----- Original Message -----
From: "Bob Faw" <[log in to unmask]>
> Well, the topic is far too deep for me, but reminds me of the
> dyslexic insomniac agnostic who stayed up all night wondering if there
> was really a dog.
>
> bob
At 05:43 AM 3/27/2001, Robert A MICALLEF wrote:
>I thought I it was most interesting thread I'd read on this list in months.
To each his own. That's why the genre covers such a broad area.
>Too deep? Isn't part of being an adult, you know, moving beyond
>superficialities?
Beats me, I've never tried "being an adult." Sounds pretty dull to me.
>Well have no fear, I'm sure will get back to 'my favorite
>lists', 'looking for book requests' and 'FYI's notices from NASA'.
Something for everyone, eh?
>Still it's a pity, one of the greatest strengths of SF over
>contemporary lit is its ability to create a hothouse of ideas.
True. And another of its strengths is that it is one of the few
genres that has the moxie not to take itself too seriously. It offers
something for everyone, including those, like me, who are fully attuned
to their inner child as well as those who feel that everyone over the
age of 18 is honor bound to act like an adult. If being an adult
includes loosing my senses of wonder and humor, then I think I'll opt
out, thank you very much.
>You just can't get this kind of extended meditation on existential
>questions anywhere else.
Just about every bar and dorm room was full of similar discussions
at or near every college or university I ever attended. I can't say as
I detected a lot of thinking going on, though--mostly salesmanship and
parroting of their favorite professor or dead Greek. Few could deal
with truly novel ideas--let alone create them.
>Sure you could read actual philosophers but they bad habit of maiming
>any sense of wonder just by their style.
>
>Rob
Funny, I found Aristotle, Plato, and Socrates full of that sense of
wonder. It's the philosophy *texts* (written by professors, not real
philosophers) that are so dry and unimaginative.
For the most part, I like my philosophy dealt out by true
philosophers of the human nature--like Heinlein, Asimov, Farmer, and
Resnick.
bob
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