VL-IV pgs. 98/99: Postmodern Mysticism

[Ray Easton]

Robin Landseadel wrote:
>
> My point is not hinging on how superficial or deep Pynchon's knowledge 
> of these matters is. His knowledge may well be superficial, as you 
> [both] are saying. My knowledge is superficial, as you both have 
> pointed out.  Pynchon may well be skimming the surface of these 
> topics, but that does not eliminate the presence of these topics in 
> his books.

I've no idea, of course, what Pynchon's actual knowledge of any subject 
matter is.  But his knowledge of mathematics as displayed in AtD is 
certainly superficial.  In the case of the math, I've concluded that the 
details of the mathematics present in AtD have in fact no meaning at all 
-- that all that actually matters is that the characters are wrapped up 
in this activity. 

I lack the knowledge to have a good basis to draw the same conclusion 
about his use of the occult, but I wonder if this case is not similar.

Ray