Sunday 28 February 2021

Natural Enemies

Ensign Flandry, CHAPTER TWO.

"Tigeries and Seatrolls had fought since they evolved to intelligence, probably. But that was like men and wolves in ancient days, nothing systematic, plain natural enemies." (p. 15)

That makes sense. If wolves had evolved to intelligence in parallel with proto-men, then the two species might have remained enemies despite both becoming intelligent.

However, I was brought up with a set of beliefs that would deny that any of this made sense. Would God create two intelligent species to be natural enemies? Surely both species would have been created without sin? And surely, therefore, one or both species would have had to "Fall," morally and spiritually, before they could become enemies?

It is easier just to accept evidence for natural, evolutionary processes without also imposing a set of theological presuppositions.

1 comment:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

First, a point of "practicality." If the two intelligent races of Starkad had evolved on land, I think one or the other would have eventually won that eons long conflict and wiped its rivals out. The fact that Tigeries evolved on land while the Sea People evolved in the seas meant that neither could easily exterminate the other. So, I have my doubts both men and intelligent lupines would still be co-existing on Earth right now.

Also, I believe in both a Fall and evolution. Which the Catholic Church does not believe is contradictory to the faith it teaches.

Ad astra! Sean