So we've gotten through function one (the rules) and function two (the science), and now it's time for function three: society.

A good mythology wraps up the social structure in the same wallpaper as the science and the rules: you can't change you station in life any more than you can delay a sunrise or decline to die. The social laws govern what's right and wrong, and who's responsible for what, and they're as divine and ineffable as anything else.

Joseph describes the Pope's position as being "absurd" when it comes to contraception -- the rules are obviously a little silly, but there's simply no method of appeal.

This is a bit of a worry if you're going to believe Dante's vision of Heaven -- when he gets to the heavenly auditorium of the heavenly rose, Beatrice points out that the place is nearly filled to capacity. We're coming up on a millennium having passed since those words were written; what sort of state can the place be in these days?

This conflict came to a head in India around the time that Joseph was lecturing -- "if you want to be British, break caste. If you want to be Hindu, obey scriptures." Well, what are you going to do? If your position in the caste is to live in the dirt on the outskirts of town, suddenly tea and crumpets sound like a nice idea. Of course, the higher-ups don't want their assistants to quit, so they've got to build up the majesty of the system. Some are better at this than others.