Category Archives: Science

War Between the States of Being

Posted on August 28, 2019 by

Erica Olivera’s presentation on Theosophy and its influence on L. Frank Baum at the latest OzCon included some information on the four kingdoms, those of mineral, vegetable, animal, and human. The animal-vegetable-mineral division is part of general knowledge, as well … Continue reading →

Posted in Alchemy, Animals, Biology, Characters, Christianity, Evolution, Greek Philosophy, History, John R. Neill, L. Frank Baum, Magic, Oz, Oz Authors, Philosophy, Prejudice, Religion, Science, Snobbery, Theosophy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Skeptic Tank

Posted on July 20, 2019 by

The Apple Dumpling Gang – It seems like I saw advertisements for this one on a bunch of other Disney videos when I was a kid, but I never saw the movie itself. There was also this Paul F. Tompkins … Continue reading →

Posted in Humor, Magic, Relationships, Revisiting Disney, Science, Television, VoVat Goes to the Movies | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Magical Arts and Sciences

Posted on June 23, 2019 by

I’ve been thinking a bit recently about magic and science in fiction. I’m not saying anything at all new when I point out that a lot of what’s considered science fiction contains very little science. Sometimes it just seems to … Continue reading →

Posted in Authors, C.S. Lewis, Christianity, Chronicles of Narnia, Comics, Discworld, Fundamentalism, J.R.R. Tolkien, L. Frank Baum, madeleine l'engle, Magic, Mythology, Oz, Oz Authors, Philosophy, Religion, Science, Star Trek, Technology, Terry Pratchett | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hello to Bygone Ages

Posted on January 20, 2019 by

Looking at Robert E. Howard’s essay on his imaginary Hyborian Age got me to thinking about a few different issues in fantasy fiction that deals with lost civilizations. The essay tells of a succession of great empires contrasted with barbarians, … Continue reading →

Posted in Authors, Christianity, Discworld, Evolution, History, Humor, J.R.R. Tolkien, L. Frank Baum, Magic, Maps, Monsters, Mystery Cults, Mythology, Norse, Oz, Oz Authors, Persian, Prejudice, Religion, Roman, Science, Terry Pratchett, Theosophy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

When Humanity Grows Up

Posted on January 9, 2019 by

One idea I’ve come across is that the whole of humanity is maturing over time, much as individuals do. It seems to be particularly prominent as a teaching in the Baha’i faith, but I’ve seen it other places as well. … Continue reading →

Posted in Baha'i Faith, Christianity, Evolution, History, Judaism, Philosophy, Prejudice, Relationships, Religion, Science, Technology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Half-Civilized

Posted on January 1, 2019 by

When Dorothy first comes to Oz, the Good Witch of the North tells her, “In the civilized countries I believe there are no witches left; nor wizards, nor sorceresses, nor magicians. But, you see, the Land of Oz has never … Continue reading →

Posted in Environmentalism, Fairy Tales, John R. Neill, L. Frank Baum, Magic, Oz, Oz Authors, Poetry, Ruth Plumly Thompson, Science, Technology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

I’m on Top of the World

Posted on October 22, 2018 by

I saw a link on Twitter to this article on Ancient Origins, a site that presumably isn’t always reliable. What it says here seems to have all been verified elsewhere, however, with nothing about aliens building the pyramids or anything. … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, Authors, Babylonian, Christianity, Conspiracy Theories, Douglas Adams, Greek Mythology, Hellenistic Greece, History, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Humor, Islam, Judaism, Maps, Mesopotamia, Monsters, Mythology, Philosophy, Religion, Science | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment