The Metaphysics and Ontology of Ëa, Arda, and Middle-earth

[Pitchwife]

Originally Posted by Marwhini

Specific in my speculation of the Metaphysics of Middle-earth in the above account is the following passage:

"Meditating long on the world he had brought into being and was now in part unveiled, he had become absorbed in analytic speculation concerning its underlying postulates. Before he could prepare a new and final Silmarillion he must satisfy the requirements of a coherent theology and metaphysical system, rendered now more complex in its presentation by the supposition of obscure and conflicting elements in its roots and its tradition."

I must confess I'm in two minds about this endeavour of Tolkien's. On the one hand I find his reinterpretation of his own work in the essays making up the Myths Transformed section of HoME X highly fascinating as an insight into the working of his mind, and some (such as the passages dealing with the 'psychology' of Morgoth) are valuable independent of the rest; on the other hand I can't help feeling that his attempts to bring his sub-created world into concordance with real-world cosmology were tragically misguided and rode roughshod over some of the most powerful images of his mythology (such as the Sun and Moon being made from the last fruit of Laurelin and the last blossom of Telperion).

I'm not saying this to dissuade you from your enterprise, quite the contrary - the stress you put on the Myth of Light (light of Aman vs everyday (sun)light) seems to indicate this has been on your mind, too, and I'm curious to hear what solution you've come up with.

Since you mentioned an interest in the physics, chemistry and biology of Arda over on the Minor characters thread I was reminded of this old thread of mine inquiring into an apparent oddity about life in Aman. Maybe you'll have some new answers to offer to the questions posed therein, or otherwise it may lead you to ask some new questions.