What symbols mean for Wolfe

Daniel Petersen · 26 Nov 2012, 20:28 · from 2012-November.txt.gz

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From: danielottojackpetersen at gmail.com (Daniel Petersen)
Date: Mon, 26 Nov 2012 20:28:44 +0000
Subject: (urth) What symbols mean for Wolfe
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A universe with a preferred history has the advantage of being
scientifically compatible with some kind of Judeo-Christian deity who can
be seen as selecting the best of all possible histories at the end of time,
along the lines of Teilhard's Omega Point.  I don't know whether Wolfe was
thinking along those lines.

Hm.  I still haven't familiarised myself with Teilhard's thought, but what
you describe there sounds a bit like what I understand to be the Molinist
or Middle Knowledge account of election and freewill. I wonder whether that
could 'solve' the time travel element (making it work with some amount of
libertarian freedom of choice) and whether Wolfe might *possibly* have had
such a thing in mind?  (Molina was a Jesuit, so...?)

-DOJP

On Mon, Nov 26, 2012 at 5:43 PM, Gerry Quinn <gerry at bindweed.com> wrote:

> A universe with a preferred history has the advantage of being
> scientifically compatible with some kind of Judeo-Christian deity who can
> be seen as selecting the best of all possible histories at the end of time,
> along the lines of Teilhard's Omega Point.  I don't know whether Wolfe was
> thinking along those lines.

-- 
Daniel Otto Jack Petersen
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