Tolkien's Views on Creation and Evolution

[R.R.J Tolkien]

Originally Posted by Huinesoron

I agree with Legate that continuing to list examples of Christian (or indeed Norse) themes in Tolkien's writing is off-topic for this thread, and I'm sorry for contributing to it.

R.R.J., it would be really interesting if you could copy out some of that Inklings evolution discussion. I've not run up against any relevant quotes anywhere else (and don't own the Inklings biography), so it's possible that quote is the only basis for discussion.

Coming back to Myths Transformed, I thought I'd compile a few actual quotes from the collection that have bearing on Tolkien's thinking.



This quote is actually... really weird. Tolkien isn't saying that he wants his story to be more true to life; he's saying that it's fundamentally wrong to write a story that conflicts with the majority understanding of nature. More and mor, it feels like Tolkien viewed everything as a story, rejecting objective truth entirely and basing his judgements solely on 'what most people believe'.



'Scientific' in quotes yet again.



This section also directly references 'the orbit of Earth', and also insists that the Sun has to be coeval with the Earth.

And that is... Actually about it. MT then moves on to discuss later events, and does so mostly in-universe; we don't get anything else that sheds light on Tolkien's thinking behind the changes. Well, so it goes.

hS

I have spent a good amount of time trying to cheat and find it online to post here and cannot. I have my kids soccer tournament today perhaps tomorrow i could or at least a short summary [but would you trust me].



Thanks for posting some quotes and since I have not yet read the material, i can only comment and guess at context. As to the first I dont think your conclusion is correct. If you read his letters or bio's i dont think one can say Tolkien objected to truth or held some relative truth. Nor is he one to simply accept majority opinion because the majority accept it. My guess is it seems he went from his early northern mythology [early sillmarillion] and wanted to make it more in line with lotr and it taking place in our actual earth in a historical time period.



Right. Science good, evolution not part of science [but that is another thread]. But he was referring to eleven science and what the elves would know. Tolkien was not a creator but a discoverer, he discovered what these people and places would be based on their language, history etc.


This last one is very, very interesting and deserves thought. Thanks for posting these now i must get the home.


Thanks good post.