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The Laws of Physics and Metaphysics

© Dee-Ann Latona

There are a number of things we hold true about the Earth. Gravity is the force that holds us and everything else on the surface of this planet. If you drop two objects from the top of a building they will both fall at the same speed and hit at the same time, if they have the same wind resistance factors. Scientists and engineers have tables upon tables of known values such as the strength of gravity on the Earth and other planets in our solar system, the speed of light, and on top of that there are equations for determining how much force is required to move an object over a specific type of surface on an incline. We know a lot about how things work here on Earth. Or at least, we think we do.

Of course, there are still many things about our Earth and ourselves we’re not quite sure of. Many believe in a variety of psychic abilities. None has been proven to everyone’s satisfaction--yet. We can’t cure all diseases, aren’t even sure of some of their causes, and there’s so much more we don’t know. That’s what makes life interesting as far as I’m concerned. And, it also gives us a lot of room when it comes to our fiction. How far you take it tends to depend on what genre you are writing within. You may have a planet with one half the Earth’s gravity or five times the Earth’s gravity. Either of these options affects the kinds of beings that exist in that world, especially their physical makeup. If you let a child in your story bring his butterfly farm from Earth to a planet with heavy gravity, prepare to have to deal with a mess.

Using Earth Uncertainties

Many genres allow room for playing with what may or may not be real on the Earth. You don’t have to write science fiction or fantasy to play around with the laws of physics and metaphysics. For example, paranormal romances abound with ghosts and psychic experiences. There are detective stories that involve the use of psychics as well. The important thing is that you decide the rules your piece has to abide by and stick to them. Consistency is all-important, unless inconsistency is a major factor in your plot. Remember, there are no hard and fast rules in the writing world.

What I tend to want to do when I allow anything that could be used as a “magic bullet” into a story is determine its limitations. For example, perhaps a psychic’s powers only work when he touches something belonging to the victim. Or maybe a psychic tends to get visions only when they happen to come--which means that I would have to define at least for myself why the person gets specific visions. If you want to attribute things to a higher power then you can certainly make it a God-given gift, or perhaps the person is from a line of people charged to help those in need. Is it a gift or a curse? There’s lots to explore there.

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