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From: tom%LOGICON@sri-unix.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers
Subject: Re: Sure we can!
Message-ID: <17089@sri-arpa.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 23-Feb-84 21:17:00 EST
Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.17089
Posted: Thu Feb 23 21:17:00 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 4-Mar-84 03:47:03 EST
Lines: 20


From: Mike Gannis (offnet)
Sender: tom@logicon

Steven Maurer (steven@ucb-vax) calims as "fact" the impossibility
("Period.") of FTL travel, based on Eisteinian Relativity.  Great!  As
long as there is identical correspondence between relativity and
reality.  But suppose not?  Superluminal velocities *are* permitted in
theories that postulate a preferred frame of reference.  We can't yet
rule this out; indeed, there are some hints (e.g.  Mach's principle)
that this could be the case.  Would you class as fantasy all stories
involving sub-c time dilation effects simply because they aren't
predicted by Newtonian physics?  Newtonian physics is "true" - it
adequately describes the world around you, doesn't it?

Besides - are you claiming that the Darkover stories are entirely
self-consistent? 

Mike Gannis
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