-Poul Anderson, The Day Of Their Return IN Anderson, Captain Flandry: Defender Of The Terran Empire (Riverdale, NY, 2010), pp. 74-238 AT 5, p. 108.
Yes but Dido is the sister planet inhabited by tripartite intelligences whereas the tinerans, Riverfolk, Orcans and Highlanders are human beings. Surely the Empire still has a sciences-humanities distinction? Biologists, xenologists and planetologists would study Dido and its inhabitants whereas sociologists, social psychologists and cultural historians would study the undercultures. The intellectuals' ignorance of their fellow Aeneans, who are even excluded from the franchise, is scandalous.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
Yes, but the Empire did have some scholars and scientists who primarily studied human beings and cultures, as this bit from Section II of "Outpost of Empire" indicates, as John Ridenour was reflecting on the difficulties facing him on Freehold: "One man. Not even a Naval officer--not even a specialist in human cultures--such cannot be gotten, except for tasks elsewhere that look more vital."
The difficulty was there were too many other problems elsewhere that seemed more urgent to send such an expert to Freehold. So, while Ridenour, as a xenologist studying non humans seemed an odd choice, it did make sense. Many of the methods and tools of a xenologist would be equally applicable to human cultures. Plus, his work on Starkad was probably why he was sent to Freehold.
Sean
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