XPost: rec.arts.books.tolkien   
   From: fwbrown@bellsouth.net   
      
   In alt.fan.tolkien Steve Hayes  wrote:   
   >   
   > What is a "fact" depends very much on where you are and the point of view   
   from   
   > which you see things.   
      
   If your use of "fact" in quotation marks means that you're referring to   
   someone's opinion ABOUT a fact, then I agree with you.  But a fact itself   
   is a piece of external reality and is not dependent upon anyone's point   
   of view.  A fact is by definition true, regardless of whether anyone   
   believes it, or even knows about it.  However, people obviously may have   
   a wide range of opinions on whether or not something IS a fact.   
      
   --   
   F. Wayne Brown    
      
   Þæs ofereode, ðisses swa mæg.  ("That passed away, this also can.")   
      from "Deor," in the Exeter Book (folios 100r-100v)   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)