|
|
Fredflonston posted:Snow Crash is cool. (Stephenson is great) he is. my fav is anathem and I don't know how to articulate why. it's full of logical exposition I guess? the plot was basically a distraction. |
#
?
Jan 8, 2017 00:19
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 5, 2024 16:19 |
|
|
|
the littlest prince posted:he is. my fav is anathem and I don't know how to articulate why. it's full of logical exposition I guess? the plot was basically a distraction. My favorite is also Anathem. The plot was still good IMO but you're right. The plot isn't necessarily as important as the fleshing out of the world and ideas he creates through logical analysis. I just love the rational actions of his characters through "what if" types of scenarios. Recently finished Cryptonomicon and it was the same sort of deal. |
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2017 01:51
|
|
|
|
Also guys if you're looking for a super fun series that isn't necessarily a high-brow, concept heavy sci-fi. The Red Rising trilogy is supremely entertaining. And is supposedly being adapted to film http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Red-Rising-Movie-Update-Here-Latest-From-Author-111027.html |
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2017 01:58
|
|
|
canticle for Leibovitz, easily. I must've reread that 3-4 times already. might read it again in a couple years. I can't get enough about how legends and histories are made and the role of saints
Apparently I'm #1 Kotori fan |
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2017 03:22
|
|
|
joke_explainer posted:Best Neutron Star Physics Textbook Masquerading As A Novel: Dragon's Egg, by Robert Forward. Oh, man- thanks for reminding me about this book! It was a fantastic read, especially the time dilation and the evolution of the beings while they were scanning https://i.imgur.com/QKTkerO.mp4 |
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2017 03:28
|
|
|
Foundation, bitch.
---------------- |
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2017 04:02
|
|
|
|
treasure bear posted:[quadruple backflips into room] the bible |
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2017 04:09
|
|
|
|
drilldo squirt posted:Foundation, bitch. A fantastic series. I like it better than I, Robot, though that tends to be an unpopular opinion. |
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2017 04:26
|
|
|
|
What do you guys think the best depiction of artificial intelligence in a sci fi novel that you can recall is? If we're gonna get categorical. |
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2017 04:26
|
|
|
|
joke_explainer posted:What do you guys think the best depiction of artificial intelligence in a sci fi novel that you can recall is? If we're gonna get categorical. I like Ummon and the Core from Hyperion. |
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2017 05:06
|
|
|
|
I like Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency more than Hitchhiker's. It is a very wild ride and chockablock full of all sorts of scientific, literary, and musical ruminations; it's a fantastic read.
|
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2017 09:19
|
|
|
Plebian Parasite posted:I like Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency more than Hitchhiker's. It is a very wild ride and chockablock full of all sorts of scientific, literary, and musical ruminations; it's a fantastic read. I like them also. ---------------- |
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2017 10:00
|
|
|
joke_explainer posted:A fantastic series. I like it better than I, Robot, though that tends to be an unpopular opinion. It's actually the correct opinion. ---------------- |
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2017 10:00
|
|
|
|
Plebian Parasite posted:I like Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency more than Hitchhiker's. It is a very wild ride and chockablock full of all sorts of scientific, literary, and musical ruminations; it's a fantastic read. It's good but not nearly as funny as hitchhikers imo |
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2017 16:12
|
|
|
|
Adams is good but the later Hitchhiker's books aren't great imo, especially Mostly Harmless. |
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2017 16:35
|
|
|
|
joke_explainer posted:What do you guys think the best depiction of artificial intelligence in a sci fi novel that you can recall is? If we're gonna get categorical. Oh man, that's a good question. I like the way the computer is depicted in Asimov's "The Last Question" and honestly you said best instead of realistic so I'm gonna say Jenkins from City by Simak Android Blues posted:Adams is good but the later Hitchhiker's books aren't great imo, especially Mostly Harmless. I actually agree, but the finale by Eoin Colfer does Adams proud. I found it almost on par with the first book. Twerkteam Pizza fucked around with this message at 18:04 on Jan 8, 2017 |
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2017 18:01
|
|
|
|
joke_explainer posted:What do you guys think the best depiction of artificial intelligence in a sci fi novel that you can recall is? If we're gonna get categorical. if we expand out from novels AM maybe not the "best," but very . . . memorable |
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2017 18:37
