[Kaiserin]

Lord of Angmar: Am I correct in inferring that you opened this thread to discuss the probability - or at least, the feasibility - of the existence of ME in a parallel universe? I did read your initial post entirely, [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] though I think you forgot to state your actual "thesis statement" (if I may call it that), thus, the participants of this thread may see this topic as irrelevant to Tolkien. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

If I understood the topic correctly, then I would say that it's an interesting subject to ponder; I have myself thought of the reasonability of Arda / Ea as a parallel to our existent universe, in a literary sense (Note: I used the word reasonability, and not possibility - there is a difference).

Attentive readers of Tolkien have observed the many similarities between Arda and Earth as we know it - flora, fauna, the position of the stars as seen from our corner of the cosmos, etc. We know that ME did not actually exist as a physical reality, and that its existence is not even logically, archaeologically or historically verifiable. It may then be possible to regard ME as a "fictional reality" in a parallel universe.

I doubt that there are actual parallel universes, i.e., I do not believe they are an actual physical or spiritual realities (to use LoA's words). But my mind is open to the concept for a literary or fictional sense. We know of course that the theory of a parallel universe has not been proven (and may never be proven, for that matter), but it is indeed an interesting concept.

Mans: I'm not sure if I understood your post correctly; I don't see it's relevance. Do you mean to say that reality is relative, or subjective? Please explain, if you think you must. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]