6
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6
Following
The Review Man
Formerly of Goodreads, now of both words, in the coming times only here?
Currently reading
Survival: A Thematic Guide to Canadian Literature
Lila: An Inquiry Into Morals
Simulacra and Simulation (The Body, In Theory: Histories of Cultural Materialism)
Leaven of Malice
The Salterton Trilogy
Effi Briest (Penguin Classics)
Empires of the Word: A Language History of the World
Cases And Materials On The Law Of Torts
Public Law : Cases Materials and Commentary
A Property Law Reader
If you've ever wondered about the fourth dimension or beyond, Flatland isn't going to be that revelatory. But it's when you apply Flatland's logic to our world that you really reap the benefits.What's perhaps most interesting is the ethics of Pointland, Lineland and Flatland and their differing opinions on intelligence, marriage and theology. It's enough to make you wonder if humanity, even in all its Third Dimension glory, hasn't got everything all right. Polygamy is the rule in Lineland, but they're hopelessly out of touch with reality, right? But what would happen if Fourth Dimensional beings showed up on Earth — would they find our customs sane or completely ridiculous?
That raises an interesting logistical question: assuming they exist, how would Fourth Dimensional beings appear in our world? It's possible they might appear and disappear at will (like the square in Lineland) or change size rapidly (like the sphere in Flatland). In fact, they'd probably be able to circumvent traditional security measures. Does Flatland make a case for aliens or religion, or is it merely a consciousness-raising thought experiment?
I wonder if they read in the Fourth Dimension. If they do, they'd probably find Flatland hopelessly ignorant. But to us, stuck in the Third Dimension, Flatland is the best we have.