HON 114: The Science in Science Fiction

Fall 2008

Syllabus


revised 21 August 2008

Meetings: Thursdays, 6:50-8:40 PM Room: TBD


Instructor: Frederick M. Walter (ESS 459; 632-8232; fwalter at astro.sunysb.edu)

Date Topic Reading
Sept 11 Science and Society Asimov: Nightfall (or here)
Sept 18 Ignorance of the law is no excuse Godwin: The Cold Equations
Niven: Neutron Star
Brin: Tank Farm Dynamo
Krauss: The Physics of Star Trek, Chapter 1
Sept 25 Can't get Theah from Heah Krauss: The Physics of Star Trek, Chapters 2,3,4
Wilson: Out Around Rigel
Asimov: Pate de Fois Gras
Oct 2 When Stars Explode Clarke: The Star
Niven: Inconstant Moon
Oct 23 Aliens Clarke: Before Eden
Brin: Lungfish
Shara & McDevitt: Lighthouse
Weinbaum: A Martian Odyssey
Krauss: The Physics of Star Trek, Chapter 8
Oct 30
Time Travel: Into the Future Campbell: Twilight
Niven: The Theory and Practice of Time Travel
Nov 13 Big Science and Cosmology Haldeman: Forever War
Asimov: The Last Question
Krauss: The Physics of Star Trek, Chapter 9


Students are responsible for obtaining copies of Krauss, The Physics of Star Trek, and of Haldeman, The Forever War.
Short stories will be available on-line (through blackboard if not the public domain). All stories that are not linked to directly from this page can be found on Blackboard. Log into Blackboard, go to HON114.S01, and then click on Course Documents.

This schedule is subject to revision.

The paper/story is due in my office (ESS 459) or mailbox (in the Physics & Astronomy office) by 4:00 PM on Friday November 16. It will be returned to the Honors College office before the end of finals.


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