Eco-Relations

Every FaerieMUD entity? which can be represented as a Developmental Object can have a reaction to any situation which puts it in a position to interact with any other Developmental Object. These reactions are abstracted into eight categories known as eco-relations.

<blockquote><i>The nervous system is a strictly deterministic system whose structure specifies the possible modes of conduct that may emerge (be synthesized) from its functioning in a manner that varies according to the species, and the reactive perspective from which these modes of conduct may emerge. The reactive perspective, which the observer would call the emotional tone, does not specify a particular conduct, but determines the nature (aggressive, fearful, timid, etc.) of the course of the interaction.</i> — Humberto Maturana, Biology of Cognition

The eco-relations of FaerieMUD are meant to represent those "natures" for all interactions. Each species of Developmental Object will then know how to act for each kind of interaction. Thus, all emotions derive from the interaction of eco-relations. These eco-relations are are expressed in the reaction matrix first espoused by ecologist Edward Haskell:

		Benefit to Self (+,)	No Impact on Self (0,)	Detriment to Self (-,)
Benefit to		(+,+)	(0,+)	(-,+)
Other (,+)		symbiotic cooperation	benign warding	depressed parasitism
No Impact		(+,0)		(-,0)
on Other (,0)		commensal laudation		angry sadism
Detriment		(+,-)	(0,-)	(-,-)
to Other (,-)		evangelical predation	sacrificial satisfaction	synnecrotic conflict

See also Sacrificial Satisfaction, Evangelical Predation, Commensal Laudation, Symbiotic Cooperation, Benign Warding, Depressed Parasitism, Angry Sadism, and Synnecrotic Conflict.

— Scotus - 05 Aug 2001