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Exploring Frontiers and Fictions of Science
| Term and Year | FA 2011 |
| Course Number | IDSEM-UG1659 |
| Section | 001 |
| Instructor | Jose Perillan |
| Days | Mon,Wed |
| Time | 2:00 PM - 3:15 PM |
| Credits | 4.0 |
| Level | U |
| Foundation Requirement | SCI |
Description
To many people the latest theories in science may seem distant and otherworldly. Math, logical reasoning, and subject specific technical jargon can form intimidating barriers to modern scientific understanding. Why then are big science fiction movies like Star Wars and Avatar so successful at the box office? Is the sci-fi genre simply a social lubricant for the acceptance of science? Do these fictional narratives prophetically predict innovations within the sciences or do they actually serve to inspire these innovations? At its core, the sci-fi genre emerges from the interlacing of scientific rationality and the escapism of story-telling, extrapolating current scientific knowledge into alternate realities. In this seminar we will explore the genre of science fiction and its underlying literary and scientific elements. Readings may include works by: Isaac Asimov,Ursula K. Le Guin, Arthur C. Clarke, Leon Lederman,Orson Scott Card, Alice Sheldon, Kurt Vonnegut, Richard Dawkins, H.G. Wells, Octavia Butler, Robert A. Heinlein, John Gribbin, Philip K. Dick, and Jules Verne.
Syllabus
Course Type
Interdisciplinary Seminars
