Re: Mad Scientists

From: Graham Robinson <gjrobinson_at_ntlworld.com>
Date: Tue, 3 Oct 2000 20:09:55 +0100


Alex Ferguson writes :
> Well, as you later imply, a genuinely sound experiment would have to
> include "the Gods" in some sense, or whatever one's "model" of the
> otherworld is.

Part of my point - which admittedly didn't come over very well - is that modelling the gods and their moods is likely to be impossible, in a very real sense. Since the other side has such a large effect on Gloranthan reality, this rather destroys the possibility of conducting scientific experiments.

> > The pseudo-scientists of Glorantha - Godlearners, RQ sorcerors, etc. -
are
> > just that. They fit the fantasy mold of mad scientist fine, but aren't
> > anywhere close to the real meaning of the word.
>
> I have to entirely disagree. Mad scientists are hardly a fantasy:
> one needs to work hard to avoid to avoid Richard Dawkins on the
> telly and in the Sunday supplements...

Somehow my brain had managed to delete all memories of such people when I wrote that message. Having said that, there are a number of people who call themselves scientists who are no such thing. Science has a very real meaning (which I'm sure Alex and many others are aware of...) and it isn't something that is practiced anywhere in Glorantha, to the best of my knowledge.

Cheers,
Graham

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