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Message: <blockquote data-quote="clearstream" data-source="post: 9043061" data-attributes="member: 71699">Tolkien's words quoted here echo his words in other places; that part of the great wonder of Middle Earth for him is that it had its own reality. He describes feeling at times as if he were discovering, not inventing. That reflects one of the joyful aspects of the simulationist experience: where the logic of the world forces further discoveries upon you. Tolkien applied an expertise to his development of Middle Earth, and I count expertise among means suitable for simulationist purposes (which does not deny it to other purposes.)The last page or so of posts have reinforced that what is distinct about simulationism is not whether the results are more realistic - unending quibbles on that front will not settle the question. What makes simulationism distinct is that attempted fidelity to references and theories is given priority when establishing world facts. Posts #2083 and #2089 make this point and some of us have been emphasising it for many pages.  For example my #1886 which incorporates it into my argument for metaphysical realnessEdwards put it as "internal cause is king", and Tolkien's words remind of why it should matter to take that approach. Tolkien's world resonates because he gave the crown to its internal causes.</blockquote>