Science and the Imagination

HONR 303 – 3 credit hours
Mark Hall, Professor of English
Andrew Lang, Professor of Mathematics
Oral Roberts University
University Honors Program
John Korstad, Director

Course Description: This course examines the relationship between science and science fiction from a historical and critical viewpoint. Through lecture and discussion, students learn how science and

science fiction influence each other. Students respond to readings through class discussion and appropriate writing. This course is designed to increase the students’ understanding of the history and development of science, scientific theory, and science fiction as well as to sharpen their critical skills through the examination of science fiction novels and short stories.

Texts
Baxter, Stephen. The Time Ships. 1992. New York: Eos, 1996.
Card, Orson Scott. Ender’s Game. 1985. New York: Tor Books, 1994.
Card, Orson Scott, ed. Masterpieces: The Best Science Fiction of the 20th Century. New York: Penguin Group, 2004.
Clarke, Arthur C. The Collected Stories of Arthur C. Clarke. New York: Orb Books, 2002.
Crichton, Michael. Jurassic Park. 1990. New York: Ballantine, 1991.
Heinlein, Robert A. The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. 1966. New York: Orb Books, 1997.
Lewis, C. S. Out of the Silent Planet. 1938. New York: Scribner, 2003.
Miller, Walter, Jr. A Canticle for Leibowitz. 1959. New York: Spectra, 1997.
Orwell, George R. 1984. 1948. New York: Signet Books, 1990.
Silverberg, Robert, ed. The Science Fiction Hall of Fame. Vol. 1. 1971. New York: Orb Books, 2005.
Stewart, George R. Earth Abides. 1948. New York: Fawcett, 1986.
Warrick, Patricia S., Charles C. Waugh, and Martin H. Greenberg, eds. Science Fiction: The Science Fiction Research Association Anthology. New York: Longman, 1997.
Wells, H. G. The Time Machine. 1895. New York: Tor Classics, 1992.

Syllabus

Date Topic
Week 1

A Brief History of Space
H. G. Wells, The Time Machine
Week 2

The Earth and the Moon
Stephen Baxter, The Time Ships
Week 3

The Solar System
Michael Crichton, Jurassic Park
Week 4

Stars
Robert A. Heinlein, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress
Week 5

Life, the Universe and Everything
C.S. Lewis, Out of the Silent Planet

Week 6

Nuclear Physics
Walter Miller, Jr., A Canticle for Leibowitz
Week 7

The Standard Model for Sub-Atomic Particles
George R. Orwell, 1984
Week 8

Quantum Mechanics
Selected Short Stories
Week 9

From Newtonian Mechanics to Einstein’s Special Relativity
George R. Stewart, Earth Abides
Week 10 General Relativity
Orson Scott Card, Ender’s Game
Week 11

The Theory of Everything
Isaac Asimov, “Nightfall”; Jerome Bixby, “It’s a Good Life”; and James Blish, “Common Time”
Week 12

Negative Energies, Warp Drives, Time Travel, and Anti-Gravity Machines
Ray Bradbury, “There Will Come Soft Rains”; John Campbell, “Who Goes There?”; and Arthur C. Clarke, “The Star”
Week 13

Space Exploration: SETI – ESA – NASA
Lester Del Rey, “Helen O’Loy”; Harlan Ellison, “‘Repent Harlequin!’ Said the Ticktockman”; and Stanley Weinbaum, “A Martian Odyssey”
Week 14

Hardware, Software, and Wetware
Week 15 Review and Synthesis
Week 16 Final Examination

Grading Policy:

Critical Analysis Paper (10%)
Science Fiction Novella (15%)
Research Project (15%)
Scientific Worldview Paper (15%)
Exam 1 (Objective & Essay) (10%)
Exam 2 (Objective & Essay) (10%)
Film Critiques (5%)
Final Exam (20%)

Contact person: Andrew Lang, alang@oru.edu