Although The Law of Emergent Potential was discovered first, the cirricula of magical schools and universities always begin with The Law of Inifinite Potential. This is because it expresses the central concepts and metaphysical themes vital to understanding the practice of Technomancy. We begin with two postulations and the definition of a term.
The first and most important postulate: Human potential is infinite.
The second postulate is that Potential is always dividing itself as evenly as possible into every available expression. Therefore:
Any finite set of possibilities that Potential is applied, divided or expressed into a is called a Focus. Furthermore, there are an infinite number of possible Foci.
Given that Potential and Focus are real and measurable variables, the following equation can be used to determine the total application of Potential in a system:
Potential / Focus = Effect (P/F, also called Utility)
Taking all of these postulates completely in mind, the Law of Infinite Potenial can thus be used to define the human condition as the following equation:
Potential (infinity) / Focus (infinity) = 0, 1, ∞ (*)
This equation applies solely to a human being in their most basic state. If the values for Potential and Focus are set as finite numbers, the equation can be used to determine the essential utility of a being or object.(**) One may further separate the three answers into three essential lessons of Infinite Potential Of Mind, Of Body and Of Spirit.
Of Mind
∞ / ∞ = 0
This facet of the equation deals with the realm of ideas and imagination. There is no end to the possible number of ideas. Yet infinite imagination applies infitely to all kinds of Foci and yeilds no physical or tangible result. It is only by limiting Potential's expression into a single Focus or a small set of Foci that one can truly create. In this respect, the division of infinity, by infinity cannot possibly equal a real number. However, ideas and imagination still exist. It is for this reason that the answer given is zero and not an imaginary number.
This facet of Infinite Potential is interesting in that it seems to apply to any thinking and sentient being. It is the confirmation of a realm of ideas and thinking that must exist but cannot exist physically. Ideas may not have substance (positive intergers) or lack of substance (negative intergers) but the space they occupy is real even if it is not a physical place.
Of Body
∞ / ∞ = 1
In this facet of the equation we apply Infinite Potential to the physical world. While ideas may lack substance, the division of infinite Potential into infinite Foci does yeild an obviously physical and tangible result. Just as any number divided by itself must equal one, infinite Potential divided by the infinite set of Foci equals a human being. As the first whole number and highest possible result in decimal statistical equations, the number one carries a great significance both mathematically and metaphysically. The body encompasses all sets of possibilities and the amount of space those infinite possibilities occupies is equal to zero.
Despite debates on social implications,(***} the fact of the matter is that the Guiding Archetype of humanity is Potential. Only a human being has truly infinite potential. Other sentient beings have astoundingly high amounts of potential but those finite values divided by infinite or finite amounts of Foci will equal a physical result that looks like that specific race. Infinite Potential divided by infinite Foci expressed physically will look and act like a human being. It is the prevailing theory that as a race's Potential gets higher, it comes closer to looking like a human.
Infinite Potential Of Body also lies at the heart of the training of Physical Adepts and is expressed in thier primary philosophy, “The infinite is the one, and the one is infinite."
Of Spirit
∞ / ∞ = ∞
This last facet of the equation is as much an affirmation as it is an applied mathematical truth. As infinity is not an actual number but the set of numbers that increases without limit, one cannot expect to obtain a finite result from the division. Instead one will obtain an ever-increasing set of solutions which may or may not all equal one. Furthermore, even if every last result along the increasing set continues to equal one, that equation is still separate and unique from the one that came before or will come after it.
Therefore the zero (Infinite Potential Of Mind) and the One (Infinite Potential Of Body) are not only derived from the infinite (Infinite Potential Of Spirit) but, because all numbers and therefore all possibilities exist within them, they are capable of the infinite.
As seen above, each solution to the basic equation of Infinite Potential is valid and each explains a fundamental principle of Technomancy. While human Potential is infinite, this does not mean that the Technomantic arts are prohibited to non-humans. The principles discussed must still be applied to tangible pursuits which any sentient being is free to pursue. It must never be forgotten that the first law of Technomancy to be discovered was discovered by a zoomorph. Technomancy is not the determination of Potential but the effective application of Potential in the most efficient way possible. It is important to note, then, that all beings and objects have Potential.
Footnotes:
(*) - The proper way to express the set of solutions is to list them vertically instead of horizontally and within brackets, however, I lack the knowledge to do this using the wiki's code. In the future I may simply create a picture file and replace the text version with it.
(**) - The determination of precise units of Potential and Focus will later allow Technomancers to create machines of phenomenal power. Its explanation is too complex to include in these basic lessons.
(***) - The idea that the physical expression of Infinite Potential is a human body has sparked intense and empassioned debate in the halls of academia. Many view the idea as intrinsically racist propaganda, while others scoff at the idea that Infinite Potential would have such a finite number of basic forms.
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