That Hideous Strength: The Saracen's Head

01/29/24 • 34 min

In this chapter, we begin to explore the relationship between what Lewis called the twins of magic and science in The Abolition of Man. This will continue to be a major item in many of the remaining chapters as Merlin enters the story.

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"The Funeral of a Great Myth"

"The Funeral of a Great Myth" is very relevant for That Hideous Strength. In the essay, Lewis explains how the belief in infinite unilinear Progress is the motivation for popularizing science into a Myth, instead of doing the scientific discipline well. The goal of the N.I.C.E. is Progress as defined by the Conditioners and science is merely the instrument along with magic. Lewis not only points out how the Myth forces us to reject Reason, but he also praises the imaginative grandeur of the Myth. This is a funeral oration, not an autopsy. The imaginative qualities of the Myth have a real power that needs to be accounted for. We see that power illustrated in the N.I.C.E.
Drink: Monkey Shoulder Scotch
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Socratic Hour: Dr. Jason Baxter

Jason Baxter is a professor at Notre Dame and a scholar of the medieval era. We discuss a variety of medieval things relevant to That Hideous Strength. This was a great conversation, one of my favorites thus far in the Socratic Hour series. Dr. Baxter is the author of The Medieval Mind of C.S. Lewis. You can get a signed copy of the book here: https://www.jasonmbaxter.com/home/books. For the latest follow his author page on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jason-M.-Baxter/author/B07CWMYDJN?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_3&qid=1706755077&sr=8-3&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true