(urth) Resurrections

[Jeff Wilson]

On 7/31/2010 12:52 PM, Dan'l Danehy-Oakes wrote:
> On Sat, Jul 31, 2010 at 2:41 AM, Jeff Wilson<jwilson at io.com>  wrote:
>
>> Whatever "they" are, I don't think they are meant to have a truly objective
>> identity and feelings apart from Severian, any more than the aquastors have
>> from their Yesodi controllers. Maybe an eidolon, which has to be
>> reconstructed with as perfect fidelity to the original as possible, would
>> count as "an" objective person, if not the same objective person.
>
> Actually I suspect that Severian is supposed to be an exception to the
> general principle you laid down (and I agree with). Through his Magic
> Resurrection Ability, Thecla at least lives again in him. I'm not so
> sure about the prior Autarchs.

His healing and resurective ability is supposed to work via short-term 
bending back time, isn't it? He meditates on the limits it might have 
over the carnage at the final battle with the Alzabo.

Sev's phenomenal power of memory is a similar but distinct faculty for 
recalling what used to be, and while it is inferior for the purpose of 
raising the dead it is obviously superior for reviving their 
experiences. This makes it a great force for extending the good the 
donors may have done, allowing *it* to live on rather than being 
interred with their bones.



-- 
Jeff Wilson - jwilson at io.com
IEEE Student Chapter Blog at
< http://ieeetamut.org >