Missing Philosophy
It may be that Ralph MacInerny’s “Leave of Absence,†reviewed by Carol A. Crotta (The Book Review, Aug. 24) is a “seriously bad†novel.
It is equally possible that Crotta, as a lay Catholic (assumed) knows nothing about the historical tensions the Thomist religious position and that of Duns Scotus created. The “God of Mercy†versus the “God of Power†question is still a lively issue in many theological circles, and had Crotta understood the relative positions, her view of McInerny’s best friends might have been less flip.
The Thomist/Scotist debate is at the heart of Milton’s “Paradise Lost,†and as such is easily accessible. What Crotta calls “high-minded, pointless name-dropping†might really be indicative of a much deeper conflict between those characters, but let us not bother Crotta with education.
I would like to suggest, though, that in future book reviews, The Times choose reviewers who can back a comment with some minimal acquaintance with the subject, or at the very least have the curiosity to explore a subject before tossing off what sounds cute but what is in fact mere glibness.
CAROLYN FOX
Redondo Beach
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