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From: elt@astrovax.UUCP (Ed Turner)
Newsgroups: net.followup
Subject: Re: Firewalking
Message-ID: <398@astrovax.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 16-Jul-84 09:34:10 EDT
Article-I.D.: astrovax.398
Posted: Mon Jul 16 09:34:10 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 17-Jul-84 01:27:28 EDT
References: <249@hercules.UUCP> <397@ames-lm.UUCP>
Organization: Princeton Univ. Astrophysics
Lines: 22

The simplest nontechnical way to see that firewalking is a Liedenfrost effect
trick based on elementary physics and not example of mind over body control
(or any other semi-mystic explanation) is to note that

1) people not using any "mental techniques" can do it

and most importantly

2) using the firewalking mental techniques will not let you escape the
consequences of any of a large number of other normally painful acts,
such as putting your feet on a less hot object (say a hot skillet) or
receiving an electric shock, etc.

Rationally firewalking should give ones psyche no more of a boost than say
flying in an airplane in which one is "magically" suspended high in the air
with no visible means of support.  The physics is just a little less well
known and a bit less reliable.

Of course, as Demosthenes said, "We beleive what we wish to believe."

Ed Turner
astrovax!elt