Jo Jo Lapin X:
Quote:it should be noted that Aickman had very little to say on the issue of the supernatural outside of fiction
I thought that, in the introductions to his Fontana collections, Aickman came down quite heavily in favor of open-mindedness toward the supernatural in ordinary life, and not just in fiction. As I recall, Joshi--surprise, surprise--rakes Aickman over the coals for precisely that view in his article about Aickman in, I believe,
Studies in Weird Fiction. I don't have any of that material handy for reference, though, so perhaps someone who does can confirm or disconfirm.
English Assassin:
I agree with you almost entirely, and especially apropos of the anthropocentrism of religion. I am sure that CAS would, as well, and that is the point of the balance contained in his "all science, all religion" statement.
If I seem to show more ire to Scientism than I do to organized religion, then it's because, rightly or wrongly, I see it as the greater evil among well-educated individuals, at the moment. It is not because I have any greater animus toward Scientism than I do towards any other reductive or totalizing explanation of what we call "reality"--of which religion is certainly a pernicious example.
The Hole of the Pit:
I recall hearing about the Oleander edition, but forgot about it, so the reminder is appreciated. I'd like to know more about the publisher, but it looks reputable. I was afraid that Ross's work was going to be consigned either to near-complete oblivion or, at best, to print-on-demand Hell.
What I'd really like to see is for someone to research Ross/Ropes and his life and work, and to write a detailed critical introduction to an edition of his work. Maybe that exists in the Oleander edition, but I could not tell.
And that reminds me: Has a critical biography of M.R. James ever been published? If not--and with all due respect to CAS's views about "hyenas"--then there needs to be.