Inverted World: a book review

Inverted World by Christopher Priest

I’ve just read Inverted World, a science fiction novel I’d somehow missed back in the 70s. The novel involves a planet approximately in the shape of a pseudosphere (but having infinite surface area). There is also a city which, for complex reasons, must constantly move across the terrain (the hero comes of age after 650 miles of travel).

A pseudosphere with the infinite “spikes” truncated, at the Topological Zoo

Inverted World contains some good ideas, although it is a little preachy (the main character is called “Helward Mann,” for example). I must admit, though, that the rather clever ending caught me by surprise.

Inverted World by Christopher Priest: 3½ stars

The Monitor and the Virginia

Here is a significant anniversary from 150 years ago...

Lithograph from 1862

On the 9^th of March, 150 years ago, the USS Monitor and the CSS Virginia (formerly the USS Merrimack) fought it out at the Battle of Hampton Roads (which began the previous day, when the Virginia attacked the Union blockade). The NOAA has a special website in honour of the sesquicentennial (including some cool free bookmarks).

Lithograph of the wider battle, from c. 1889

As with many US Civil War battles, it was bloody but inconclusive. The Virginia was scuttled on 11 May of the same year. The Monitor was lost in heavy seas on 31 December, and the wreck is part of the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary.

However (also as with many US Civil War battles), Hampton Roads gave a sombre foretaste of what warfare in the Age of Steam would soon become.

Map of Hampton Roads, 1859. The southern coast was held by the Confederacy, the northern coast and the entrance by the Union.

Major (CSA) Henry Ashton Ramsay, Chief Engineer of the Virginia (former Merrimack), tells the story of her last days: “As the Merrimac passed up the river, trailing the ensign of the Congress under the stars and bars, she received a tremendous ovation from the crowds that lined the shores, while hundreds of small boats, gay with flags and bunting, converted our course into a triumphal procession. ... Our life on board for the weeks that followed was far from comfortable. We were within sight of the enemy, and at every movement of the opposing fleet it was ‘clear away for action.’ ... It was decided to abandon the vessel and set her on fire. We took the Merrimac to the bight of Craney Island, and about midnight the work of disembarking the crew began. ... Still unconquered, we hauled down our drooping colors, their laurels all fresh and green, with mingled pride and grief, gave her to the flames, and set the lambent fires roaring about the shotted guns. The slow match, the magazine, and that last, deep, low, sullen, mournful boom told our people, now far away on the march, that their gallant ship was no more.”

The Virginia is scuttled – note the CSN ensign

Growing and Building Itself Up in Love

Church of St Michael and All Angels, Blantyre, Malawi (photo by Andrew Dressel)

At a recent Bible study, we looked at Ephesians 4:15–16:

“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” (NIV 1984)

The word translated here as “ligament” (haphē, ἁφή) means a joint, a point of contact in the body, or a ligament. It has connotations both of touching closely, and of gripping tightly. The Bible is demanding a strong and intimate relationship between Christians here – all Christians, even those who are not of our tradition, or who are misguided on some issues, “for whoever is not against us is for us” and “if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Even if we cannot, for valid reasons, participate in worship with some Christians, we must still love them, and it is good to join with them from time to time to celebrate what we share. Like Christmas carols, for example:

“O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

For Christ is born of Mary, and gathered all above,
While mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wondering love.
O morning stars together, proclaim the holy birth,
And praises sing to God the King, and peace to men on earth!

How silently, how silently, the wondrous Gift is giv’n;
So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His Heav’n.
No ear may hear His coming, but in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive Him still, the dear Christ enters in.

Where children pure and happy pray to the blessèd Child,
Where misery cries out to Thee, Son of the mother mild;
Where charity stands watching and faith holds wide the door,
The dark night wakes, the glory breaks, and Christmas comes once more.

O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin, and enter in, be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell;

O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel!.” – “O Little Town of Bethlehem” by Phillips Brooks, 1867

By Every Supporting Ligament

The Earth from Space (NASA image)

At a recent Bible study, we looked at Ephesians 4:15–16:

“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” (NIV 1984)

The word translated here as “ligament” (haphē, ἁφή) means a joint, a point of contact in the body, or a ligament. It is also used for a harpist’s touch on the strings, or a wrestler’s grip on his opponent. The Bible demands a tightly connected and intimate relationship between Christians here, and this applies to the Body of Christ spread out across the planet, as well as to one’s local church.

How to do this? One can support a Christian aid organisation like Christian Blind Mission. One can follow a blog by a pastor in another country – such as Zambia. Or one can simply find out a little about another country and pray for Christians there.

“The day Thou gavest, Lord, is ended,
The darkness falls at Thy behest;
To Thee our morning hymns ascended,
Thy praise shall sanctify our rest.

We thank Thee that Thy church, unsleeping,
While earth rolls onward into light,
Through all the world her watch is keeping,
And rests not now by day or night.

As o’er each continent and island
The dawn leads on another day,
The voice of prayer is never silent,
Nor dies the strain of praise away.

The sun that bids us rest is waking
Our brethren ’neath the western sky,
And hour by hour fresh lips are making
Thy wondrous doings heard on high.

So be it, Lord; Thy throne shall never,
Like earth’s proud empires, pass away:
Thy kingdom stands, and grows forever,
Till all Thy creatures own Thy sway.” – “The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, Is Ended” by John Ellerton, 1870

Joined and Held Together

The elbow joint and its ligaments, from Gray’s Anatomy, 1918

At a recent Bible study, we looked at Ephesians 4:15–16:

“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” (NIV 1984)

The word translated here as “ligament” (haphē, ἁφή) means a joint, a point of contact in the body, or a ligament. Derived from the verb haptō (ἅπτω), it has connotations both of touching closely, and of gripping tightly. The word is also used for a harpist’s touch on the strings, or a wrestler’s grip on his opponent. The Bible is demanding a strong and intimate relationship between Christians here. This applies to one’s local church, of course, but also to the Body of Christ spread out over time.

