[comp.ai] Another Example of "Science" Fiction

gsmith@brahms (Gene Ward Smith) (11/24/86)

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In article <825@sdcc7.ucsd.EDU> ee162fck@sdcc7.ucsd.EDU (Jude Poole) writes:

>By far the best sentient computer novel I have ever come across is
>'The two Faces of Tommorrow' by the best hard-sf writer around
>today, James P. Hogan.

   Since I am afraid people are sick of this "hard" sf discussion, I
will content myself by pointing out the fact that Hogan is another good
source for the claim that the "science" in so-called "hard" sf is typic-
ally baloney.  In fact, Hogan makes blunders so stupid that he makes
Niven seem like "Physics Review" by comparison.

ucbvax!brahms!gsmith     Gene Ward Smith/UCB Math Dept/Berkeley CA 94720
"You and I as individuals can, by borrowing, live beyond our means, but
only for a limited period of time. Why should we think that collectively,
as a nation, we are not bound by that same limitation?" -- Ronald Reagan

ahh@h.cc.purdue.edu.UUCP (11/25/86)

In article <416@cartan.Berkeley.EDU> gsmith@brahms.BERKELEY.EDU (Gene Ward Smith) writes:
>In article <825@sdcc7.ucsd.EDU> ee162fck@sdcc7.ucsd.EDU (Jude Poole) writes:
>
>>By far the best sentient computer novel I have ever come across is
>>'The two Faces of Tommorrow' by the best hard-sf writer around
>>today, James P. Hogan.
>
>   Since I am afraid people are sick of this "hard" sf discussion, I

     Not everyone, I think.  I'm not.

>will content myself by pointing out the fact that Hogan is another good
>source for the claim that the "science" in so-called "hard" sf is typic-
>ally baloney.  In fact, Hogan makes blunders so stupid that he makes
>Niven seem like "Physics Review" by comparison.
>
>ucbvax!brahms!gsmith     Gene Ward Smith/UCB Math Dept/Berkeley CA 94720

     I've read most of Hogan's work, and I can't recall where he made
any obviously stupid "blunders" in his use of Physics.  This doesn't
mean much, since the last Physics class I took is three years in the
past.  Can anyone think of any good examples of this in Hogan's
books?  I (for one) am curious.  Perhaps those interested should
respond by Email, and I'll post a summary, if anyone wants one.

-- 
Brent Woods

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