robkelk Wrote:Well, I never said where handwavium came from, just that it allows a Spinozan-style "thought influences reality" paradigm to be taken to an extreme. The term "instrumentality" is as good a tag as any for the stuff.
The read I got off your post was that you're conflating the existence of handwavium with the genre directive and through that making assumptions about the general benevolence of the universe. The point I'm trying to make is that handwavium and the genre directive are two completely discrete elements that exist in and for separate spheres of reference. Handwavium, its mysteries and motives exist inside the universe, in a Watsonian continuum. The genre directive on the other hand is strictly a Doylist construct that exists outside the universe, it's a rule for creators, not the creations.
As for handwavium in general, I stand by my previous statements.
Mr. Fnord interdimensional man of mystery
FenWiki - Your One-Stop Shop for Fenspace Information
"I. Drink. Your. NERDRAGE!"