tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3538502828554372917.post732853615638038539..comments2024-03-29T09:09:24.834+00:00Comments on Poul Anderson Appreciation: Literary SequelsKetlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08588156788583883454noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3538502828554372917.post-25506051116329547092017-07-23T09:55:24.836+01:002017-07-23T09:55:24.836+01:00Sean,
To refute materialism, theists like Lewis an...Sean,<br />To refute materialism, theists like Lewis and Wright describe mechanistic states of matter, then rightly argue that such states differ qualitatively from conscious states. However, I believe on the evidence that matter/energy/being is not merely mechanistic. It is dynamic and capable of qualitative transformations including the change from organismic sensitivity to conscious sensation. Quantitative change, e.g., increase in temperature, becomes qualitative change, e.g., from liquid to gas. Sensitivity increased quantitatively, then changed qualitatively. Thus, a mobile organism responding to heat began to feel hot. As soon as sensation occurred, it began to be naturally selected because it had survival value.<br />Paul.paulshackley2017@gmail.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17704115766930975286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3538502828554372917.post-59263127908188018592017-07-23T02:16:07.662+01:002017-07-23T02:16:07.662+01:00Dear Mr. Stirling,
And, as a Catholic, I would di...Dear Mr. Stirling,<br /><br />And, as a Catholic, I would disagree with that seemingly dismissive view taken of the Bible by such Anglicans.<br /><br />While I found your "Sword of the Lady" difficult to "swallow," I did not feel the same way about how certain characters were possessed by evil entities. After all, again as a Catholic, I do believe in the possibility of some persons being tragically possessed by fallen angels.<br /><br />What you said about materialism reminded me of how many characters in the Emberverse books were so badly shaken by the Change that they could no longer disbelieve in or deny the supernatural. Some became Christians, others, Wiccans (absurd as that religion is).<br /><br />I not only disbelieve in materialism, I simply don't think it even holds up, philosophically speaking. John C. Wright, a philosopher who writes SF, has argued extensively against materialism at his blog. And I found his arguments convincing.<br /><br />SeanSean M. Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13973738112230622557noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3538502828554372917.post-90029001791471920162017-07-22T21:36:25.185+01:002017-07-22T21:36:25.185+01:00Mr Stirling,
However, we are told that Mind origin...Mr Stirling,<br />However, we are told that Mind originated in an uncreated universe and that later it was said, "NOW there is a God." That is materialist.<br />Paul.paulshackley2017@gmail.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17704115766930975286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3538502828554372917.post-81325148438868675812017-07-22T21:11:15.655+01:002017-07-22T21:11:15.655+01:00Mary and Ritva regard the "histories" mo...Mary and Ritva regard the "histories" more or less as a not particularly devout Anglican would the Bible.<br /><br />And of course they live in a world where things like magic swords and possession by evil entities definitely exist -- they're not common, but they're demonstrably real and they're important.<br /><br />Materialism in our sense is philosophically difficult in the Changed world.S.M. Stirlinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18091131550027851275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3538502828554372917.post-92016470111436130262017-07-20T14:30:27.450+01:002017-07-20T14:30:27.450+01:00Kaor, Paul!
Interesting, the suggestion that Stir...Kaor, Paul!<br /><br />Interesting, the suggestion that Stirling's Emberverse books could be called a successor or sequel to Tolkien's Middle Earth mythos. And Astrid Larsson certainly believed in Tolkien's THE SILMARILLION and THE LORD OF THE RINGS as actual history!<br /><br />Yes, I agree, Stirling does not intend US to actually believe Tolkien's works were literal histories.<br /><br />SeanSean M. Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13973738112230622557noreply@blogger.com