a little HP and a lot of theory

[davewitley]

> David wrote in 
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/the_old_crowd/message/4253>:
> 
> << it amazes me the number of people who have trouble understanding
> that fiction contains propositional falsehoods.>>
> 
> In some ways a valid comment ... my friend's maid thought E.T. was 
a
> documentary.

A good job she wasn't watching Beetlejuice.

> In other ways a misguided comment. Start with fiction set in the 
real
> world. A mystery set in a chocolate candy factory *ought* to depict
> the chocolate candy process accurately and a tale of sibling 
rivalry
> unto death set in Cairo ought to be written by someone who lives in
> Cairo. Science fiction is usually not set in the real world, 
but 'hard
> sf' prides itself on explaining laws of physics correctly.
> 
> Sometimes the fictional 'story' (the plot) is only a thin excuse to
> spread the background information

You are right.  I'm assuming that DVC is not intended as SF 
or 'faction', though.

I can see I'm going to end up reading the darn thing - though I will 
try to ensure that Brown is not rewarded for that - but I guess the 
issue is that there are conventions about the suspension of 
disbelief, and the question is whether Brown is breaking them or his 
audience is failing to apply them.

Certainly if the Priory of Syon is a modern invention then IMO he is 
breaking them with his foreword.

David