Theism Supports Free Will Better than Materialism Does

DAVID STOCKHOFF · 17 Oct 2014, 16:26 · from 2014-October.txt.gz

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From: dstockhoff at verizon.net (DAVID STOCKHOFF)
Date: Fri, 17 Oct 2014 09:26:37 -0700
Subject: (urth) Theism Supports Free Will Better than Materialism Does
In-Reply-To: <BLU175-W502E23A32C07E7917C845FCFA80 at phx.gbl>
References: <BLU175-W502E23A32C07E7917C845FCFA80 at phx.gbl>
Message-ID: <1413563197.64910.YahooMailNeo at web120306.mail.ne1.yahoo.com>





>One may imagine knights, rooks vs bishops, and of course queens. Even pawns can capture 

>en passant. 



Plus, if a pawn makes it to the end of the board, they can be brought back as a more powerful

piece. I think Wolfe intends this analogy for Severian (The Conciliator/New Sun) after he returns

from Yesod.

---Good one. Except he's almost more like a queen, at least after he becomes a god (see below).




>Knights are especially prominent (Jonas) and yet especially limited. Which best represents the 

>Green Man? 


As per my discussion with Jeffrery, I see The Green Man as a rook (without horizontal abilities), 

able to make unlimited moves up and down one timeline (Urth to Ushas) but not able to explore

alternate realities, like Ragnarok. I think this in part because The Green Man is intent on "helping"

Severian. 


---Works for me.


>Note that kings are basically important pawns that can move backward as well as castle.



Hm, that's a toughie. Maybe Severian is most like a King, at least before he reaches Yesod. He

can move a space backward or forward in time when he does his healing trick with the Claw.


---He already has become Autarch, which is a mundane sort of king, weaker than a queen. But almost from the beginning, he can move backward as you say, even before he elevates again after his apotheosis.

Funny how this turns some basic assumptions on their heads. A medieval king was a "temporal" power, bound by time, while popes were a sort of spiritual emperor. Severian is also a creature of time (only the Increate is not) but is not bound by it.


_______________________________________________


On Friday, October 17, 2014 12:09 PM, Lee <severiansola at hotmail.com> wrote:
 

>
>
>
>"Tzadkiel compares Severian, as a human, to a pawn. I take the chessboard to be the symbol
>for time. Humans (normally) like a pawn on a chessboard, can only move forward and one
>space at a time."
>
>
>>David Stockhoff: 
>
>
>>That's a handy analogy, if not a complete system. 
>
>
>Yes, I think Wolfe meant it only as a rough starting point. I've made some of the extrapolations
>
>you make myself but you raise some interesting questions.
>
>
>>There do seem to be essential limitations on all the time-traveling characters. 
>
>
>Except for The Increate? (who may not be a "character" and probably doesn't need to "travel" 
>
>being in all places and all times simultaneously).
>
>
>
>>One may imagine knights, rooks vs bishops, and of course queens. Even pawns can capture 
>
>>en passant. 
>
>
>
>Plus, if a pawn makes it to the end of the board, they can be brought back as a more powerful
>
>piece. I think Wolfe intends this analogy for Severian (The Conciliator/New Sun) after he returns
>
>from Yesod.
>
>
>
>>On the other hand, no chess pieces travel only backward as do Ossipago et al. 
>
>
>True although it has been argued that B, F and O must travel forward in time at least long enough
>
>to converse with Severian and watch a play, etc.
>
>
>>Knights are especially prominent (Jonas) and yet especially limited. Which best represents the 
>
>>Green Man? 
>
>
>As per my discussion with Jeffrery, I see The Green Man as a rook (without horizontal abilities), 
>
>able to make unlimited moves up and down one timeline (Urth to Ushas) but not able to explore
>
>alternate realities, like Ragnarok. I think this in part because The Green Man is intent on "helping"
>
>Severian. Doesn't the concept of "helping" become superfluous if you can explore various timelines
>
>in which any outcome can happen?
>
>
>>Note that kings are basically important pawns that can move backward as well as castle.
>
>
>
>Hm, that's a toughie. Maybe Severian is most like a King, at least before he reaches Yesod. He
>
>can move a space backward or forward in time when he does his healing trick with the Claw.
>
>And he being replaced by an Eidolon is sort of like castling.                           
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