  It has been advanced, on experimental (P.-M. Robitaille, IEEE Trans. Plasma
Sci. 2003, v. 31(6), 1263-1267) and theoretical (P.M. Robitaille, Progr. Phys.
2006, v.2, 22-23) grounds, that blackbody radiation is not universal and
remains closely linked to the emission of graphite and soot. In order to
strengthen such claims, a conceptual analysis of the proofs for universality is
presented. This treatment reveals that Gustav Robert Kirchhoff has not properly
considered the combined effects of absorption, reflection, and the directional
nature of emission in real materials. In one instance, this leads to an
unintended movement away from thermal equilibrium within cavities. Using
equilibrium arguments, it is demonstrated that the radiation within perfectly
reflecting or arbitrary cavities does not necessarily correspond to that
emitted by a blackbody.
