I agree, except with your statement on what Ishamael's area of expertise is ...
Shishka Send a noteboard - 02/03/2010 03:17:13 PM
Ishamael's is the study of good and evil. Exactly what is needed to understand the Dark One. He may not understand biology as well as Aginor, the human mind as well as Graendal, political and military strategy as well as Demandred. But he understands the nature of good and evil better than anyone.
I disagree. In my opinion, Ishamael would argue that any distinction made between Good and Evil is ultimately meaningless. And therefore he has no interest at all in trying to define such a distinction.
Ishamael is a Philosopher, and his specific area of study in the AoL was "meaning" - particularly, the meaning of life. And, in the course of pursuing that study, he convinced himself (through what seemed to him to be a logical train of thought) that all acts & endeavors - essentially, all existance - is futile and meaningless. That's what Rand was referring to when he told Ishamael in TGS: "You were always so full of thoughts, Elan. Your logic destroyed you, didn't it?"
Look at the books Ishamael was purported to have written in the AoL (before he turned to the Shadow). I don't have the Guide with me, so I can't quote the book names exactly, but they were all essentially about the meaninglessness of life. The weren't about Good and Evil at all.
Ishamael is the very epitome of a nihilist. And that nihilism makes him want to destroy the Wheel, and therefore destroy the cycle of birth, futility, meaninglessness, and death it brings (as he sees it).
I don't believe Ishamael turned to the Shadow because he has any special regard for the DO. He turned to the Shadow because his goals coincide with the DO's. Siding with the DO gives him the best opportunity to fulfill his destiny, as he sees it. And, he tries to lure others to the Shadow for the same reason.
Rise and fall, turn the Wheel,
'cause all life is
is really just a circle.
-BHT&tM
'cause all life is
is really just a circle.
-BHT&tM
Ishamael's nature
- 01/03/2010 05:27:48 PM
1847 Views
Not a question of intelligence. Rather, a different way of thinking...
- 01/03/2010 07:23:37 PM
890 Views
I'd go with this - he lost sight of the forest for enumerating the trees.
- 01/03/2010 08:21:39 PM
963 Views
I agree, except with your statement on what Ishamael's area of expertise is ...
- 02/03/2010 03:17:13 PM
708 Views
Which makes him the most evil of the Forsaken... or the least evil
- 02/03/2010 04:38:06 PM
744 Views
Are you saying that philosophers are inherently more intelligent than other academics?
- 02/03/2010 04:53:13 PM
636 Views
Crap
- 02/03/2010 08:58:12 PM
683 Views
That high IQ should make you realise that I am making the same point you are...
- 02/03/2010 09:53:59 PM
649 Views
Re: Which makes him the most evil of the Forsaken... or the least evil
- 02/03/2010 05:30:43 PM
666 Views
Re: Which makes him the most evil of the Forsaken... or the least evil
- 02/03/2010 06:01:41 PM
663 Views
Re: Which makes him the most evil of the Forsaken... or the least evil
- 07/03/2010 11:31:14 PM
602 Views
I doubt that.
- 08/03/2010 01:21:32 AM
571 Views
Re: Not a question of intelligence. Rather, a different way of thinking...
- 02/03/2010 07:22:58 PM
613 Views
Re: Ishamael's nature
- 02/03/2010 01:49:19 AM
683 Views
Re: Ishamael's nature
- 02/03/2010 02:51:44 PM
643 Views
Re: Ishamael's nature
- 02/03/2010 07:31:32 PM
609 Views
Found a great theory about Ishamael and his logic on theoryland
- 02/03/2010 02:48:02 PM
1063 Views
I have to disagree on one thing, at the very least...
- 08/03/2010 01:47:47 AM
618 Views
Re: I have to disagree on one thing, at the very least...
- 08/03/2010 12:37:27 PM
570 Views
Yes, but Shai'tan himself is outside the Pattern.
- 08/03/2010 06:23:19 PM
602 Views
Re: Yes, but Shai'tan himself is outside the Pattern.
- 09/03/2010 01:54:26 PM
605 Views
Because there is a Creator.
- 09/03/2010 05:57:16 PM
543 Views
faulty assumptions
- 10/03/2010 05:05:23 AM
553 Views
Impossible.
- 10/03/2010 06:22:43 AM
555 Views
maybe an analogy will help
- 10/03/2010 12:55:37 PM
959 Views
- 10/03/2010 12:55:37 PM
959 Views
But therein lies the problem.
- 10/03/2010 04:58:42 PM
537 Views
your own argument is self defeating
- 11/03/2010 08:10:36 AM
571 Views
No, that past was created after he was imprisoned.
- 11/03/2010 05:43:08 PM
575 Views
*sigh* I guess we will just have to agree to disagree then.... I still think your theory is flawed *NM*
- 12/03/2010 05:11:10 AM
254 Views
Anyway I just realized this point is irrelevant to the original theory
- 11/03/2010 08:14:20 AM
537 Views