|
|
|
|
Manifisto posted:if we expand out from novels Hate. Let me tell you how much I've come to hate you since I began to live. There are 387.44 million miles of printed circuits in wafer thin layers that fill my complex. If the word 'hate' was engraved on each nanoangstrom of those hundreds of miles it would not equal one one-billionth of the hate I feel for humans at this micro-instant for you. Hate. Hate. |
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2017 18:44
|
|
|
|
Twerkteam Pizza posted:Chill. Let me tell you how much I've come to chill since I began to visit BYOB. There are 420.69 million posts in wafer thin layers that fill this forum. If the word 'chill' was engraved on each nanoangstrom of those millions of posts it would not equal one one-billionth of the chill I feel for my fellow yobbers at this micro-instant for us. Chill. Chill. |
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2017 19:00
|
|
|
Lots of good stories mentioned here. Twerkteam Pizza posted:Oh man, that's a good question. I like the way the computer is depicted in Asimov's "The Last Question" Yes! I just found this story online to share with my Grade 11 students  I will add 'Oryx & Crake' by Margaret Atwood to this list. I don't care what she says, it's sci-fi. Dystopian fiction, whatever. It's brilliant, and a reasonable prediction of our horrible future. Jam-packed with the types of amazing ideas that make me love sci-fi with all my spaceheart. Also, the Ringworld series was cool. Really great characters, and a derelict, ancient Ringworld to explore! |
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2017 19:09
|
|
|
|
I've been into George Saunders recently, who is sometimes marginally sci-fi in the sense that Vonnegut is sometimes marginally sci-fi. Check out short story Escape From Spiderhead for a taste. |
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2017 19:17
|
|
|
Hell yes, Escape from Spiderhead is so good. Here it is on the New Yorker site: http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2010/12/20/escape-from-spiderhead |
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2017 19:24
|
|
|
|
I get it. Let me tell you how much I've come to get it since I was banned from SA. There are 387.44 million layers of ironic humor in wafer thin posts that fill that subforum. If the words 'seek help' were engraved on each nanoangstrom of those hundreds of thousands of ironic posts it would not equal one one-billionth of how much I recommend therapy to all FYAD regulars at this micro-instant. Get it. I "get" it. |
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2017 19:24
|
|
|
|
has to be hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy for me as well, so many brilliant lines.
|
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2017 19:41
|
|
|
|
alnilam posted:I've been into George Saunders recently, who is sometimes marginally sci-fi in the sense that Vonnegut is sometimes marginally sci-fi. Check out short story Escape From Spiderhead for a taste. DavidAlltheTime posted:Hell yes, Escape from Spiderhead is so good. it's good, thank you both. I'll have to check out more saunders. |
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2017 19:48
|
|
|
|
alnilam posted:I've been into George Saunders recently, who is sometimes marginally sci-fi in the sense that Vonnegut is sometimes marginally sci-fi. Check out short story Escape From Spiderhead for a taste. Holy crap that's a good story. |
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2017 23:05
|
|
|
|
joke_explainer posted:Holy crap that's a good story. Many thanks to the brave goons of TBB recommendation thread for the suggestion 
|
|
#
?
Jan 9, 2017 00:17
|
|
|
Looks like I get to mention "The Stars My Destination" by Alfred Bester. It's a sci-fi adventure story at heart, so it's not "deep", but it oozes style and character. Rather than being some cheery space captain or mischievous rogue, the main character is a dregged out brute of a spaceman on a quest for revenge that unwinds all over the inner solar system into something bigger. Neil Gaiman wrote this about the novel in an introduction to one edition: "It was apparent that the 1980s genre [cyberpunk] owed an enormous debt to Bester – and to this book in particular," Neil Gaiman wrote in the introduction to a 1999 edition of the book. "The Stars My Destination is, after all, the perfect cyberpunk novel: it contains such cheerfully protocyber elements as multinational corporate intrigue; a dangerous, mysterious, hyperscientific MacGuffin (PyrE); an amoral hero; a supercool thief-woman ..." Highly recommended! ---------------- |
|
|
#
?
Jan 9, 2017 04:16
|
|
|
Does Atlas Shrugged count?
paul_soccer12 posted:everyone in the idf must die |
|
#
?
Jan 9, 2017 04:43
|
|
|
I am an even bigger dork than scifi people because I read mostly nonfiction and historical fiction but I heard the stories of Dune, Ringworld< Asimov etc. from my older brothers who read constantly (like a couple books a week. wtf?) I do read short stories though and as far as scifi:Twerkteam Pizza posted:Oh man, that's a good question. I like the way the computer is depicted in Asimov's "The Last Question" I love this and also the Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin and I am Legend by Richard Matheson
|
|
#
?
