[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by Raynor

According to The passing of the grey company, RotK, Isildur's words towards the king of the mountains occured before the actual war.

Thanks for the clarification, Raynor.

Originally Posted by Raynor

...Pukel-men (apparently a branch of hobbits)...

This is not apparent to me at all. From LotR and Unfinished Tales it seemed to me that they are akin to the indigenous prehistoric folk from any given place in western (and maybe not only western) Europe. Their magic is fascinating as in it seems to be well, animistic after a fashion, not against nature: more Art than Technology.

Originally Posted by davem

Art attempts to (sub) create a secondary world in the mind, while the Machine is an attempt to alter the world.

So Lothlorien is part of the Machine? I can see how this can be so in principle, but there seems to be so much Art in this particular Machine that it minimizes (not the alteration but) the 'evil'. Perhaps this is best understood on a continuum.

Originally Posted by Nogrod

So beating technology requires technology, but if you use it to defy your technological opponent, you will be consumed in the fight?

This seems to be what Sauron, Saruman, Denethor, and Boromir (until he repented) thought, except for the last phrase of your question. The strategy of the Fellowship was, in fact, to not use the technology, and to destroy it.

Now, how does this compare to J.K. Rowling's use of Technology versus Art? Or is she dealing with an entirely different set-up? If so, what is it? Is it valid on its own terms? (That last question is really a devil's advocate question, since I readily enjoy her stuff).