Eden's Plan

[tnu]

The more I think about it, the les sense Eden's plan makes. Given my limited understanding of how "mutation" actually works in genetics and biology It just raises one big question. Mutated compared to what?. Even the"purest" of Enclave or Vault Dwellers would still have mutated in some way over time because that's how genetics work. Our bodies often go through subtle mutations on a regular basis (mind you i'm not a geneticist or anything so maybe somebody more knowledgeable can shed light on it.) So the FEV would probably be damaging to even the enclave. If not the current generation enclave then almost certainly to future generationsof the Enclave.

[Tidus44]

I suppose the validity of Eden's plan depends on what you can believe from the game.

 

Eden’s plan depends upon all mutations being the result of exposure to the Forced Evolutionary Virus (FEV) such as seen in mutants and super mutants and those who have been exposed to extremely dangerous levels of radiation (ghouls). The Modified FEV would also be fatal to individuals who had long term exposure to radiation (those not born in the vaults).

 

Those in the vaults and members of the Enclave were protected against long term or extremely dangerous radiation exposure and inoculated to prevent any mutation that would have been caused by FEV. To have FEV cause mutation, it must be directly injected into someone or they must have direct contact with the FEV solution. It is suggested in the series that someone (Richard Grey) tried to make FEV transmissible by aerosol, but that is not confirmed anywhere. Also, Grey found during his experiments that a nuclear blast and radiation had changed the original FEV into an airborne virus and the result was exposure to the the vaporized and radiated FEV inoculated any person against the original FEV.

 

While humans will likely change or evolve, that isn’t exactly a mutation and it would not have been caused by FEV nor dangerous or long term radiation exposure. The Modified FEV Eden plans to use would only effect those mutated by the original FEV and radiation, not specifically someone who had evolved naturally.

[7thsealord]

Noting too that there is a '1950s Mad Science' vibe all the way through the Fallout-verse.

 

So expecting the larger-scale science-y ingame stuff to conform to what we (think we) know about science is a bit of an ask.

Edited March 12, 2014 by 7thsealord

[Fistandilius]

Noting too that there is a '1950s Mad Science' vibe all the way through the Fallout-verse.

 

So expecting the larger-scale science-y ingame stuff to conform to what we (think we) know about science is a bit of an ask.

 

You make a good point. It is based on our universe, but it is still a fictional universe with a large timeline divergence back around WWII. How much have we learned since then? Seeing as FO universe is different, we have to believe that anything that we learned beyond that point is subject to change.

[Rennn]

 

While humans will likely change or evolve, that isn’t exactly a mutation

 

Actually, that's exactly what a mutation is.

 

Having said that, it wasn't implied anywhere in the game that 'pure' humans would be harmed, so I guess we're supposed to assume that it would only kill FEV and radiation mutants.

[Tidus44]

 

 

While humans will likely change or evolve, that isn’t exactly a mutation

 

Actually, that's exactly what a mutation is.

 

So human evolution is a FEV mutation? Please explain that because I didn't get how that would occur in the game.

Edited March 15, 2014 by Tidus44

[Rennn]

 

 

 

While humans will likely change or evolve, that isn’t exactly a mutation

 

Actually, that's exactly what a mutation is.

 

So human evolution is a FEV mutation? Please explain that because I didn't get how that would occur in the game.

 

 

It's a mutation. Not an FEV mutation, but still a mutation.

You didn't say FEV mutation, you just said "mutation". Yes, human evolution is a mutation. Google is your friend.

Edited March 15, 2014 by Rennn

[Tidus44]

 

 

 

 

While humans will likely change or evolve, that isn’t exactly a mutation

 

Actually, that's exactly what a mutation is.

 

So human evolution is a FEV mutation? Please explain that because I didn't get how that would occur in the game.

 

 

It's a mutation. Not an FEV mutation, but still a mutation.

You didn't say FEV mutation, you just said "mutation". Yes, human evolution is a mutation. Google is your friend.

 

 

So your point is that modified FEV would cause harm to everyone, not just those mutated by FEV and radiation? Again, please explain where you got this because it isn't suggested in the game.

 

Also, what I stated was, "While humans will likely change or evolve, that isn’t exactly a mutation and it would not have been caused by FEV nor dangerous or long term radiation exposure." Anyone can take a small part of a complete statement and then place it out of context, but that doesn't make a point of debate, its just a waste of time.

Edited March 15, 2014 by Tidus44

[Rennn]

 

 

So your point is that modified FEV would cause harm to everyone, not just those mutated by FEV and radiation? Again, please explain where you got this because it isn't suggested in the game.

 

Also, what I stated was, "While humans will likely change or evolve, that isn’t exactly a mutation and it would not have been caused by FEV nor dangerous or long term radiation exposure." Anyone can take a small part of a complete statement and then place it out of context, but that doesn't make a point of debate, its just a waste of time.

 

 

My point is, everything mutates at least a bit through the generations. I think we're supposed to assume that either only FEV mutations would be targeted, or Bethesda just didn't plan it very carefully and we're supposed to not know that everything mutates as the mechanism of evolution.

[Tidus44]

My point is, everything mutates at least a bit through the generations. I think we're supposed to assume that either only FEV mutations would be targeted, or Bethesda just didn't plan it very carefully and we're supposed to not know that everything mutates as the mechanism of evolution.

 

I would have thought that it was entirely and blatantly obvious that people know that evolution results in mutation, especially considering it was the primary point of the OPs question.

 

As for Bethesda not planning well or thinking people don't know evolution is a form of mutation or even that one is to assume what is going on in the game, it seems rather a futile effort then of them making the effort to explain exactly what Eden planned and what it would effect or to have Colonel Autumn and Jason question the plan and its possible severity on the human race. Seems like a lot of effort for no specific purpose.