Challenge 484

How Do You Plead?

In Richard Ong’s “A Bounty for a Cure”:
1. Why might the Koans blink?
2. What does the aritificially created species resemble? What might the plague be? What might the cure consist of?
3. Why might such unearthly creatures as the Koans be interested in preserving humanity?
In James Bambury’s “Pointland”:
1. Judging by the context, what do you think ana and kata might mean?
2. What do moksha and samsara mean?
3. What might be the — pardon the expression — point of using words in Sanskrit?
4. What are the referents of the allusions to the seven bridges of Königsburg? Flatland?
5. What is the wanderer’s goal? How might it be taken ironically? How might it be taken seriously?
In Brian Biswas’ “A Matter of Principle”:
1. Why does Jason appear completely different to Rob and Peter?
2. What might cast doubt on Peter’s part of the story?
3. How much time elapses between Rob’s and Marie’s disappearance and Peter’s discovering them in Jason’s house?
4. At the end, Charles quotes Einstein about everything being relative. What else does Charles say that shows his appeal to authority is mistaken?
5. What is Charles really talking about? Suppose you are a prospective juror at Marie’s trial. You are asked whether you presume her to be innocent or guilty. What is the proper response?