Honors HU/SS1520 Spring 2014

Science Fiction and the History of Science

Instructors: Dr. Eric Swedin and Dr. David FerroOffice: DV137L at the Davis campus and SS250 on the Ogden campus

(Swedin), and ET110 (Ferro)Office phone: 801-395-3553 (Swedin) and 801-626-6304 (Ferro)E-mail: eswedin@weber.edu and dferro@weber.eduOffice Hours: Office hours are available by appointment.

Texts: David L. Ferro and Eric G. Swedin, editors, Science Fiction andComputing: Essays on Interlinked Domains (McFarland, 2011) ISBN-13:978-0786445653

Mario Livio, Brilliant Blunders: From Darwin to Einstein - ColossalMistakes by Great Scientists That Changed Our Understanding of Lifeand the Universe (Simon & Schuster, 2013) ISBN-13: 978-1439192368

Orson Scott Card, editor, Masterpieces: The Best Science Fiction of the20th Century (Ace Trade, 2004) ISBN-13: 978-0441011339

Robert Silverberg, editor, The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume One(Orb Books, 2005) ISBN-13: 978-0765305374

Class Description and Objectives: This course will examine current and historicalwritings of science fiction in the context of the history of scientific and technologicaldevelopments.

Class participation and discussion is expected.

Grading Policies: Grades will be determined on the following basis:

Quizzes 60%Term Paper 30%Class Participation 10%

Grades: A: 90 - 100% B: 80 - 89% C: 70 - 79% D: 60 - 69% E: 0 - 59%(Grades at the high or low ends of these ranges will earn plus and minus grades.)

Quizzes: There will a short quiz every day at the beginning of class. Each quiz will bebased on the readings that you were given for that day, or will be given on the contentof the previous class’s presentations. There may also be a couple of questions fromthe previous quizzes content.

Term Paper: A ten page paper on any topic covered in the course is required. Youmay turn in an early draft for the instructors to critique and we will return the critiqueddraft two weeks later. The final draft is due on the final day of class. You must use atleast six sources, only half of which may come from the Internet, and you must cite allquotations. The following web sites are useful:

http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Evaluate.htmlhttp://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Style.html

Cheating Policy: Cheating and deceit are not accepted at Weber State University. Cheating on an quiz or assignment, or turning in someone else's work as your own, willresult in an E for the class. You may work together on your assignments and papers,but you must turn in your own work. If you quote from a book, article, or web site, youmust properly quote and cite your work. Avoid even the appearance of cheating orplagiarism.

Cell Phones, Texting, and Laptops:Put your cell phones on vibrate. Try to avoid leaving class to take a call, but anoccasional emergency is understandable. There will be NO texting in this class. Laptops or other personal digital tools may be used to take notes or look up materialrelevant to class discussions. No other uses of laptops will be tolerated.

Students with Disabilities:Any student requiring accommodations or services due to a disability must contactServices for Students with Disabilities (SSD) in Room 181 of the Student ServiceCenter. SSD can also arrange to provide materials (including this syllabus) inalternative formats if necessary.

Campus Closure:In the event of an extended campus closure, please look at your Weber State email inorder for instructions on how we will continue the class via email and the Canvas onlinecourse system.

Schedule:

Week Tuesday Thursday

January 7 Introduction to class (no quiz)Introduction to History

They're Made out of Meat short film

Introduction to Science FictionReadings: Silverberg text, RayBradbury, “Mars is Heaven!”Card text, Terry Bisson, “BearsDiscover Fire”Ferro & Swedin text, Introductionand chapter 1, “Technology’s OtherStorytellers”

January 14 Science and DiscoveryReadings: Livio, Preface andchapter 1Card text, Harry Turtledove, “TheRoad Not Taken”

Science and the Age of DiscoveryReadings: Livio, chapter 2Silverberg text, Murray Leinster,“First Contact”

January 21 Science and Scientific CreditReadings: Livio, chapter 3Card text, George R. R. Martin,“Sandkings”Handout: “Junior Achievement,” byWilliam Lee, in Tomorrow’sChildren, pg 167.

