John Dee
Article
John Dee is a recurring person in the Astral Codex Ten archive, appearing 2 times across 2 issues between January 21, 2022 and June 03, 2022. The archive places it in contexts such as “Our CTO, John Dee has a PhD from Oxford”; “any number of sorcerers/mystics who have served kings such as … John Dee”; “sorcerers/mystics who have served kings such as Merlin, John Dee”. It most often appears alongside 1/28/22, 18th century, A Eunuch’s Dream.
Metadata
- Category: People
- Mention count: 2
- Issue count: 2
- First seen: January 21, 2022
- Last seen: June 03, 2022
Appears In
Related Pages
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- 22 (1 shared issues)
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- 18th century (1 shared issues)
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- A Eunuch’s Dream (1 shared issues)
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- ACX Grants (1 shared issues)
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- Alessandro Moreschi (1 shared issues)
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- American football (1 shared issues)
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- Anna Mons (1 shared issues)
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- Anonymous (1 shared issues)
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- Antigono (1 shared issues)
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- Anton Maria Zanetti (1 shared issues)
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- Antonio Bernacchi (1 shared issues)
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- Aries (1 shared issues)
External Links
Source Context
Recovered passages from the original issue text. When the raw archive preserved outbound links inside the source passage, they are listed directly under the quote.
Homunculus LLC is a startup working on developing the Philosopher's Stone, which would lead to universal immortality and infinite wealth. Our CEO, Nicholas Flamel, has a PhD from the University of Paris and is universally recognized for his work deciphering hieroglyphics. Our CTO, John Dee has a PhD from Oxford and served as court astrologer to Elizabeth I. We believe that precise application of quicksilver while Aries is in the ascendant is the secret to creating the Stone; you can read our white paper at homunculus.com/white-paper. We're looking for seed investments between 10,000 and 100,000 gold florins; if you think you can help, please email inquiries@homunculus.com.
Socioeconomic upheaval of this magnitude could pave the way for the return of aristocracy, likely another key factor for the potential development of a castrati-like practice. In this neo-feudalist future, we would once again see large numbers of nobles who are, for all intents and purposes, above the law and public reproach. As in the past, these new kings and queens and dukes and duchesses could use their influence and wealth to sponsor transhuman programs that draw “volunteers” from their peasantry. Whether these programs will initially produce transhumans for entertainment (art, sport) or for labor (servants, guards), it seems likely that the line will eventually become blurred—for example, uber-athletes produced for athletic competition also coming to serve as soldiers (or vice versa). The historical and fictional trope of the court mage (e.g. Mentats in Dune, any number of sorcerers/mystics who have served kings such as Merlin, John Dee, or Rasputin) suggests that rulers may seek out (or create) individuals who have undergone some kind of transformation that gives them unique mental abilities. If these cognitively enhanced individuals offer their rulers a decisive strategic advantage in military or politics, arms race dynamics could ensue and demand for “court mages” could soar.