Date: Fri, 01 Feb 2002 17:08:22 -0500
From: Thomas Bitterman 
Subject: Re: (urth) The Best Introduction to the Mountains

Michael Straight wrote:

>Nor do I think it makes much sense to pull a few quotes from the
>Catholic Encyclpedia and think that gives you enables you a complete
>understanding of Wolfe's political ideas.
>
Complete, no.  But Wolfe is a dedicated, intellectual Catholic.  It 
seems prudent to assume that
he's read both the Encyclopedia and Aquinas (and agrees with them on 
such an important
matter) until proven otherwise.  It would be an interesting thing to ask 
him about in person.

To give some relevance to this discussion I'd predict that none of 
Wolfe's characters ever
approves of a rebellion except when the ruler is clearly tyrannical in 
the narrow sense used
in the Encyclopedia.

For example, Silk has that excuse, but Severian does not.  Although it 
could be argued that
Pas/Typhon is a better ruler than the Autarch, Pas/Typhon is tyrannical 
(due to his opposition
to the Outsider) and the Autarch is not.

>
>-Rostrum
>
Tom



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