The mutant time travellers of Anderson's There Will Be Time inhabit a different single immutable timeline.
His Time Patrollers believe that they inhabit a single mutable timeline although it is impossible to formulate a coherent account of all the events that are described as occurring in the Time Patrol series.
The patrons of Anderson's Old Phoenix inhabit multiple timelines.
An immense dimensional framework would be necessary to incorporate such diverse scenarios into a single multiverse.
However, we find similar theoretical language and practical examples in the Time Patrol universe and in the Old Phoenix multiverse.
According to a Time Patrol instructor, both instantaneous transportation and travel into the past require infinitely discontinuous functions for their mathematical description and also involve:
"'...the concept of infinitely-valued relationships in a continuum of 4N dimensions, where N is the total number of particles in the universe.'"
-Poul Anderson, "Time Patrol" IN Anderson, Time Patrol (Riverdale, NY, December 2010), pp. 1-53 AT 2, p. 9.
According to Valeria Matuchek:
"'Nobody's proved, in my world, whether there's an infinity of [universes], or whether the number's finite but enormous - N factorial, to be exact, where N is the total number of matter and energy particles that exist....'"
-Poul Anderson, A Midsummer Tempest (London, 1975), xii, p. 101.
OK. "N" means the same in both cases but, in the first case, there is a single continuum with 4N dimensions whereas, in the second case, there are possibly N factorial continua!
Secondly, there is a common practical example.
As far as the Time Patrol is concerned:
"'...suppose I went back and prevented Booth from killing Lincoln. Unless I took very elaborate precautions, it would probably happen that someone else did the shooting and Booth got blamed anyway.'"
-"Time Patrol," 2, p. 15.
And for Valeria:
"'...suppose I happened to meet Abe Lincoln here...given a lot of time together, I probably couldn't resist warning him against Ford's Theater. Lord knows what that might do to his world. Make a new continuum? I'm not sure if that's possible.'"
-A Midsummer Tempest, xi, pp. 93-94.
The host of the Old Phoenix performs the same function as the Time Patrol by preventing conversations that would result in an Abraham Lincoln that was going to be assassinated by Booth not being assassinated by Booth.
And the scenarios have similarities because they have a common creator.
(Lastly, Sheila and I now live on Lincoln Rd, Lancaster.)
8 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
The US had to endure three assassinated presidents in less than 40 years before people got serious about providing security for presidents.
Would anyone have tried to warn Archduke Francis Ferdinand if he had visited the Old Phoenix?
I recall how Mine Host Taverner had to interrupt Einstein when a discussion he was having veered into dangerous territory in "House Rule."
Ad astra! Sean
Kaor, Paul!
In the US "Lincoln" almost always means or refers to Abraham Lincoln one way or another. In the UK "Lincoln" means or refers most often to the county of Lincolnshire, the city of Lincoln, the earldom of Lincoln, or one of the earls of Lincoln.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
I know that, of course. Is there any connection between the two Lincolns?
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
None that I know of. Abraham Lincoln's family was of English origins, with his ancestor Samuel Lincoln settling in MA, in 1637.
Ad astra! Sean
Hope you're happy at the new address!
As for Franz Ferdinand, all you'd have to warn him about was not taking a wrong turn on the way to the hospital to visit the men injured in the bombing...
Thank you. Yes. Smaller house. Bigger garden. Closer to daughter.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
I forgot how there were two assassination attempts on Francis Ferdinand that evil day of June 28, 1914. The first attempt injured several of the persons with him, which was why he wanted to see them. But someone forgot to inform his driver of the change itinerary. Yet another implausible "coincidence"--Satan or the Shadowspawn were working hard that day!
The archduke should have cancelled all other official functions that day after the first assassination attempt. Perhaps by recalling that hypothetical Old Phoenix warning.
Ad astra! Sean
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