From the moment Thon Thaddeus Pfardentrott sets foot in the abbey of the Order of Leibowitz, it is clear that he regards the monks who reside there as intellectual inferiors. While the thon does not overtly try to argue with them, he routinely approaches them with an air of condescension, and often expresses clear, if muffled, doubts regarding their possession of the vast store of ancient knowledge that is the Memorabilia. This antagonism culminates in the confrontation between the thon and Abbot Paulo in chapter twenty-two, when the Thon angrily states his true feelings: “These documents should be placed in the hands of competent people (Miller 231).” It seems clear that the thon's anger stems from a wounded sense of professional pride, and that his opinion regarding the Order's right to act as the guardian of knowledge for an expanding civilization is founded in ignorance. The monks of the Order of Leibowitz possess a mindset, lifestyle, and experience that make them the ideal scholars for a new age, especially when compared to the secular scholars of the past and present. One might say that the order has an inherent right to maintain and regulate knowledge in the post-Flood of Flame world, simply because doing so has been their responsibility and purpose for centuries. They performed this task more than diligently; in fact, they did so with great zeal and interest. In “Fiat Homo” this appears to be a function of religious reverence. Many monks work as copyists. This work often involves illuminating the texts of the Memorabilia, decorating them with gold and silver to express the true beauty of the piece and to bring glory to God. However, their primary objective is... at the heart of the paper... the idea that the cause of maintaining knowledge is strong and not hindered by ambition or personal pride. They possess a sensitivity and respect for Memorabilia, and knowledge in general, which has allowed them to maintain and protect sacred documents. However, it is their sense of responsibility towards the products of this knowledge, and their understanding of the dangers that such knowledge might present, that make them the ideal protectors and regulators of knowledge. While they welcome anyone who wishes to study the Memorabilia with open arms, for they too love knowledge, they also hope to instill in knowledge seekers foresight and an ethical obligation to the products of that knowledge, in the hope that scientists with a conscience can avoid another deluge of flames. Works Cited Miller, Jr., Walter M. A Canticle for Leibowitz. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1959.