SCIN346

From "proto-science fiction writers" of the renaissance and 18th century through the evolution of science fiction in the 19th century with Shelley, Poe, Cridge, Verne, Wells, etc., to the development of science fiction as a popular genre for readers and for writers in the early decades of the 20th century to the explosion of science fiction from the 1950's to the present -- the course will examine science fiction writers' world views and critiques of human nature and society and their use of such scientific and pseudoscientific concepts as entropy, social Darwinism, quantum mechanics, genetic engineering, relativity, etc. Use will be made of novels, short stories from around the world, films, radio drama, and related materials. The course will be concerned with a series of recurrent themes: Future Visions (Utopias/Dystopias/Heterotopias); Creation/Transformation/Sentience; Time; Space; Social Issues: Gender/Race/Age/Disability/Species; Ocean; and Math/Dimensions/Computers/Cyberspace.