by Larry W. » November 11th, 2004, 3:00 pm
I guess this is something like debating whether science or mathematics is closer to the truth. In math one deals with numbers (something I'm not very good at) but you always (or nearly always) can know if your answer is correct. It is almost a perfect logic. Scientists can explore hypothetical worlds based on what they know, but there is always a chance that something will be discovered and they will have to change their views. This is especially true in astronomy-- there are many things that astronomers know now that they were unaware of in Kepler's and Galileo's time.
But getting back to the topic, aren't fantasy stories or fairy tales set in a kind of similar hypothetical world which has its own logic? I don't think one can know them without understanding how their worlds work. For example, in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe Professor Kirke explained to the children that Narnia has its own time and, for the most part, its own rules. This logic was essential for Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy to know before entering that world.