I'm a firm believer in the Holmian theories.
I will really be looking forward to reading more of this
{I cook weird stuff}-{Patronised by the fearsome Chloe} „[...] ţví ađ međ lögum skal land vort byggja en eigi međ ólögum eyđa.“
(The Frosta-thing law, 1260)
Is acher in gaíth innocht,
fu-fuasna fairggae findfolt:
ní ágor réimm mora minn
dond láechraid lainn ua Lothlind.
Sooner than I expected! Well done, I'm following this.
Hex have one essential and primary quality: that is their blessedness. To refer to Hex as anything but 'those who are blessed' is superstitious and unjust.
My eyes have been opened to the truth...
Under the patronage of the formidable and lovely Narf.
Proud patron of Derpy Hooves, Audacia, Lordsith, Frodo45127 and Sir Adrian.
My flagship, the Litany of Truth, spreading DESPAIR across the galaxy
Posts
13,399
Re: Physics, Epistemology, and Ethics of TWC
Good work CHLOE. But Hex are our Benevolent Despots; do you expect them now to be immortal beings? If your response is yes, I must disagree; for the members of Hex are not eternal. Many years ago (i.e. last month), the blue dragon Y was appointed to fill a spot on the Hex and thus became a red dragon. In time, one of the Nine will resign and a new one will come to serve. It is wrong to call them blessed, but it is also wrong to say that they are not just. For Hex has laid out the foundations of our society here and thus hath removed us from the chaotic state of nature. They created justice and therefore created our society's morality. Thus by guiding us away from the state of nature and establishing justice, Hex is just.
The only blessed being is Cahoma teh Sexeh Meloncat!
Subscribed and awaiting part II.
PS: Inkie and Diamat remember the divinity of the Meloncat and the heresy of the Lemoncat!
'I don't understand half of this matter half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of this half as well as it deserves.' .... ... anyway let me state that this thread is pure awesomeness Chloe, my hyper-beloved friend!
Holmian philosophy is becoming popular again in academic circles lately. In this context, I would like to bring to your attention that a fragment of an early Devian letter to Vatter Holm has been rediscovered only a few weeks ago:
Early Devian letter to Vatter Holm (fragment)
1. […] to Vatter Holm, […] greetin [g(s)] […]
2. […] saying that the Hex are by definition blessed. But what does this mean? Does not the term blessed imply that an entity with a higher authority has passed judgement upon the Hex and, as a consequence, has shown benevolence towards them? So, if we acted according to Reason, must we not ask who it was that blessed them and on what grounds the blessing came to pass? Would we not be superstitious by simply accepting that the Hex are blessed? And are we not being superstitious trying to derive all our reasoning from that presumption, without even understanding it?
3. You are saying we should use the weapons of Reason and strike against superstition. But why should we do so? Indeed, if the world is sorrow (as your teachings say), and using Reason makes us recognize the world, we may conclude that using Reason will make us unhappy (the reflection of the sorrow leaving an impression in our breast, as your teachings say). Being unhappy is a bad thing. Must we then not conclude then that using Reason is also a bad thing?
4. Now if Reason is a bad thing, and superstition is the opposite of reason, must we not conclude further that superstition is a good thing?
5. If you look at us Devians, you will see that worshipping the Hex makes us happy. We presume that by worshipping the Hex, we will please them, and that being so pleased, they may grant us favours – health, prosperity, luck – which we feel unable to obtain out of our own accord. Indeed by imagining the favours we may be granted, we are already obtaining a portion of the happiness the favour itself would bestow upon us. So even if the favour is not granted, a portion of the happiness is obtained. As a consequence, if we are superstitious, the sum of happiness felt by us Devians is evermore greater than the sum of favours granted. And since happiness is a good thing, and since superstition brings about more happiness, superstition must also be a good thing.
6. Now if Reason should make us understand that the Hex cannot be swayed by prayers and sacrifice, must we not as a consequence understand that all our prayers, all our sacrifice have been in vain? Must we then not further understand that we are fools, having spent our efforts in senseless prayer and sacrifice? If that were so, we must surely become unhappy, since no man wants to be a fool. And to become unhappy is a bad thing. But, if we understand that the Hex can be swayed by prayers and sacrifice, then all our efforts in the past have pleased the Hex, and since we may presume that in being pleased, they will grant us (further) favours, we will be happy. And this is a good thing.
7. Regarding the Hex, you are saying that they do not gaze upon our world (for the world is sorrow, and then they would not be happy and blessed anymore). But where did you gain this knowledge? Are you not but a man of our world yourself? If you are, then you are not able to tell even what a single Devian is thinking, since no man can look into another man’s head. If a man wants to know the thoughts of another man, he has to ask and receive an answer. But can we presume that you have asked the Hex what they think, and that you received an answer? If we are to believe your own writings, we cannot believe so, since you are saying the Hex do not gaze upon our world. As a consequence, the Hex would not perceive your question, and even if they were to perceive it, they would not answer.
8. You are saying that the Hex do gaze upon this world, as it is full of sorrow. But does this not imply that if the world was full of happiness, the Hex would gaze upon it? How then, if not by gazing upon it, do the Hex know that the world is full of sorrow, and that thes should not gaze upon it? Indeed, must we not conclude that the Hex are gazing upon our world if they know that it is full of sorrow? And if the Hex are gaz[…]