A Hidden Message?

[Daniel]

I think the knife doesn't cut atoms, it cuts strings. That might, in string theory, be able to stretch or tear the topography of the extra dimensional spaces that make this world the way it is and not some other way.

[Aletheia]

that sa really good theory and well thoughtout by PP and well all the nuclear bombs do is spread evil no matter what there cause is.

[jalada]

Sorry if you've gone off subject, or this is mentioned already, but I can't be bothered to read 8 pages

Yes, it's sounds like splitting an atom, and as far as what it does; it's in another world, it could do something different, which is the excuse you can always give to HDM when something goes odd

Same goes for most other books that are fantasy/sci-fi

[Rose of Sharon]

And about the holes between universes thing a couple pages back -- I know a lot of physicists now believe in this structure called 'quantum foam'-- that is, when you get down to a really, REALLY small scale, like looking at just individual particles that make up the actual 'fabric' of the universe -- well, this 'fabric' looks sort of like foam, because it consists of undulating waves of energy with occaisonal holes in it. A lot of scientists believe these hole are wormholes to other dimensions or universes.

I'm sure I'm getting all twisted around with this theory -- anyone who knows, correct me!

[jalada]

Hmm...sounds a bit odd to me, but I don't doubt what you are saying. But tiny wormholes? Ugh. What evidence (I am sure there is some) to support parallel universes anyway. I know there was a pool of thought that said that there was no big bang, but in fact a big bump, where two parallel universes collided. Or was I dreaming? lol

[Starshade]

Wormholes...
Where dod that come from???

Hmmm The Subtle Knofe is no wormhole.
It may typify what can happen within its power, but aint wormholes a road between areas of space not time and parrallel universes?

[Botanic 2004]

I don't know anything about nuclear bombs but eloquent's theory is very intlligent maybe your right. I'm in all the top groups at school but i doubt i'll ever be that perceptive. good work

PS. I know this is an old post but it was very interesting and I know eloquent is still around so I posted in it. sorry

[Tomsy]

I don't know anything about nuclear bombs but eloquent's theory is very intlligent maybe your right.

People make a living out of sounding intelligent when they're actually wrong.

[Botanic 2004]

yeah well eloquent admitted he didn't no that much and it did seem like interesting comment about the spectres

[Danny Barefoot]

Doesn't Iorek specifically say the Knife is worse than a Nuke? Of course, radiation can't seek humans out, and the worst it can do is kill you.

The Cittagazze story sounds like a mish-mash. But if you're going to say something scientific's a bad idea, you might as well reference the bomb.

[Vicinity of Obscenity]

Referencing the Nuke thing....if the knife does act through wormholes, you never know. If we ever achieve something like that, the side effects could be unspeakable.

[Vicinity of Obscenity]

Who knows but God...I mean Authority...uhh *blah* I mean dust.
Maybe we should just do it and find out!

[Vicinity of Obscenity]

*Scurries to find a dust-buster vacuum in a petty attempt to save himself from the horrific.... ....Dust bomb!*

[Angel to follow]

This is going to sound really stupid...
...but has anyone ever considered the relationship between PP descion to call it dust? Dust is made from Human skin.Maybe he is saying that we are the source of goodness in this world?

[Angel to follow]

awww thanks witch girl. I'm almost never that insightful.

[Vicinity of Obscenity]

The shroud would fall away and before us would be.........*drum roll*...........BUDDHA!!

[Angel to follow]

Ha yeah I like that.That is one way to look at it.

[Yrael]

Erm sorry to contradict but i don't think we are the source of goodness in the universe, some people maybe, but definately not everyone.

[Pausert]

I haven't read the entire thread through but...

Erm sorry to contradict but i don't think we are the source of goodness in the universe, some people maybe, but definately not everyone.

I could make the trite argument that humans have defined right and wrong and all of this is irrelevant, but I won't. I think Dust is representative of human success and benevolence. If one does not view a god as the source of all that is good their is little else to look to but those that actually did some of the things that were "good". Human achievement in this case, not divine will, is responsible for the good that man has done.

I also thought of nuclear fission when the specter creation was described by the boy. If you'd like to draw parrallels you could say that radiation poisoning is an analog to the specters in that it affects those that had no part in the actions that caused it. For example, years after Hiroshima was bombed people would get radiation poisoning even if they weren't born at the time.(I'm not saying civilian Japanese "caused" the bombing. Just to make sure thats clear...) You could go even farther and compare this to original sin. Did humans of today commit the act that caused their ejection from the garden? Not really, or not literally. Someone could argue that the human instinct that caused the ejection from the garden still exists.

I really doubt Pullman was thinking anywhere along these lines when he was writing though...