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Work #1060 · Late-mature

Parable of the Talents

Octavia E. Butler
1998 (Nebula 1999) · English
Novel (multi-voiced journal) · African American speculative fiction / Afrofuturism

Earthseed community attacked by a theocratic American president — "Make America Great Again" predating Trump by 17 years

Attribute Fingerprint

Rows where works disagree are highlighted in gold. The full ontology grid is shown.

Attribute Parable of the Talents (Late-mature)
Time · Extent Infinite
Time · Ontological Status Substantival
Time · Grain Continuous
Time · Freedom Non-Deterministic
Time · Traversability Linear
Time · Dimensionality One
Time · Direction Uni-directional
Space · Extent Infinite
Space · Ontological Status Substantival
Space · Curvature Flat
Space · Dimensionality Three
Space · Locality Local
Matter · Extent Infinite
Matter · Ontological Status Substantival
Matter · Conservation Conserved
Matter · Dimensionality Three
Matter · Locality Local
Observer · Time Instance Single
Observer · Space Instance Single
Observer · Knowledge Extent Partial
Observer · Knowledge Retainment Total
Observer · Physicality Embodied
Observer · Agency Both
Observer · Number Plural
Observer · Metaphysical Agency Cosmic-ordering
Observer · Moral Authority Experience
Observer · Theological Method
Energy · Extent Infinite
Energy · Ontological Status Substantival
Energy · Conservation Variable
Energy · Dispersibility Irreversible
Information · Ontological Status Substantival
Information · Cosmic Conservation Variable
Information · Personal Conservation Conserved
Information · Granularity Continuous

Dimension-by-Dimension Evidence

What each work's passages reveal about its stance on each of the six dimensions.

Time

Parable of the Talents

Near-future American moment; historical arc of prophetic movements.

Space

Parable of the Talents

Northern California; American polity in religious-political crisis.

Matter

Parable of the Talents

Embodied Lauren, Asha, Earthseed community.

Observer

Parable of the Talents

Lauren as prophet; Asha as alienated daughter; multiple journal voices.

Energy

Parable of the Talents

Theocratic energies vs prophetic energies.

Information

Parable of the Talents

Earthseed verses; multi-voiced journal.

Internal Tensions

Where each work's argument pulls against itself.

Parable of the Talents

Prescience widely noted in post-2016 moment. Butler's 2006 death left planned third volume unwritten.