3.23.2007
Science Fact-ish
Last Thursday, my friend and I went to hear Robert Sawyer talk, courtesy of the Calgary chapter of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. The topic was "Astronomy and Science Fiction." I haven't actually read any of Sawyer's books, but I've heard good things about them. And I'm always game for hearing people talk about real science in the context of fiction writing.
Sawyer talked about new scientific discoveries as the launching pad for most science fiction authors. While the scientists are looking for the most likely explanation, the science fiction writer is looking for the most entertaining explanation. And good science fiction is based on theories that cannot be scientifically invalidated at the time that it was written. And that even when the theory has been proven impossible, that shouldn't lessen the literary merit of good science fiction. Because all literature should be read in the context of when it was written.
He went on to say that often in science fiction movies they lean more towards fantasy than hard science fiction, not worrying as much about the scientific accuracy of their story. So he suggested that fans of truly scientific science fiction should read more and watch less. Something that I used to do but seem to have drifted away from. But I think it's time that I return to more reading.
I found myself wishing that I had a notebook and could jot down things that he said or things that I thought as a result of what he said, but alas… no such luck. I have to assume that the points that are important to me have stuck in my head and that the points that I no longer remember weren't worth the real estate in my memory.
The only other thing that I remember, even though I don't recall the context, is when he spoke of our solar system with 9—then he corrected himself—8 planets. FYI, Mental Floss sells a "Pluto R.I.P." T-shirt that Sawyer might enjoy (I'm tempted to get one myself):
But the "9… I mean… 8 planets" made me laugh so hard because it reminded me of the scene in Mel Brooks' History of the World, Part I when Moses comes down off the mountain with THREE stone tablets and announces the 15… crash… 10 commandments.
Sawyer talked about new scientific discoveries as the launching pad for most science fiction authors. While the scientists are looking for the most likely explanation, the science fiction writer is looking for the most entertaining explanation. And good science fiction is based on theories that cannot be scientifically invalidated at the time that it was written. And that even when the theory has been proven impossible, that shouldn't lessen the literary merit of good science fiction. Because all literature should be read in the context of when it was written.
He went on to say that often in science fiction movies they lean more towards fantasy than hard science fiction, not worrying as much about the scientific accuracy of their story. So he suggested that fans of truly scientific science fiction should read more and watch less. Something that I used to do but seem to have drifted away from. But I think it's time that I return to more reading.
I found myself wishing that I had a notebook and could jot down things that he said or things that I thought as a result of what he said, but alas… no such luck. I have to assume that the points that are important to me have stuck in my head and that the points that I no longer remember weren't worth the real estate in my memory.
The only other thing that I remember, even though I don't recall the context, is when he spoke of our solar system with 9—then he corrected himself—8 planets. FYI, Mental Floss sells a "Pluto R.I.P." T-shirt that Sawyer might enjoy (I'm tempted to get one myself):
But the "9… I mean… 8 planets" made me laugh so hard because it reminded me of the scene in Mel Brooks' History of the World, Part I when Moses comes down off the mountain with THREE stone tablets and announces the 15… crash… 10 commandments.
Labels: books and literature, math and science, pop culture
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