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| Prophets of Science Fiction | |
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| Topic Started: Nov 9 2011, 10:06 PM (1,473 Views) | |
| Ànraich | Nov 9 2011, 10:06 PM Post #1 |
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L'évolution Spéculative est moi
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Anyone else watching this new show on the Science Channel? The first episode is about Mary Shelly's Frankenstein. It just started but I have to say, I disagree with the comment that Mary Shelly was the first science fiction author. Seems like a decent show so far, but it isn't quite what I expected. |
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We should all aspire to die surrounded by our dearest friends. Just like Julius Caesar. "The Lord Universe said: 'The same fate I have given to all things from stones to stars, that one day they shall become naught but memories aloft upon the winds of time. From dust all was born, and to dust all shall return.' He then looked upon His greatest creation, life, and pitied them, for unlike stars and stones they would soon learn of this fate and despair in the futility of their own existence. And so the Lord Universe decided to give life two gifts to save them from this despair. The first of these gifts was the soul, that life might more readily accept their fate, and the second was fear, that they might in time learn to avoid it altogether." - Excerpt from a Chanagwan creation myth, Legends and Folklore of the Planet Ghar, collected and published by Yieju Bai'an, explorer from the Celestial Commonwealth of Qonming Tree That Owns Itself
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| Yorick | Nov 9 2011, 11:22 PM Post #2 |
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Adult
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It premiered tonight? Aw! I wanted to catch it. I'm sure I'll catch on encore or it'll be on On Demand later. The premise is intriguing and Ridley Scott produces it. Did you ever watch "Dark Matters" hosted by John Noble? |
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"I believe, that whatever doesn't kill you, simply makes you...stranger" -The Dark Knight (2008) | |
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| Ànraich | Nov 10 2011, 12:16 AM Post #3 |
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L'évolution Spéculative est moi
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I've seen every episode of Dark Matters. I love that show, but they don't really explain things all the way. Like the one about the soul weighing 21 grams; they never mention what those 21 grams lost were. They imply they know, but don't say. My favorite one so far is a toss up between the guy who steals Einstein's brain and the one about the guys listening in on the Soviet space program. "I can see flames! I can see flames! What's happening? I can see flames!" ...---... ...---... ...---... |
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We should all aspire to die surrounded by our dearest friends. Just like Julius Caesar. "The Lord Universe said: 'The same fate I have given to all things from stones to stars, that one day they shall become naught but memories aloft upon the winds of time. From dust all was born, and to dust all shall return.' He then looked upon His greatest creation, life, and pitied them, for unlike stars and stones they would soon learn of this fate and despair in the futility of their own existence. And so the Lord Universe decided to give life two gifts to save them from this despair. The first of these gifts was the soul, that life might more readily accept their fate, and the second was fear, that they might in time learn to avoid it altogether." - Excerpt from a Chanagwan creation myth, Legends and Folklore of the Planet Ghar, collected and published by Yieju Bai'an, explorer from the Celestial Commonwealth of Qonming Tree That Owns Itself
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| lamna | Nov 10 2011, 04:17 AM Post #4 |
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I don't think some romantic can get credit for being the first Science Fiction author. Shelly helped it move along, but there are earlier works and she was basically saying "Science be crazy". |
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| T.Neo | Nov 10 2011, 07:40 AM Post #5 |
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Translunar injection: TLI
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First science fiction writer? Wouldn't that be Jules Verne? |
| A hard mathematical figure provides a sort of enlightenment to one's understanding of an idea that is never matched by mere guesswork. | |
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| lamna | Nov 10 2011, 09:34 AM Post #6 |
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Defining the start of science fiction is like defining what science fiction is. SF is a big wibbly wobbly, fictiony wictiony thing who's borders are in dispute. I think Jules is a pretty good place to start, but some say Lucian of Samosata was the first. |
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| Empyreon | Nov 10 2011, 09:43 AM Post #7 |
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Are you plausible?
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By some definitions, science fiction stories can be found as early as the 10th century or so. Shelley's works certainly laid stylistic groundwork for modern science fiction with both Frankenstein and The Last Man, but I think it was Jules Verne that really popularized the genre. |
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Take a look at my exobiology subforum of the planet Nereus! COM Contributions food for thought
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| lamna | Nov 10 2011, 11:45 AM Post #8 |
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Indeed, and for someone rather anti-science it does not feel right to give her the honour. Though you can look at the story to mean "take responsibly" and not "look at all the crazy stuff science can do". Yeah I studied the book in English. |
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Living Fossils Fósseis Vibos: Reserva Natural 34 MYH, 4 tonne dinosaur. [flash=500,450] Video Magic! [/flash] | |
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| Empyreon | Nov 10 2011, 12:09 PM Post #9 |
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Are you plausible?
