I was at Readercon last weekend on a panel in Darwin in SF. Here's the panel blurb:
Is Darwinism Too Good For SF? Jeff Hecht (L), Caitlin R. Kiernan, Anil Menon, James Morrow, Steven Popkes, Robert J. Sawyer
This year marks the sesquicentennial of the publication of The Origin of Species and the bicentennial of Charles Darwin's birth. Considering the importance of the scientific idea, there has been surprisingly little great sf inspired by it. We wonder whether, in fact, if the theory has been too good, too unassailable and too full of explanatory power, to leave the wiggle room where speculative minds can play in. After all, physics not only have FTL and time travel, but mechanisms like wormholes that might conceivably make them possible. What are their equivalents in evolutionary theory, if any?
Here are my notes for the panel:
1 Darwin in SF
1.1 "Evolutionary" works
1.1.1 Greg Bear, Darwin's Radio
- Retrovirus incorporated into the human genome escapes under prescribed evolutionary conditions causing speciation along pre-determined lines. Societal hilarity ensues.
- Issues: presumes evolutionary pre-design. Analogous to HOX mutation mechanisms but structural mutations (eye on fruitflies) don't know the outcome of the mutation.
- Alien species uses genetic variation as currency. Genetic economic hilarity ensues.
- Issues: Doesn't show the evolutionary nature of the economy.
- Single gene as quantum computer. Emotional ensues.
- Issues: Implies purpose to genes.
- Pre-DNA earlier form of life takes over. Apocalypse hilarity ensues.
- Issues: Logistical problems.
- Interstellar civilization competes via natural selection. Galactic extinction hilarity ensues.
1.2.1 Amitav Ghosh, Calcutta Chromosome
- Human progress as a result of malarial parasitism. Disease hilarity ensues.
- Issues: Not really about evolution
- Posits gray bearded being setting up micro evolution but keeping macro evolution selfishly to itself. Educational hilarity ensues.
- Issues: Proposes itself as other than fiction.
2.1 Humans naturally infer purpose to a modeled system
- Gods and religion
- Watchmakers vs. self-organization
- "Purpose" embedded in the language
- It's hard to write fiction about a Theory of Everything.
3.1 Diversity of life on earth provides analogs for aliens
- Undersea Smokers
- Spoon worms
- Cephalopods
- Parasite mind control
- Traits don't appear in a vacuum
- Sexual selection as the major mechanism of human evolution
- Multiple "intelligent" animals on earth: wolves, dolphins, chimps, bonobos, gorillas, elephants, Neanderthals, etc.
- Humans => Neanderthals, chimps, bonobos, gorillas,
- Dolphins=> Many, many species of dolphins, whales, etc.
- Intelligence overcomes "natural gifts". There must be truly vicious predators on the Kzin home world.
- Sentient-centric view point in fiction reduces richness of the telling
Wall of Idiots
iPurity and here, here
Lies about Obama's Science Adviser
Apollo Anniversary
Where Next?
The Russian View
missions that never were
Anniversary Musings
First Computer on the Moon
Don Eyles and here and here
Links of Interest
Economic stabilizers
Useless robots
Volcanic evidence of Triassic extinction
What if the Alaska pipeline blew up?
Commercial hydrogen plant
Tiny shrew not extinct
V: 650 MYears in 1 minute and 20 seconds
V: 4 BYears in 8 minutes
V: Everest
Primate Archeology
Polynesian Stick Chart Navigation
Evil Furniture
V: Giant Millipede
World's most perfect spheres
Deficits: Saving the World Again
Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters
A wooden earthquake proof home
Vague scientist
Rain on Titan
Considering maitotocin
Copernicium
The nature of false positives
Bats vs. Moths
The Duke smart home
DIY
Paris: A museum of the Makers
PVC Fruit Picker
Plum Barbeque Sauce and Syrup
Choosing the Right Abrasive
Metal Fish Key Holder
Notebooks
Wooden sandals
Outdoor grill coffee roaster
Restoring old furniture
Restaurant cooking
Heat pipe
Anti-Boredom kit
PVC gimbal stabilizer
Soil lamps
Waterless toilets
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