(urth) The green man is a fake

[Jerry Friedman]

> From: Jeff Wilson <jwilson at io.com>

> On 1/16/2011 10:07 PM, Lee Berman wrote:

[snip interesting points]
 
> > Someone above noted the  right bit of evidence..he has a nice set of teeth.
> > Exactly how does  evolution allow for that? Needs a nice smile?
> 
> The same way it apparently  allows for contemporary humans to have wisdom 
>teeth, appendixes, male nipples,  sense of humor, musical aptitude, etc.

Surely the green man would be an example of genetic engineering, not evolution.
He says they've altered the algae, so why wouldn't they have altered themselves?

It's possible that in doing so, they preferred to keep their human shape, 
including
teeth, no extra surface, and something (fat?) filling the abdomen where their 
digestive
organs used to be, since Antonio pointed out they don't need them.  It's also 
possible
that green people eat for pleasure and supplemental nutrition as long as it 
doesn't
involve killing anything (fruit, dairy products, synthetic food).

I can't put much stock in his saying "a great liar", since he has another reason 
to
say that, and I don't see why he'd give Severian even that much of a hint.  And 
he
doesn't say he lies all the time.  However, I think you've raised a good 
possibility
that he's a fake put in Severian's path by whoever wants the New Sun.

Jerry Friedman