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That's exactly how I read it; the cautionary tale is an almost ubiquitous trope in science fiction. |
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Take a look at my exobiology subforum of the planet Nereus! COM Contributions food for thought
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| Ànraich | Nov 10 2011, 02:41 PM Post #10 |
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L'évolution Spéculative est moi
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I do find her quite impressive though. I mean, she wrote it when she was stuck in a cabin with Lord Byron and Shelly during a blizzard. They decide to have a contest to see who can write the scariest story, and this 18 year old girl pops out motherfucking Frankenstein. Then Shelly married her. I don't know about the story being scary though. I find their century's horrible misunderstanding of the nature of electricity to be quite hilarious. You crazy Genevese, you can't stitch together human body parts and zap it to life. You can only do that with bugs. |
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We should all aspire to die surrounded by our dearest friends. Just like Julius Caesar. "The Lord Universe said: 'The same fate I have given to all things from stones to stars, that one day they shall become naught but memories aloft upon the winds of time. From dust all was born, and to dust all shall return.' He then looked upon His greatest creation, life, and pitied them, for unlike stars and stones they would soon learn of this fate and despair in the futility of their own existence. And so the Lord Universe decided to give life two gifts to save them from this despair. The first of these gifts was the soul, that life might more readily accept their fate, and the second was fear, that they might in time learn to avoid it altogether." - Excerpt from a Chanagwan creation myth, Legends and Folklore of the Planet Ghar, collected and published by Yieju Bai'an, explorer from the Celestial Commonwealth of Qonming Tree That Owns Itself
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| Empyreon | Nov 10 2011, 03:00 PM Post #11 |
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Are you plausible?
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It's a powerful lesson, IMO: the next time you're trapped somewhere, instead of texting "this blows" to nobody in particular, try and come up with stories to pass the time. You might be surprised with your own creativity.
That stuff was pretty consistent with scientific theories of the time. There was a lot of experimentation with electrical responses in the nervous systems of corpses; Shelley simply tapped into that line of thought. Thanks to that work we've developed a better understanding of bioelectrical impulse, so don't knock it. ![]() The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells played with a similar method of creating man-like beasts/beast-like men: grafting body parts onto them until the two parts influenced each other and reached an equilibrium. The movie updated things to a more genetic approach. |
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Take a look at my exobiology subforum of the planet Nereus! COM Contributions food for thought
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| Ànraich | Nov 10 2011, 03:05 PM Post #12 |
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L'évolution Spéculative est moi
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Hey I'm not knocking it, they can't help their lack of knowledge. It's not like we don't do stuff like that today anyways. Organ transplants, blood transfusions, I think a guy in the 90's got a hand transplant. We'll cut the corneas out of a corpse and put them in you so you can see better, or put the heart of a pig in you because yours doesn't work properly after years of cholesterol choked food consumption. |
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We should all aspire to die surrounded by our dearest friends. Just like Julius Caesar. "The Lord Universe said: 'The same fate I have given to all things from stones to stars, that one day they shall become naught but memories aloft upon the winds of time. From dust all was born, and to dust all shall return.' He then looked upon His greatest creation, life, and pitied them, for unlike stars and stones they would soon learn of this fate and despair in the futility of their own existence. And so the Lord Universe decided to give life two gifts to save them from this despair. The first of these gifts was the soul, that life might more readily accept their fate, and the second was fear, that they might in time learn to avoid it altogether." - Excerpt from a Chanagwan creation myth, Legends and Folklore of the Planet Ghar, collected and published by Yieju Bai'an, explorer from the Celestial Commonwealth of Qonming Tree That Owns Itself
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| colddigger | Nov 10 2011, 03:31 PM Post #13 |
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Joke's over! Love, Parasky
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After pigging out all that pig meat we put the heart of a pig in ya. |
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Oh Fine. Oh hi you! Why don't you go check out the finery that is SGP?? v Don't click v Spoiler: click to toggle | |
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| Kamidio | Nov 10 2011, 03:57 PM Post #14 |
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The Game Master of the SSU:NC
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THE IRONY! IT BURNS! |
SSU:NC - Finding a new home. Quotes WAA
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| lamna | Nov 10 2011, 03:58 PM Post #15 |
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And then you die because that's impossible at the moment. We can graft in pig bits, or beef bits if you think having something surgically implanted in your heart is the same as eating it. A whole heart? Can't be done. Might as well get a blood transfusion from a sheep. |
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Living Fossils Fósseis Vibos: Reserva Natural 34 MYH, 4 tonne dinosaur. [flash=500,450] Video Magic! [/flash] | |
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