
|
|
| `block` | `hexagon` | Library of Babel: unit of space/knowledge |
|
|
| `loop` | `circular` | Circular Ruins: recursive, self-referential |
|
|
| `choice` | `path` | Garden of Forking Paths: choosing a branch |
|
|
| `context` | `aleph` | The Aleph: point containing all points (all context) |
|
|
|
|
### Invocation Patterns
|
|
|
|
```prose
|
|
# Functional
|
|
session: executor
|
|
prompt: "Do task"
|
|
|
|
captain "Review this"
|
|
context: work
|
|
|
|
# Borges
|
|
garden: dreamer executor
|
|
prompt: "Do task"
|
|
|
|
captain "Review this" # librarian invocation (same pattern)
|
|
aleph: work
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
## Alternative Persistent Keywords Considered
|
|
|
|
| Keyword | Origin | Connotation | Rejected because |
|
|
| ----------- | ---------------- | ----------------------------- | ------------------------------------ |
|
|
| `keeper` | Library of Babel | Maintains order | Too generic |
|
|
| `cataloger` | Library of Babel | Organizes knowledge | Too long, awkward |
|
|
| `archivist` | General | Preserves records | Good but less Borgesian |
|
|
| `mirror` | Various | Reflects, persists | Too passive, confusing |
|
|
| `book` | Library of Babel | Contains knowledge | Too concrete, conflicts with prose |
|
|
| `hexagon` | Library of Babel | Unit of space | Better for blocks |
|
|
| `librarian` | Library of Babel | Keeper of infinite knowledge | **Selected** |
|
|
| `tlonist` | Tlön | Inhabitant of imaginary world | Too obscure, requires deep knowledge |
|
|
|
|
## Alternative Ephemeral Keywords Considered
|
|
|
|
| Keyword | Origin | Connotation | Rejected because |
|
|
| ------------ | ----------------------- | ------------------------ | ------------------------------------ |
|
|
| `dreamer` | Circular Ruins | Created by dreaming | **Selected** |
|
|
| `dream` | Circular Ruins | Ephemeral creation | Too abstract, noun vs verb confusion |
|
|
| `phantom` | Various | Ephemeral, insubstantial | Too negative/spooky |
|
|
| `reflection` | Various | Mirror image | Too passive |
|
|
| `fork` | Garden of Forking Paths | Diverging path | Better for parallel |
|
|
| `visitor` | Library of Babel | Temporary presence | Too passive |
|
|
| `seeker` | Library of Babel | Searching for knowledge | Good but less ephemeral |
|
|
| `wanderer` | Labyrinths | Temporary explorer | Good but less precise |
|
|
|
|
## The Case For Borges
|
|
|
|
1. **Infinite recursion**: Borges's themes align with computational recursion (`circular`, `fork`)
|
|
2. **Metaphysical precision**: Concepts like `aleph` (all context) are philosophically rich
|
|
3. **Library metaphor**: `librarian` perfectly captures persistent knowledge
|
|
4. **Forking paths**: `fork` / `path` naturally express parallel execution and choice
|
|
5. **Dream logic**: `dreamer` suggests creation and ephemerality
|
|
6. **Literary coherence**: All terms come from a unified literary universe
|
|
7. **Self-reference**: Borges loved self-reference; fits programming's recursive nature
|
|
|
|
## The Case Against Borges
|
|
|
|
1. **Cultural barrier**: Requires deep familiarity with Borges's works
|
|
2. **Abstractness**: `aleph`, `hexagon` may be too abstract for practical use
|
|
3. **Overload**: `fork` could confuse (Unix fork vs. path fork)
|
|
4. **Register mismatch**: Rest of language is functional (`session`, `parallel`, `loop`)
|
|
5. **Accessibility**: Violates "self-evident" tenet for most users
|
|
6. **Noun confusion**: `garden` as a verb-like construct might be awkward
|
|
7. **Translation burden**: Non-English speakers may not know Borges
|
|
|
|
## Borgesian Concepts Not Used (But Considered)
|
|
|
|
| Concept | Work | Why Not Used |
|
|
| ----------- | ---------------------- | -------------------------------------- |
|
|
| `mirror` | Various | Too passive, confusing with reflection |
|
|
| `labyrinth` | Labyrinths | Too complex, suggests confusion |
|
|
| `tlon` | Tlön | Too obscure, entire imaginary world |
|
|
| `book` | Library of Babel | Conflicts with "prose" |
|
|
| `sand` | Book of Sand | Too abstract, infinite but ephemeral |
|
|
| `zahir` | The Zahir | Obsessive, single-minded (too narrow) |
|
|
| `lottery` | The Lottery in Babylon | Randomness (not needed) |
|
|
| `ruins` | Circular Ruins | Too negative, suggests decay |
|
|
|
|
## Verdict
|
|
|
|
Preserved for benchmarking. The functional language (`agent` / `keeper`) is the primary path for now. Borges offers rich metaphors but at the cost of accessibility and self-evidence.
|
|
|
|
## Notes on Borges's Influence
|
|
|
|
Borges's work anticipates many computational concepts:
|
|
|
|
- **Infinite recursion**: Circular Ruins, Library of Babel
|
|
- **Parallel universes**: Garden of Forking Paths
|
|
- **Self-reference**: Many stories contain themselves
|
|
- **Information theory**: Library of Babel as infinite information space
|
|
- **Combinatorics**: All possible books in the Library
|
|
|
|
This alternative honors that connection while recognizing it may be too esoteric for practical use.
|