Re: OT: The Geography Of A Discworld and the surrounding universe.

On Thursday 08 August 2002 11:36, H. S. Teoh wrote:
> On Thu, Aug 08, 2002 at 11:43:21AM -0500, Peter Clark wrote:
> [snip]
>
> > ours. At this point, you basically have complete fiat. You can say that
> > your discworld rests on the backs of four elephants that are being
> > carried on the back of a giant turtle, and we'd all go, "Sure, ok,
> > whatever you say." Physics discussions, alas, are out of the question.
>
> Unless you have a set of consistent physical laws that apply in that
> fictional universe. It doesn't *have* to be giant turtles just because it
> contradicts one or two laws in our universe; there's nothing wrong with
> having slightly different laws of physics that would allow such phenomena,
> and yet still be quite similar to our world.
        I have no problem with consistant laws, it's just that Joe's not being
consistant in making them! :) First he says that everything is the same as in
our universe, then he says that some of the basic premises have been tweaked
with, and then he goes and makes a wildly different universe! I'm not going
to play that game. Once we get into fantasy universes, then all bets are off.
That's why I said he had absolute fiat; by abandoning our universe, he can do
whatever he likes, and it's all good.
        And, despite what Q (obligatory Sar Trek reference) may say, you cannot just
change the gravitational constant of the universe and expect things to remain
similar to our world. Just think of the implications in which the center of
the universe was dense enough to significantly act on small bodies billions
of light years away. Just think of what would happen if space really was an
ether of liquid hydrogen. Those are NOT minor changes!
        :Peter

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