Science and the Mechanical AgeReadings: Livio, chapter 4Online version, first seven chaptersof H. G. Wells, War of the Worlds(available athttp://www.fourmilab.ch/etexts/www/warworlds/warw.html)Online version, first two chapters ofJules Verne’s From the Earth to theMoon (available athttp://www.online-literature.com/verne/earth_to_moon/)

January 28 Science and BiologyReadings: Livio, chapter 5Silverberg text, Theodore Sturgeon,“Microcosmic God”

Science and EvolutionReadings: Livio, chapter 6Card text, Edmond Hamilton,“Devolution”

February 4 Science and the Age of the EarthReadings: Livio, chapter 7Silverberg text, James Blish,“Surface Tension”

Science and GeologyReadings: Livio, chapter 8Card text, Larry Niven, “InconstantMoon”

February 11 Age of BiologyReadings: Livio, chapter 9Card Text, “Rat” by James PatrickKelly

Ferro & Swedin text, Chapter 17,“Nanotechnology Tomorrows”

No class today (LTUE).

February 18 Media day (no quiz, but credit forattendance will be given)Firefly, episode 1, and discussion

Media day (no quiz, but credit forattendance will be given)Firefly, episode 2, and discussion

February 25 Science and AnthropologyReadings: Livio, chapter 10Silverberg text, Isaac Asimov,ANightfall@;Card text: Robert Silverberg,“Passengers”

Science and PsychologyReadings: Livio, chapter 11 andCodaSilverberg text, Lewis Padgett,“Mimsy Were the Borogoves”

March 4 What does it mean to be human?Readings: Silverberg text, DanielKeyes, “Flowers for Algernon”;Card text, John Crowley, “Snow”Card text, Jerome Bixby, “It’s aGood Life”Card Text, Brian Aldiss,“Who CanReplace a Man”

Pulp FictionReadings:Silverberg text, FredricBrown, “Arena”Ferro & Swedin text, Chapter 5,“Computer Science on the PlanetKrypton”

March 11 Spring Break

March 18 The Atomic AgeReadings: Silverberg text, Clifford D.Simak, “The Huddling Place”Silverberg text, Tom Godwin,“TheCold Equations”

The Computer AgeCard text, Isaac Asimov, “RobotDreams” Internet: Murray Leinster, “A LogicNamed Joe ”<http://www.baen.com/chapters/W200506/0743499107___2.htm>Ferro & Swedin text, Chapter 3“Murray Leinster and ‘A LogicNamed Joe’”

March 25 The Computer Age IIReadings: Card text, William Gibsonand Michael Swanwick, “Dogfight”Ferro & Swedin text, Chapter 3“Murray Leinster and ‘A LogicNamed Joe’”Ferro & Swedin text, Chapter 13“Creating a Techno-Mythology”

ExtrapolationReadings: Silverberg text, Robert A.Heinlein, “The Roads Must Roll” Card text, Poul Anderson, “Call MeJoe”Ferro & Swedin text, Chapter 18“Imagining the OmniscientComputer”

April 1 ImaginationReadings: Card text, Robert A.Heinlein, “All You Zombies–“;Card text, Lloyd Biggle, Jr.,“Tunesmith”

SF and the Big Questions: ReligionReadings: Card text, Arthur C.Clarke, “The Nine Billion Names ofGod”Amazon Kindle: Eric James Stone,“That Leviathan, Whom Thou HastMade” ($2.99)

April 8 Media day (no quiz, but credit forattendance will be given)TBA

Media day (no quiz, but credit forattendance will be given)TBA

April 15 Science Fiction and PoliticsCard text, Harlan Ellison, “Repent,Harlequin! Said the Ticktockman”;Ursula K. Le Guin, “The Ones WhoWalk Away from Omelas”

Spare day

April 22 NO Final Exam