How can one have a relationship with Christians from back in time? One can simply read about their lives and their faith. One can read a book by someone like Augustine (Confessions, etc.) or Thomas à Kempis (The Imitation of Christ). Or one can sing a hymn by Ambrose, Gregory of Nazianzus, or Charles Wesley. Like this one:

“O light that knew no dawn,
That shines to endless day,
All things in earth and Heav’n
Are lustered by Thy ray;
No eye can to Thy throne ascend,
Nor mind Thy brightness comprehend.

Thy grace, O Father, give,
That I might serve in fear;
Above all boons, I pray,
Grant me Thy voice to hear;
From sin Thy child in mercy free,
And let me dwell in light with Thee.

That, cleansed from stain of sin,
I may meet homage give;
And pure in heart, behold
Thy beauty while I live;
Clean hands in holy worship raise,
And Thee, O Christ my Savior, praise.

In supplication meek
To Thee I bend the knee;
O Christ, when Thou shalt come,
In love remember me,
And in Thy kingdom, by Thy grace,
Grant me a humble servant’s place.

Thy grace, O Father, give,
I humbly Thee implore;
And let Thy mercy bless
Thy servant more and more.
All grace and glory be to Thee,
From age to age eternally.” – “O Light That Knew No Dawn” from the 4th century Greek by Gregory of Nazianzus

That Hideous Strength

Nicolas Poussin, “Le massacre des Innocents,” 1628

In a recent article in the Journal of Medical Ethics, two Melbourne academics advocated what they called “after-birth abortion.”

Their abstract summarises the article quite well: “Abortion is largely accepted even for reasons that do not have anything to do with the fetus’ health. By showing that (1) both fetuses and newborns do not have the same moral status as actual persons, (2) the fact that both are potential persons is morally irrelevant and (3) adoption is not always in the best interest of actual people, the authors argue that what we call ‘after-birth abortion’ (killing a newborn) should be permissible in all the cases where abortion is, including cases where the newborn is not disabled.”

Both the authors and the editor seemed surprised at the opposition to this modest proposal.

One author defended herself by saying “this was a theoretical and academic article.” I am reminded of some lines from C. S. Lewis’ That Hideous Strength:

“‘I know,’ said Denniston. ‘One’s sorry for a man like Churchwood. I knew him well; he was an old dear. All his lectures were devoted to proving the impossibility of ethics, though in private life he’d have walked ten miles rather than leave a penny debt unpaid. But all the same ... was there a single doctrine practised at Belbury which hadn’t been preached by some lecturer at Edgestow? Oh, of course, they never thought anyone would act on their theories! But it was their own child coming back to them: grown up and unrecognisable, but their own.’”

Philosophy matters, because it shapes society – for good or ill.

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it

Update: I see that an earlier paper in the same journal pointed out that the concept of “personhood” used to defend “after-birth abortion” also excludes adults who happen to be asleep.

Emily Dickinson #22

The Christian Martyrs’ Last Prayer by Jean-Léon Gérôme (1883)

“Through the straight pass of suffering
The martyrs even trod,
Their feet upon temptation,
Their faces upon God.

A stately, shriven company;
Convulsion playing round,
Harmless as streaks of meteor
Upon a planet’s bound.

Their faith the everlasting troth;
Their expectation fair;
The needle to the north degree
Wades so, through polar air. ” – Emily Dickinson

Emily Dickinson #21

Photo by “Dezidor,” 2009

“So, from the mould,
Scarlet and gold
Many a Bulb will rise,
Hidden away cunningly
From sagacious eyes.
So, from cocoon
Many a Worm
Leap so Highland gay,
Peasants like me —
Peasants like thee,
Gaze perplexedly. ” – Emily Dickinson

Emily Dickinson #20

Immobilised Yarra Bend patient, 1862

You may say you want lateral thinking, but do you really?

“Much madness is divinest sense
To a discerning eye;
Much sense the starkest madness.
’T is the majority
In this, as all, prevails.
Assent, and you are sane;
Demur,—you’re straightway dangerous,
And handled with a chain. ” – Emily Dickinson

Emily Dickinson #19

“The long sigh of the Frog
Upon a Summer’s day,
Enacts intoxication
Upon the revery.
But his receding swell
Substantiates a peace,
That makes the ear inordinate
For corporal release. ” – Emily Dickinson

Emily Dickinson #18

Photo by “Queerbubbles,” 2008

“The butterfly obtains
But little sympathy,
Though favorably mentioned
In Entomology.
Because he travels freely
And wears a proper coat,
The circumspect are certain
That he is dissolute.
Had he the homely scutcheon of modest Industry,
’T were fitter certifying for Immortality. ” – Emily Dickinson

Religion of Wikipedians

This made for an interesting study – updating an older graph, here is the breakdown of stated religion for English Wikipedians (from here and here):

Wikipedian religion – “Agnostic-Atheist” includes “Pastafarian”

For comparison, this is the same breakdown for the USA (from here). There are several noticeable differences:

USA religion

However, the differences do not entirely reflect non-USA contributions to the English Wikipedia. Here is the pie chart for the world as a whole (from here):

World religion

If we consider the average of the USA and the world as a whole (roughly the best-fitting linear combination), that differs in interesting ways as well. The Wikipedian data in the top pie chart had a lot more Pagans/Wiccans than this, for example:

Religion for average of USA and World

Update: fixed graph to properly count Wikipedia subcategories