From: David Duffy <davidD@qimr.edu.au>
Subject: (urth) Re: Backwardness
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1998 10:41:26 +1000 (EST)

I had two points - the first is about the arrow of time and entropy. 
Briah could actually be the contraction phase of our universe -- to
viewers there, we are in their distant future and vv.  I have been
recently reading "Archimedes Point" (author escapes me), who provides
various arguments, and how to design a causally reversed telescope to
detect (backward) light from that epoch.  This might fit in with the
various mirrors.  Note that reversed light will tend to converge
on targets, to our way of thinking.  Travel between the epochs would be
subjectively quick on the ship only if it was travelling v close to c, 
but at least you don't need hyperdrive. 

THe other is about living backwards.  Only TH White (IIRC) has Merlin
living backwards, in the _Sword In the Stone_.  And other main uses
predating Amis are in Williamson's _SeeTee Ship_, PK Dick's _Counterclock
World_ and Vonnegut's _Slaughterhouse 5_.  I always thought the latter was
Amis's inspiration, with its reversal of the damage to cities, followed by
processing of the bombs so they were safe, and dispersal of their
components into landfills. 

| David Duffy.                                                    ,-_|\
| email: davidD@qimr.edu.au  ph: INT+61+7+3362 0217 fax: +0101   /     *
| Epidemiology Unit, Queensland Institute of Medical Research    \_,-._/
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