Danse is your Grandson

[Moraelin]

Hard to say for exactly how long. Probably not very, I would say, since they've still not done the full roll-out yet. On the other hand it's at least as old as 2277, i.e., 10 years now, since there was a courser in Rivet City. (Gen 3 and Zimmer clearly mention that he was sent to hunt and return run away synths, which is a courser job.) And only now Father felt confident they'll never need the backup any more, and let you loose.

 

As for males and females, well, I'm only taking guesses here. I don't know exactly what's in their mind. But if I put my asshat on, I'd guess that when you have very finite resources, rather than keep terminating synths because they got frisky, and have to make a replacement, doesn't that sound easier to just tie their tubes at the factory and be done with it? It's one less failure mode.

 

Whether it would be easier to program them to not get frisky... well, I'm not sure. The brain is a VERY complex machine, and a lot of it has to do with neurons (A) self-organizing on the fly, and (B) learning to use the inputs and the body on the fly. I'm not sure that changing the brain is the easier solution, realistically.

 

And the genome is... a mess, really. In terms of programming, it's a haphazard collection of the worst practices ever. It's random hacks on top of other random hacks, with parts of it being both code and data, so to speak, and it even has self-modifying code (in the immune system.) And not organized in any reasonable way either. Very few genes do a self-contained and clearly separated job, and those are mostly about the production of enzymes. A lot just change how another gene works, which in turn changes the activation of yet another. And you have stuff like one gene, e.g., let's take the MC1R I already mentioned, influencing such unrelated things as the hair/skin colour, AND the sensitivity to certain kinds of pain, AND the sensitivity to painkillers, AND parts of the temper.

 

It's a horrible mess, really. I know I'd rather take the Gordian Knot way and just 3d-print them with their tubes tied in a bow than try to debug the genome :p

[Talwyn224]

Best debate so far and now this:

 

 

http://www.geekosystem.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Debate-2012meme.jpg

[Athanasa]

See, my reason for worrying was this:

 

If male synths can reproduce, and if they DO reproduce, we're heading potentially for large quantities of the next generation being related to each other as half-sisters and -brothers. The Synths don't even need to know they're synths, not if they're the Railroad memory wiped types.

 

Maybe this is a good thing for humanity with Shaun's "undamaged" DNA entering the mutated casserole of the post-war human gene pool... or maybe we end up with an entire generation from the Deep South. It could result in a loss of genetic diversity. And what it Shaun had some unknown recessive mutation, dodging the bullet to not end up with it himself? Suddenly, 50% of his Synth-clone's offspring (the children of his Synths, not his Synths themselves) end up dropping dead at 5 years old due to some congenital mutation.

 

I have no idea what the repercussions would be to a hypothetical breeding Synth situation. It just weirds me out as a theory.

Edited December 28, 2015 by Athanasa

[Talwyn224]

My guess is that the Synths can reproduce - after all they are almost totally human biologically speaking. I suspect only a small part of them is artificial, something in their brain that allows them to be controlled by simple command prompts.

 

In regards to the Synths all essentially coming from 1 DNA source, well that isn't a problem really. Just look at the examples of the descendants of Ghengis Khan etc.

 

According to this artcile http://genetics.thetech.org/original_news/news11 roughly 1 in 200 males of Asian/European stock are his living heirs. So being the sole source of isn't a problem as if we go back even further, modern human all apparently come from 1 female - EVE http://www.mhrc.net/mitochondrialEve.htm

 

Just as a side note, I've really enjoyed reading this discussion and especially the input from both Anthansa and Moraelin. Its really great and refreshing to see a very intense debate on a quite difficult topic be done so well.

 

http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/scale_super/7/79345/3047511-clap.jpg

[Scribblesix]

My guess is that the Synths can reproduce - after all they are almost totally human biologically speaking. I suspect only a small part of them is artificial, something in their brain that allows them to be controlled by simple command prompts.

 

In regards to the Synths all essentially coming from 1 DNA source, well that isn't a problem really. Just look at the examples of the descendants of Ghengis Khan etc.

 

According to this artcile http://genetics.thetech.org/original_news/news11 roughly 1 in 200 males of Asian/European stock are his living heirs. So being the sole source of isn't a problem as if we go back even further, modern human all apparently come from 1 female - EVE http://www.mhrc.net/mitochondrialEve.htm

 

Just as a side note, I've really enjoyed reading this discussion and especially the input from both Anthansa and Moraelin. Its really great and refreshing to see a very intense debate on a quite difficult topic be done so well.

 

http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/scale_super/7/79345/3047511-clap.jpg

Hmm, someone wrote an excellent reason of why the Synths wouldn't be able to reproduce (Its a relatively simple edit and prevents cancer- sorry genetics aren't my strong point), but supposing they could the issue would be them breeding with each other/you, rather than the population at large.

[Deleted2948850User]

Okay, very interesting topic. One question though, do they actually ever mention how much of Shaun's genetic information

is used in the production of gen 3's and how? Because depending on the quantity and manner, you might end up with a synth

that is identical to Shaun, is closely related to Shaun or is simply related in the sense of being the same species (and the latter

might not even have to be true).

 

Aside from mutations, dormant genes, etc, etc, how much does our genetic information really differ from one another? I mean,

theoretically speaking our genetic information might still have the potential of reproducing a Darwinius Masillae (even if that's a

very unlikely prospect). Just look at the gorilla synths the Institute has (assuming they are at least partially biological and that

they didn't somehow have gorilla DNA on hand).

Edited January 2, 2016 by Guest

[coldarra]

Brb reloading a save.

 

Elder Maxson WAS right.

[Athanasa]

Brb reloading a save.

 

Elder Maxson WAS right.

 

Yeeaaaaaah. It's... icky.

[SirTwist]

Let me see if I can throw a monkey wrench into this. What if Shaun, aka Father, is a Gen 3 synth himself? And the real Shaun is frozen? And what if there are far more people than just you, your spouse, and Shaun who are contributors to the genes of the synths? What if they take all the genetic material from everyone, analyze it, mix it up, at a genetic level, then take the mixed genes and use that as the basis for the Generation 3 synths? Due to cleaning of the genes, would they really be your clones, or Shaun's clones? What if they are a broad selection of humanity's clones, rather than just Shaun's? Danse, Curie, and any other Gen 3 synth may share some genes with you, but what if they were just pieces and parts, and not whole?

 

On a personal note, even playing a female character, I'd prefer to, if possible, romance Deacon than Danse. Danse, to me, doesn't seem like a good romantic choice. Maybe a good drinking buddy, or even a one night thing, but I can't see him more than that. Personally, I think even Nick Valentine would be a better alternative. He has more personality.

[Moraelin]

Considering the Institute's opinion of synths, having a synth director... that would be a bit like the KKK electing a black jewish guy as the grand dragon, innit? :tongue: