(urth) Typhon's nature

[Gerry Quinn]

From: David Stockhoff 

> On 10/14/2011 6:11 PM, Gerry Quinn wrote:
> > *From:* David Stockhoff <mailto:dstockhoff at verizon.net>
> > > On 10/14/2011 12:49 PM, Gerry Quinn wrote:
>
> > > > > If I ruled worlds with all those tools you list, and then you 
> > found out
> > > > > I was psionic (without using a psionic helmet), would that not 
> > strike
> > > > > you as significant?
> > >
> > > > Not really, if psychic powers are reasonably common.
> > >
> > > So, emphatically yes (because they are not).
> >
> > Aren’t they? Decuman seems to have them. So does Mucor. The Cumaean 
> > has. In Typhon’s time, there was a telepathic internet.


> In my example, I am not a character living in Briah.
Then I don’t understand the point of it.
> > > > He does have strong arms and hands, strong enough to dangle Severian
> > > over a cliff. But then again, he took those from Piaton.
> > > Which means he does not have them at all.
> > Sure he has them!
> No, he does not. Rather, he has Piaton.
Which includes Piaton’s hands.  If all had gone well, Piaton’s head would soon have been dispensed with, and the distinction becomes even less meaningful.
 
> > > I thought you said there was no difference! But again: "I sent my
> > > thought to far places." Why, do you think, he said that? Why did Wolfe> > > have him say that?
> He’s talking about telepresence, virtualities? Or maybe just alluding 
> > to looking at satellite images etc.
> But why did he say it LIKE THAT?
What’s wrong with the way he said it?  He thinks he’s talking to an oik who has never seen a TV.

> > It adds colour to our understanding of life in Typhon’s empire, just 
> > as elsewhere we learn a little about life in Ascia.
> I am sure that is why Wolfe wrote the series: to provide color and 
> information, like a white writer in the South after the Civil War.

You don’t think that fleshing out such imaginary societies is part of the writer’s job?

> > > I propose that the food Typhon feeds Severian is a ham sandwich. Do you
> > > concur?
> > A kolpochoerus sandwich is another example of something that is 
> > perfectly plausible,,. but for wich we have no evidence one way or the 
> > other. All we know is he gave Severian food of some sort. (If I had to 
> > guess, I’d say something like the ready meals eaten by Silk and 
> > Mamelta on the lander.)
> Are you a machine?

I’m finding your responses increasingly hard to compute, that’s for sure.

- Gerry Quinn
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