From newshub.ccs.yorku.ca!torn!utcsri!rpi!uwm.edu!cs.utexas.edu!wupost!uunet!pipex!slxsys!warwick!mrccrc!crc.ac.uk!mlush Thu Jul  9 16:20:17 EDT 1992
Article 6400 of comp.ai.philosophy:
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>From: mlush@crc.ac.uk (Mr. M.J. Lush)
Subject: Re: Putting the pratice effect to work
Message-ID: <1992Jun30.211121.25032@crc.ac.uk>
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Organization: MRC Human Genome Mapping Project Resource Centre, Harrow, UK
References: <1992Jun29.060742.4765@ccu1.aukuni.ac.nz> <1992Jun29.205441.14071@techbook.com> <BqnzMv.Fr0@news.cso.uiuc.edu>
Date: Tue, 30 Jun 1992 21:11:21 GMT
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>In article <1992Jun29.060742.4765@ccu1.aukuni.ac.nz> ecmtwhk@ccu1.aukuni.ac.nz (Thomas Koenig) writes:
> 
>>[Dave Brin, _The Practice Effect_]
> 
>>look like with this strange reversal of usual physixcs.
> 
>I don't see how mere "reversal" would arrive at such laws.
>There is a large dose of teleology here -- the objects seem to "know"  
>what constitutes "better", and have some way of altering their very 
>atomic structures to fit it.  Does Brin go into any detail about how 
>he has altered our universe's physical laws to arrive at this effect?

	As I rembember it there were some rules,  something like:

	1) The object must in part perform the desired function to start with.

	2) The practising must be done by a sentient being,  (apparently it helps if 
the practiser is concentrating on the task, though this isnt necessary).

	3) To remain in good condition the object must be kept in regular use.

	4) Liveing things cant be practised.

	5) Decay could be thwated by investing some 'life force' into the 
object (an option only avalable to 'wizards').

	At the end of the book it said the effect was a gift from 
>>>DELETED BY SPOILER PATROL<<<   to help against an unnamed outside threat.

	Bearing all this in mind, it looks like its some sort of psycic power	
(somewhat supported by the fact some people were better than others)

	The thing I liked about the book was the social effects,  technolocical
stagnation (why invent anything?),  giveing valuable gifts was 'nasty'
because they had to be kept up by costly servents,  and of course our heros
clever use of the effect, ...... Oh $%#&&*((( this shoots the theory in the foot
the hero was not a native so that means the effects not due to the
brain structure/genetics,  Ah well, it must be something in the water. 


-- 
Michael

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NPC rights actervist           |      Nameless Abominations are people too.


