[Dragaera] Jhegaala crack (spoiler)

[Jon Lincicum]

 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "Maximilian Wilson" <wilson.max at gmail.com>
> On Mon, Jul 28, 2008 at 9:45 AM, Philip Hart <philiph at slac.stanford.edu> wrote:
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> >>>
> >>> "Yeah, I know that", and furthering the conversation.  But rereading the
> >>> passages you helpfully quote, everything seems perfectly fine.  In
> >>> _Jhegaala_, Vlad says, I heard someone claim x, and that's stupid.  In
> >>> _Issola_, Teldra tells Vlad x, and he's surprised, because, well.
> >
> >>> [Me saying M couldn't be that dumb was snipped]
> >
> >>
> >> He's not surprised that something he was skeptical of turns out to be
> >> true. The notion of Morrolan not knowing he was human is new to him,
> >> hence "You're going to have to explain that."  He is baffled and THEN
> >> surprised, which is inconsistent with Jhegaala.
> >
> > As I said, Vlad thought not x because x->y, and he's sure of not y
> > (that is, he knows M isn't stupid) - he "hadn't known he was Dragaeran -- just 
> thought he was a very tall human. I'd never asked him if it were true, but I 
> didn't believe it; the differences were too obvious."
> > I don't at all understand the bafflement then surprise distiction you're
> > trying to make.
> 
> In Issola, it's clear from the text that the idea that Morrolan could
> have thought he was human was new to Vlad. You're claiming that he
> believed !x since x -> y, but in fact he had no opinion about x
> because it had never occurred to him.

I disagree. 

It is not at all clear from this statement that the thought had never crossed his mind. I find it entirely plausible that he is merely surprised by the fact that this "scandalous rumor" that he had heard, and discounted long ago, is brought forcefully into view as a solid fact from someone who should know. (Teldra). 

He's not shocked by the idea, just at having the idea he'd heavily doubted so forcefully and dramatically proven to him in a way he cannot dispute.

Majikjon