33 research outputs found
Etherotopia or a country in the mind: bridging the gap between utopias and nirvanas
No full textJoyce Hertzler concludes his History of Utopian Thought with the phrase ‘Utopia is not a social state it is a state of mind’. Other utopian scholars would argue that the truth is exactly the opposite, that utopia is a purely social matter. There seems to be a false dilemma here where one must choose between two, seemingly conflicting, schools of utopian thinking: social utopias and private ones. In John Carey’s words, ‘Whereas most utopias reform the world, some reform the self’. He says of the later that these ‘solitary utopians are Robinson Crusoes of the mind, inventing islands for themselves to inhabit’ and that they are very unlike ‘normal, public-spirited utopians’. In this essay Christos Callow Jr explores the potential of a utopia that reforms both world and self and proposes Etherotopia as its name
Breaking the cycle of the Golden Age: Jack Glass and Isaac Asimov’s Foundation trilogy
No full textMcFarlane focuses on the ways in which Adam Roberts' novel Jack Glass overcomes the conventions of Golden Age science fiction by reading the novel alongside Asimov’s Foundation novels. McFarlane finds that the move from Asimov’s Foundation to Jack Glass’s galaxy is a move from Newtonian physics to chaos theory, a move which demands attention be paid to small phenomenon, such as individual humans rather than ‘the masses’. McFarlane argues that this move produces a more democratic view of the galaxy, one that demands revolution to escape the exploitative hierarches under which Jack Glass lives
Adam Roberts: Critical Essays
No full textEach chapter in this collection explores the challenge posed to science fiction, literary fiction and contemporary ideas through Roberts's novels. His use of the science fiction toolkit combined with his sharp and sometimes lyrical prose blurs the distinction that some would wish to maintain between science fiction and mainstream literature
Adam Roberts: Critical Essays
No full textEach chapter in this collection explores the challenge posed to science fiction, literary fiction and contemporary ideas through Roberts's novels. His use of the science fiction toolkit combined with his sharp and sometimes lyrical prose blurs the distinction that some would wish to maintain between science fiction and mainstream literature
Passé et avenir du théâtre de science-fiction
No full textCet article s’intéresse à l’histoire du théâtre de science-fiction et à ses futurs développements. Il montre que le théâtre science-fictionnel existe officieusement depuis le dix-neuvième siècle et prend pour exemple certaines pièces de théâtre dont R.U.R, En remontant à Mathusalem et Fin de partie. Le théâtre de science-fiction s’intéresse à l’impact de la technologie sur nos vies quotidiennes et peut être un outil puissant pour souligner l’importance future non seulement du théâtre, mais également de la culture science-fictionnelle.The article focuses on the past history and future developments of science fiction theatre. It reports that science fiction theatre has existed unofficially since the 19th century and discusses several theatrical plays including R.U.R, Back to Methuselah, and Endgame. It further mentions that science fiction theatre concerns with the impact of technology on our lives and is also capable of providing importance to theatre and science fictional culture in future
The internet science fiction theatre database
No full textThe Internet Science Fiction Theatre Database (ISFTDB) of Cyborphic primarily consists of contemporary plays, i.e. published and/or produced in the 21st Century. Some key texts of sci-fi theatre from the 20th Century are included in a separate section. For a more complete list of 20th Century science fiction plays, see Ralph Willingham’s appendix in his 1993 book Science Fiction and the Theatre
Coadsorption of sodium and elemental sulfur on nickel (100) surfaces, 1996
No full textThis study examined the structural and electronic growth properties of the coadsorption of Sodium and elemental Sulfur on Nickel (100) surfaces at room temperature. The investigation was conducted in an ultra high vacuum system using low energy electron diffraction, Auger electron spectroscopy, and work function measurements. The main objective of the study was to create a low work function substrate that would be useful for low work function devices. The research occurred in four stages: (1) adsorption of S on clean Ni(100), (2) adsorption of Na on clean Ni(100), (3) coadsorption of Na on S covered Ni(100), and (4) coadsorption of S on Na covered Ni(100). The measurements obtained suggest that S grows on Ni(100) in a layer by layer mode, forming a p(2x2) initially and a c(2x2) at the completion of the first layer. The second layer of S is disordered. The measurements also indicate that deposition of Na at room temperature forms a single c(2x2) layer. The coadsorption studies showed that the presence of S on the surface of Ni(100) increased the amount of Na that can be deposited on the substrate. A low work function of 0.8eV was obtained during the study. Furthermore, the presence of Na on Ni(100) was found not to affect the deposition of S, however the S was found to destroy the metallic character of the underlying Na
The descent of Christ in Ephesians 4:7-11 : an exegetical investigation with special reference to the influence of traditions about Moses associated with Psalm 68:19.
No full textThis study attempts to demonstrate that the most probable interpretation of the descent of Christ in Eph. 4: 7-11 involves a descent of Christ as the Spirit who distributes gifts to his church subsequent to the ascent of Eph. 4: 8. The investigation begins with a history of the interpretation of Eph. 4: 7-11. Most modern interpreters favour either a descent to the under- world (or the grave) between Christ's death and resurrection or a descent from heaven to earth at the incarnation. Textual and grammatical problems relevant to the proposed exegesis are also discussed. A major portion of the study deals with the ascent-descent imagery associating Ps. 68: 19 (quoted in Eph. 4: 8) and Moses as found in Tg Psalms and the rabbinic literature. The author of Ephesians, had he been aware of these traditions associating Psalm 68 with Moses, would have been predisposed to think in terms of a subsequent descent, because Moses' ascent of Mt Sinai to receive the Torah was followed by his descent to distribute it as 'gifts' to men. Although it is clear that both Tg Psalms and the rabbinic literature are later than Ephesians, there is evidence from a number of early sources that such Moses-traditions were in circulation prior to the first century CE. The association of these traditions with Ps. 68: 19 as employed by the author of Ephesians appears to exist through the connection of Moses' ascent of Sinai to receive the Torah with the celebration of the Jewish feast of Pentecost on the one hand, and the Christian use of Psalm 68 in connection with Pentecost (described in Acts 2) on the other. Ps. 68: 19 was already understood to refer to the ascent of Christ and the gift of the Spirit in a layer of tradition older than Ephesians. Familiarity with the Moses-traditions connected with an ascent and descent of Sinai would have suggested a subsequent descent. Thus the author's innovation did not lie in the use of the psalm in a christological sense, nor in the introduction of a subsequent descent of Christ inferred from the ascent mentioned in Ps. 68: 19. The contribution of the author of Ephesians consisted in his identification of the ascended Christ as the Spirit who descended to distribute gifts to his church. Such an interpretation offers the best explanation of the passage in light of the evidence linking Moses-traditions of a heavenly ascent at Sinai with Pentecost and Psalm 68
