Science of Science Fiction

From Teach And Discover Wiki

Welcome to the Science of Science Fiction course page. Below you will find an explanation of the course followed by an outline of the texts and media we will be examining throughout the course. The information in this course was (and in essence still is still being) developed by Christian R. Mills (site webmaster and administrator).

Science Fiction seems to have developed two purposes over time. The first purpose is socioeconomic and political. Science fiction allows a writer to convey his or her thoughts and feelings on contemporary political, social, or economic ideas by explaining them in a futuristic or technological setting. The second purpose is not one that is usually intended by the author, but is interpreted by many readers. It is the introduction of new and imaginary technology that does not presently exist.

In this course, we will give an objective look at both of these effects of science fiction. Students will be required to fulfill both of the following requirements:

1. Students will be expected to analyze the political, social, and economic environment in which each story was written and to uncover the main points the author is trying to convey to the reader.
2. Students will be expected to analyze the fictional technology presented in each story and determine the affect the author's ideas have had on actual development of technology and the possible future development of technology that, so far, does not exist.

Course Outline

The following media will be covered during the course:

• Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
• The Time Machine - H. G. Wells
• I, Robot - Isaac Asimov
• Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury

The following Sci-Fi TV Shows will be examined:

• Doctor Who
• Star Trek
• Twilight Zone
• Battlestar Galactica

The following Sci-Fi Films will be examined:

• Contact
• Star Wars
• Star Trek

Hanging Man Paradox

Here it is:

A judge tells a condemned prisoner that he will be hanged at noon on one weekday in the following week but that the execution will be a surprise to the prisoner. He will not know the day of the hanging until the executioner knocks on his cell door at noon that day. Having reflected on his sentence, the prisoner draws the conclusion that he will escape from the hanging. His reasoning is in several parts. He begins by concluding that the "surprise hanging" can't be on a Friday, as if he hasn't been hanged by Thursday, there is only one day left - and so it won't be a surprise if he's hanged on a Friday. Since the judge's sentence stipulated that the hanging would be a surprise to him, he concludes it cannot occur on Friday. He then reasons that the surprise hanging cannot be on Thursday either, because Friday has already been eliminated and if he hasn't been hanged by Wednesday night, the hanging must occur on Thursday, making a Thursday hanging not a surprise either. By similar reasoning he concludes that the hanging can also not occur on Wednesday, Tuesday or Monday. Joyfully he retires to his cell confident that the hanging will not occur at all. The next week, the executioner knocks on the prisoner's door at noon on Wednesday — which, despite all the above, will still be an utter surprise to him. Everything the judge said has come true.

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