Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 14, No. 328.
Centre for Computing in the Humanities, King's College London
<http://www.princeton.edu/~mccarty/humanist/>
<http://www.kcl.ac.uk/humanities/cch/humanist/>
[1] From: Randall Pierce <rpierce@jsucc.jsu.edu> (16)
Subject: quotation
[2] From: Arun-Kumar Tripathi <tripathi@statistik.uni- (30)
dortmund.de>
Subject: Re: 14.0314 modern-day prophets
--[1]------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 09 Oct 2000 07:27:38 +0100
From: Randall Pierce <rpierce@jsucc.jsu.edu>
Subject: quotation
Re: the comments of Arun Kuman Tripathi. Indeed, many science fiction
writers do capitalize on the works of other writers in the genre. Many
science fiction writers are also respected and acknowledged scientists.
Mr. Heinlein was a hydraulic engineer. Mr. Clarke has been a member of
the British interplanetary association for years. "Prophets" and "seers"
are often looked upon with suspicion or are disparaged. To call a
fiction work of a scientist "space opera" would seem to many a
disparaging comment. When Dr. Clarke first wrote about communication
sattelites in 1946, he did so in a fiction format. Science fiction is
often used to broach ideas that would be ridiculed if they were place in
professional journals. "Not yet" does not mean "never". A projective
analysis of trends is always a tool of any scientific endeavor.
Information technology is no different. I might suggest that for pure
amusement, some of the correspondents might read A.E. Van Vogt's Voyage
of the Space Beagle. Randall
--[2]------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 09 Oct 2000 07:29:28 +0100
From: Arun-Kumar Tripathi <tripathi@statistik.uni-dortmund.de>
Subject: Re: 14.0314 modern-day prophets
Greetings All,
Hi..if I am correct..Tom Corbett, much influenced by Robert Heinlein's
"Space Cadet" developed a radio serious and wrote a novel known as "Danger
in Deep Space". Tom Corbett was the star of CBS and Space Opera..actually
the action in Tom Corbett is set in the 24th Century, 2350..speaking from
space..stay tuned..thanks!
Best Regards
Arun Tripathi
On Thu, 5 Oct 2000, Humanist Discussion Group wrote:
> Date: Thu, 05 Oct 2000 20:18:39 +0100
> From: Randall Pierce <rpierce@jsucc.jsu.edu>
> >
> Mr. Minsky has the right perspective on futuristics. I have heard, as
> did he, "experts" declare the limits of technology and create "laws"
> delineating what can be expected from machines. Robert Heinlein, a
> science fiction writer who died in the late 1980's, devised what might
> be called the statistical curves of invention and technological
> development. The bottom line shows a very slightly ascending curve from
> the past into the future. This is what most "experts" expect. Another
> curve ascends about twice as fast, and it represents what the inventors
> and developers of technology forecast. The third and upper curve rises
> at an expotential rate. It represents actual progress in a field. Man
> seems to be so "conservative" in his acceptance of progress(whatever
> that may be defined to be.) He, Heinlein, also said, "A ten-day wonder
> is accepted as a matter of course on the eleventh day." A final
> quotation: Arthur Clarke, scientist and science-fiction writer, was
> quoted: "When a scientist says that something is possible, he is most
> probably right. When he says that something is impossible, he is
> probably wrong." We need to listen to our modern-day "prophets" as well
> as becoming involved in our technology. Thank you for your consideration
> ... Randall
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