The Best Introduction to the Mountains

Thomas Bitterman · 01 Feb 2002, 22:08 · from urth-v0202.mbox · original

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From: Thomas Bitterman <tom at bitterman.net>
Subject: Re: (urth) The Best Introduction to the Mountains
Date: Fri, 01 Feb 2002 17:08:22 -0500
Message-ID: <urth-v0202-51 at digest.urth.net>
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Michael Straight wrote:

>Nor do I think it makes much sense to pull a few quotes from the
>Catholic Encyclpedia and think that gives you enables you a complete
>understanding of Wolfe's political ideas.
>
Complete, no.  But Wolfe is a dedicated, intellectual Catholic.  It=20
seems prudent to assume that
he's read both the Encyclopedia and Aquinas (and agrees with them on=20
such an important
matter) until proven otherwise.  It would be an interesting thing to ask=20
him about in person.

To give some relevance to this discussion I'd predict that none of=20
Wolfe's characters ever
approves of a rebellion except when the ruler is clearly tyrannical in=20
the narrow sense used
in the Encyclopedia.

For example, Silk has that excuse, but Severian does not.  Although it=20
could be argued that
Pas/Typhon is a better ruler than the Autarch, Pas/Typhon is tyrannical=20
(due to his opposition
to the Outsider) and the Autarch is not.

>
>-Rostrum
>
Tom

--=20

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