Kumo the Cloud
A story in five frames…
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A story in five frames…
“When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong.” — Clarke's First Law
The Rejection of Continental Drift examines the early 20th century reaction and rejection of Continental Drift by American Scientists. Excellent detail and discussion of the late 19th and early 20th century Geologists, their science, and philosophy. The book traces development in American thought—avoid grand theories, gather data, consider multiple hypothesis—from the earlier Vulcanist-Neptunist row, how the mathematically convenient Pratt isostasy model quickly became canon, and the endless debates where the two sides accepted only what their model supported, and ignored or explained away evidence to the contrary. Defenders of continental drift even resorted to the phrase “E pur si muove” as their arguments were rejected!
“The Butlerian Jihad did it.” On a completely different note, recently re-read Dune, Messiah, and Children of Dune. With this review in mind, I do see odd characterization—superbeings who yet are variously petulant or hissing at one another—and that the prose cannot match Lessing in Shikasta. I do still enjoy the ideas and imagination Herbert brings: gypsum flats as evidence for prior water on Dune, thoughts on prescience, and the quotes that preface each chapter.
The mentat-generalist must understand that anything which we can identify as our universe is merely part of larger phenomena. But the expert looks backwards; he looks into the narrow standards of his own specialty. The generalist looks outward; he looks for living principles, knowning full well that such principles change, that they develop. It is to the characteristics of change itself that the mentat-generalist must look. There can be no permanent catalogue of such change, no handbook or manual. You must look at it with as few preconceptions as possible, asking yourself: “Now what is this thing doing?”
— Children Of Dune, p. 221.
More on dune, from someone who goes through blogs like Leto Duncan Idahos.