FYSM 229 - Physics in Science Fiction

Institution:

Trinity College

Subject:

Description:

Science fiction (SF) has a long history of presenting speculations on the physical laws of the universe, and the consequences of these laws for our lives and our civilization. Many of these speculations have turned out to be correct, others have proved spectacularly wrong, and some are so forward-looking that the verdict may not be known for centuries. We will read approximately a dozen of these, including "The Cold Equations" by Tom Godwin, "Think Like a Dinosaur" by James Patrick Kelly, "Story of Your Life" by Ted Chiang, "The Light of Other Days" by Bob Shaw, "All The Myriad Ways" by Larry Niven, and "The Hundred Light-Year Diary" by Greg Egan. We will consider questions like: What does each story say about physics and its impact on mankind How does the story enhance our understanding of physical laws Are the extrapolations of physical laws plausible or not Writing assignments may include a letter to the author or to the editor, a popular science article about the physics contained in the story, or a sequel that carries the ideas further or borrows elements from one story and places them in another. This course is recommended for anyone with a strong interest in science and/or science fiction, but no previous coursework in physics is required. 1.00 units, Seminar

Credits:

1.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.Trincoll.edu

Phone Number:

(860) 297-2000

Regional Accreditation:

New England Association of Schools and Colleges

Calendar System:

Semester

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