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