Jan 9, 2017 04:48
|
|
|
Luvcow posted:Ursula K. Le Guin real post, i had to read one of her short stories for a philosophy class and now i'm really interested in her writing, i almost picked up a copy of the dispossessed paul_soccer12 posted:everyone in the idf must die |
|
#
?
Jan 9, 2017 05:00
|
|
|
mister magpie posted:real post, i had to read one of her short stories for a philosophy class and now i'm really interested in her writing, i almost picked up a copy of the dispossessed ya I had to read Lathe of Heaven for an Anthropology class "Dreaming through Cultures" along with some Carl Jung and a dream journal. That story was amazing.
|
|
#
?
Jan 9, 2017 05:04
|
|
|
this was the short story https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ones_Who_Walk_Away_from_Omelas paul_soccer12 posted:everyone in the idf must die |
|
#
?
Jan 9, 2017 05:05
|
|
|
mister magpie posted:this was the short story nice found it: http://engl210-deykute.wikispaces.umb.edu/file/view/omelas.pdf going to read, thank you
|
|
#
?
Jan 9, 2017 05:13
|
|
|
When you finish it, let me know which path you would choose, and we can discuss it.
paul_soccer12 posted:everyone in the idf must die |
|
#
?
Jan 9, 2017 05:14
|
|
|
|
So what's the gist of the story, is it a critique of utiliarianism or a critique or how the first world is built on the back of the third world or what? It's definitely a neat story but I'm not sure what it's supposed to mean? |
|
#
?
Jan 9, 2017 05:17
|
|
|
|
I don't read books. I like I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream. I really liked Hitchhiker's Guide in high school and I probably still really like it. Douglas Adams was a funny guy.
|
|
#
?
Jan 9, 2017 05:24
|
|
|
I think it is more of a thought experiment on the differences between pragmatism, non-violent resistance, and violent resistance. First, is the exploitative system acceptable due to the overwhelming ratio of greater good to suffering? How few can benefit before it becomes morally unbearable to you if this is the case? Second, if you couldn't live with the child's suffering, do you condemn the populace to suffering and free the child? Are you no better for forcing people to suffer? Or do you simply leave the city? If enough people leave, doesn't the system break down? I see that final choice as non-violent resistance; setting an example. The wild unknown outside the city is the future, where our resistance could bring prosperity, personal suffering, or death. Yet it is our choice alone, we don't force anyone else to do as we do. |
|
#
?
Jan 9, 2017 05:28
|
|
|
|
TOOT BOOT posted:So what's the gist of the story, is it a critique of utiliarianism or a critique or how the first world is built on the back of the third world or what? It's definitely a neat story but I'm not sure what it's supposed to mean? I really like the story and have given it a decent amount of thought. I would be interested to know what the author intended, of course, and if someone can share I would appreciate it. I've come to my own views about the contradiction it encapsulates. From a utilitarian perspective you would have to say that minimizing suffering to one being is a maximal outcome; that if you were given a choice of a society to live in without knowing what your role would be, and you knew that there was a 99.99999% chance you would be free of suffering and a .00001% chance you would be suffering all the time so that everyone else did not have to suffer, you might well choose to live in that society. Such is earthly and human logic. But I also view it from another perspective, the bodhisattva's vows, which basically states a purpose or commitment to do the impossible and not rest until earthly suffering is eliminated from all sentient beings: Sentient beings are numberless, I vow to save them. Desires are inexhaustible, I vow to put an end to them. The Dharmas are boundless, I vow to master them. Enlightenment is unattainable, I vow to attain it. . . . or some variation of the above. So by this view the ones who walk away from Omelas are bodhisattvas: not content with the utilitarian maximum but living a more profound, perhaps alogical, commitment to enlightenment. Or maybe more specifically commitment to the process of striving for enlightenment, rather than enlightenment as an end or goal in itself. Honestly neither is a particularly terrible goal for society to dedicate itself to, as compared to the way our world, as a whole, exists right now. IMO.
|
|
#
?
Jan 9, 2017 05:39
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 5, 2024 16:19 |
|
|
I think it's about sacrifice. The idea of it in human society, an animal being slaughtered in front of everyone was bringing the division of labour to the forefront and reminding us what we do to survive, There's a point where we realize whether or not there is a better way and a moment later when we wonder if that better way really was "better" and at what cost we got "here". mister magpie posted:I think it is more of a thought experiment on the differences between pragmatism, non-violent resistance, and violent resistance. yeah I'd leave the city so much of human migration I think comes from this in one way or another, people leaving to find a different life or way of life and dealing with what they bring with them and what they find
|
|
#
?
Jan 9, 2017 05:43
|
|