So you take hard s.f. to be a philosophical position (committed to some form of naturalism, if not physicalism)? I've heard Michael Flynn is a theistic hard <a href="http://s.f.er">s.f.er</a>, but I don't know if his worldview affects the writing of his fiction at a sort of methodological level. I've not read any. At any rate, I don't think Wolfe's fiction reaches full 'hard' status for various reasons - regardless of whether we say hard s.f. by definition must remain mechanically non-theistic or non-magical or whatever. But you describe well the tensions Wolfe manfully holds together. It's part of what makes his work have a widespread, diverse audience.<div>
<br></div><div>-DOJP<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Wed, Nov 28, 2012 at 10:55 PM, David Stockhoff <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:dstockhoff@verizon.net" target="_blank">dstockhoff@verizon.net</a>></span> wrote:<br>
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That is, the "medium" of physics-driven fiction is not the message,
which is the case with true hard SF. Wolfe works hard to reconcile
myth with physical plausibility to make a story "work." You can see
the tension between them, but he never abandons one for the other.<br>
<br>
<div>On 11/28/2012 12:04 PM, DAVID STOCKHOFF
wrote:<br>
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<div><span>I agree with him too. But Urth is still not "hard
SF."<br>
</span></div>
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<hr size="1"> <b><span style="font-weight:bold">From:</span></b>
Daniel Petersen
<a href="mailto:danielottojackpetersen@gmail.com" target="_blank"><danielottojackpetersen@gmail.com></a><br>
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<b><span style="font-weight:bold">Sent:</span></b>
Wednesday, November 28, 2012 11:03 AM<br>
<b><span style="font-weight:bold">Subject:</span></b>
Re: (urth) Hard SF<br>
</font> </div>
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<div>I'd tend to agree with Lee here.
-DOJP<br>
<br>
<div><div class="im">On Wed, Nov 28,
2012 at 3:51 PM, Lee Berman <span dir="ltr"><<a rel="nofollow" href="mailto:severiansola@hotmail.com" target="_blank">severiansola@hotmail.com</a>></span>
wrote:<br>
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>David Stockhoff: We're not talking about hard
SF here.<br>
<br>
Just for the sake of discussion, I'll disagree.
Perhaps Wolfe isn't diamond-hard<br>
but I'd give him ruby- or sapphire- on the MOhs
scale. I think he makes a<br>
sincere attempt in most of his work, as the quote
below illustrates.<br>
<br>
Where fantasy writers are content to give us shape
changers without explanation,<br>
Wolfe provides us with a sponge cellular analogy
for Tzadkiel and flexible bones<br>
and muscles, make-up and hypnotic abilities for
Inhumi.<br>
<br>
If the Inhumi really fly through space I'd want
more than the skimpy evidence we<br>
are provided (and less evidence for their lying
nature).<br>
<br>
>Nick Gevers: Speaking as an engineer, how
might the godling be constructed so as to<br>
>walk as a giant on land, where the undines
[submarine giantesses] cannot?<br>
<br>
>Gene Wolfe: There are a number of ways you
could go. First, get rid of the notion that<br>
>the godling is going to be proportioned like a
human being. Changes in size always mean<br>
>changes in build. (Dr. Crane touches on that.)
A man fifty feet tall, proportioned like<br>
>you or me, would sink into the ground a lot --
had you thought of that? Take a look at<br>
>the really big dinosaurs. Bone density could
be increased, and the legs and pelvis made<br>
>more massive, and so on<br>
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