And it also depends on how you're defining "intelligent species," I think. Just the ability to talk?
I would think that it should be the ability to communicate and work together for a common goal.
I mean, let's say you did kill us. Or didn't. There could be torture. Whatever. But somehow you found the goods. What would your cut be?
Mal ,'Out Of Gas'
The Buffista Book Club: the Harry Potter iteration
This thread is a focused discussion group. Please see the first post below for the current topic and upcoming book discussions. While natter will inevitably happen, we encourage you to treat this like a virtual book club and try to keep your posts in that spirit.
By consensus, this thread is reopened specifically to discuss Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. It will be closed again once that discussion has run its course.
***SPOILER ALERT***
Vortex - Oct 23, 2007 7:34:55 pm PDT #3247 of 3301
"Cry havoc and let slip the boobs of war!" -- Miracleman
Hil R. - Oct 23, 2007 7:39:33 pm PDT #3248 of 3301
Sometimes I think I might just move up to Vermont, open a bookstore or a vegan restaurant. Adam Schlesinger, z''l
I would think that it should be the ability to communicate and work together for a common goal.
Hmm. By that definition, though, I think the gargoyles would qualify.
Hil R. - Oct 23, 2007 7:45:09 pm PDT #3249 of 3301
Sometimes I think I might just move up to Vermont, open a bookstore or a vegan restaurant. Adam Schlesinger, z''l
Looks like the Ministry divides the magical creatures into Beasts, Beings, and Spirits. Specifically mentioned as Beasts are centuars, hippogriffs, dragons, and werewolves. Specifically mentioned as beings are house elves, goblines, and werewolves. (At the Ministry, the Werewolf Registry and the Werewolf Capture Unit are in the Beast division, but the Werewolf Support Services are in the Being division.)
billytea - Oct 23, 2007 8:04:04 pm PDT #3250 of 3301
You were a wrong baby who grew up wrong. The wrong kind of wrong. It's better you hear it from a friend.
Hmm. By that definition, though, I think the gargoyles would qualify.
By that definition, mole rats qualify.
-t - Oct 23, 2007 8:32:28 pm PDT #3251 of 3301
I am a woman of various inclinations and only some of the time are they to burn everything down in frustration
humans get to be generalists; bad or good is to be determined, but for other species it's in the genes.
Hm, and I was thinking that all the magical species having specific flaws (which in at least the cases I can think of off the top of my head some individuals manage to transcend) implied that humanity also has a specific flaw we just can't see it, since we all pretty much have it.
Glamcookie - Oct 23, 2007 9:30:27 pm PDT #3252 of 3301
I know my own heart and understand my fellow man. But I am made unlike anyone I have ever met. I dare to say I am like no one in the whole world. - Anne Lister
Get your gay Dumbledore shirt today! [link]
Glamcookie - Oct 23, 2007 10:02:33 pm PDT #3253 of 3301
I know my own heart and understand my fellow man. But I am made unlike anyone I have ever met. I dare to say I am like no one in the whole world. - Anne Lister
Reading some comments on Dumbledore's outing and laughed my ass off at this one:
And give me a break with this “it traumatizes my kids” nonsense. If you dont want you kids to hear about “deviant” sexual behavior, stop electing republicans to congress.
BWAH!
Theodosia - Oct 24, 2007 2:31:20 am PDT #3254 of 3301
'we all walk this earth feeling we are frauds. The trick is to be grateful and hope the caper doesn't end any time soon"
OK, that's worth a second BWAH! here.
There are times when it's obvious an author is modelling real world racial/ethnic stereotypes for propagandistic purposes, and other times when it's clearly unconscious, or else they're aiming to be enlightened, but missing the target by a mile. Writing is sometimes harder than it looks.
Gudanov - Oct 24, 2007 5:10:08 am PDT #3255 of 3301
Coding and Sleeping
It's over. Nothing really surprising in the ending bits. Harry only keeps the cloak which is pretty much what probably anyone suspected would happen. One thing though, Harry says if he dies a natural death then the elder wand will never have another true owner. Well, he won the wand by yanking Draco's wand out of his hand. If someone ever disarms Harry then the elder wand will have a new owner. The wand thing just doesn't all click together for me.
§ ita § - Oct 24, 2007 5:17:29 am PDT #3256 of 3301
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
The wand stuff confused the hell out of me too, Gud. I think I need a diagram. Or perhaps a Powerpoint presentation.