Ollie:

I didn't mean to come down on you at all.

I think it has been a great discussion, I am delighted that you started it, and I admire your interest in the theory and philosophy of magic.

It is very rare to see that among young performers, and it is so important.

I have to admit, that I have been playing a little bit of devil's advocate, and taking a more extreme view than necessary just to see what you would come up with.

It is really important to question the rules as you have done. It is also important to study them and know as much as possible about them.

Bobby Fischer knew all about chess theory and the reasoning behind the most fundamental rules. For hundreds of years it was universally accepted as a fatal flaw to move the knight more than once in the opening, and certainly not several times sequentially. He crushed and humiliated great players with just such a well-calculated flaunting of the rules.

You should always question authority. There are times when you will find a way to change or modify a rule, or to violate it completely. These efforts, when successful, can change the way magic is understood and performed.

Most such attempts will end in failure, and end up justifying the rules, but everytime you succeed, you have modified and deepened our understanding.

So thanks for a fun discussion, and for sticking to your guns--it takes guts to stand up to several older guys like you did and force them to explain and defend what they think is right. We can all learn from these kinds of talks, and I wish there were many more young magicians like you on this board.

By the way, I think that the discussion on this subject in this thread is about as good as anything available in the literature, and I think you should read and re-read what everyone has said, as well as be very proud of the discussion you have sparked.

I have found this thread to be an excellent chance to get my own ideas in order as well as to discover some interesting things from you and the other knowledgeable and thoughtful people who have participated.

Also, Hideo Kato is very right. If you want to truly understand magic theory, Maskelyne and Devant's "Our Magic" is the place to start. They give 22 rules of magic that are brilliant and useful and deep.

Johnny Thompson re-reads the theory section of this book every year, and he recommends that all magicians do the same. I have, and I find my understanding of these rules and admiration for them grows every time.

All the best.

I'm still new to the world of magic, compared to others that is, and appreciate any veiws of others wether they be the same as mine or not, so thanks for the great discussion.

hope to have another great discussion some other time, except maybe I can be on the side with more people, lol.

all the best,
ollie