It fascinates me to watch folks on this thread use the words "is" and "was" in the same tone as we would use them to describe, say, the development of steam engines or streets around London, or the rise and fall of the Roman Empire--as though they were detailing straight facts firmly placed in time. I think the actual definitions being used are not the same as we use them modernly. They are indicating an inventory of hypothetical or legendary case histories, and the use f these verbs are about as appropriate as to say Paul Muad'dib was raised on Dune, or that the Dora was equipped with artificial intelligence by Lazarus Long.


A