Principle Manipulation

Abilities related to Abstract Manipulation
Related Abilities	Conceptual Manipulation - Principle Manipulation - Linguistic Manipulation

Background

The ability to manipulate principles involves controlling the core, underlying rules or truths that govern all existence. Principles serve as the foundation upon which everything in the universe is built, from the smallest particles to the grandest ideas. These rules determine how everything functions, making them more fundamental than concepts, which are more like structured interpretations or understandings of the world.

While concepts represent ideas or categories used to make sense of reality, principles are the basic laws that give rise to those concepts. For example, the concept of "gravity" stems from the underlying principle of gravitational force, which dictates how objects with mass interact. Without principles, concepts wouldn't have any structure to exist or operate within.

In essence, principles govern how concepts form and function, and manipulating principles allows the user to directly alter the rules that makeup reality. This means the user could potentially reshape or erase entire concepts by changing the principles that support them. Since principles lie at the core of all phenomena, this power is often considered to go beyond concept manipulation—it targets the very mechanisms that make concepts possible.

However, the scope of this power can vary depending on the fictional universe, as different worlds may define principles and their relation to concepts in unique ways. Some may treat principles like laws of physics, while others may define them as deeper metaphysical truths.

Some Differences from Concept Manipulation

As Principle Manipulation is fundamentally similar to Conceptual Manipulation it is normally hard to spot the difference to see what would qualify as Principle Manipulation and what would qualify as Conceptual Manipulation.

• Concept Manipulation is the power to alter, redefine, or change abstract ideas or notions (such as justice, morality, or energy) within the constraints of reality’s governing rules.
• Principle Manipulation, on the other hand, targets the rules themselves, reshaping the underlying structure that defines how everything operates, including the concepts themselves. It allows for the rewriting of the fabric of reality, while Concept Manipulation adjusts the way abstract notions are interpreted or categorized within that fabric.

Some Differences from Law Manipulation

Now some of the wording there may have sounded similar to Law Manipulation, however, there is a fundamental difference here too. It is normally hard to spot the difference to see what would qualify as Principle Manipulation and what would qualify as Law Manipulation.

Law Manipulation

• Definition: Law Manipulation refers to the ability to alter or control the rules that govern specific systems or phenomena, such as the physical laws of nature (gravity, thermodynamics), societal laws (legal systems), or universal laws (causality, time).
• Scope: It is typically confined to specific rules or sets of rules within a universe, system, or context. A character with Law Manipulation could, for example, change the law of gravity, making objects heavier or lighter, or reverse the law of conservation of energy.
• Focus: Law Manipulation usually focuses on the operational rules of a system, meaning the rules that dictate how things behave but without necessarily affecting the deeper metaphysical or existential principles that define the system itself.

Principle Manipulation

• Definition: Principle Manipulation involves controlling or altering the fundamental truths or core governing frameworks that define existence itself. These principles are deeper than operational laws—they dictate how those laws are even possible.
• Scope: The scope is broader and more foundational than Law Manipulation, as it deals with the very essence of reality, such as the principle of existence, identity, or causality. For example, while Law Manipulation might allow someone to change the rules of gravity, Principle Manipulation would allow them to change the principle of gravity itself, potentially making it irrelevant, or redefining what gravity is.
• Focus: Principle Manipulation targets deeper existential rules, meaning the underlying nature that allows laws and systems to exist at all. It reshapes the core fabric of reality rather than just tweaking the operational rules that govern interactions within it.

In short:

• Law Manipulation works within the existing framework of reality, changing the way rules apply or function.
• Principle Manipulation alters the very framework itself, potentially changing or eliminating the rules by targeting the root cause of those laws.

What Qualifies for Principle Manipulation

• Manipulation of Fundamental Frameworks: The user can alter the basic, governing rules of existence itself, rather than just the abstract ideas or systems that arise from those rules. For example, manipulating the principle of cause and effect could allow a user to make actions occur without causes or make consequences appear retroactively.
• Changing the Rules of Reality: Users can directly rewrite or remove the rules that define how reality works, such as changing the principle of time, which could cause time to stop or flow backward.
• Power Over Laws, Not Just Ideas: The ability to control the fundamental laws that everything depends on, including both physical and abstract constructs. For instance, altering the principle of identity could allow for merging beings or erasing individual identity.
• Absolute Influence on Concepts: Manipulating principles should allow the user to control the very rules that govern concepts, affecting how they exist or operate. Changing the principle governing the concept of life could redefine how all living things exist or regenerate.
• Creation and Erasure of Core Principles: Users can create new fundamental rules, erase existing ones, or change how they apply universally, potentially leading to entirely new realities.
• Reshaping All Existence by Altering Laws: Manipulating principles reshapes the entire structure of reality by changing the underlying laws that dictate how it functions.
• Impact Across All Dimensions and Realms: The ability can affect multiple planes of existence, influencing both material and immaterial realms.