Bennett R. Coles's Blog, page 6
March 30, 2012
Part 3 - Art, Science and the Dreams They Make
Date: 2011-10-08
The ever-quickening pace of our society has resulted in many things, but one of the most lamentable is the superficial nature of what we mostly read. Supermarket tabloids have always been lambasted for their absurd headlines designed to catch the curious shopper's eye, but now we can all surf dozens of online headlines at a glance, and they usually range from apocalyptic, to titillating to just plain dumb. It seems this is a growing trend in the way we read today, which increases the importance of the third reason why science fiction is great: it encourages – indeed demands us, to use our brains.
The early years of science fiction set the bar high, as authors with solid scientific understanding set out to tell tales that made science the centerpiece. Jules Verne and H.G. Wells may have created some "science" that is laughable in the light of today's knowledge, but at the time nobody knew what the surface of the Moon was like, or what lay at the centre of the Earth. These authors not only asked the questions, but gave their readers imaginary answers that forced us to think beyond our everyday experience. Could people really live underwater in private yachts like the Nautilus in Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea? Could an enemy of overwhelming power really be defeated by the common cold like the Martians in Wells' War of the Worlds?
As scientific discovery progressed, so did the focus of science fiction authors, but they never stopped challenging their readers to think beyond what was already known. As we learned more about the our solar system, for example, stories about space exploration like Arthur C. Clarke's 2001: A Space Odyssey made popular the idea of orbiting space stations and humankind visiting our neighbouring planets. As the fundamental nature of the Universe itself was uncovered, readers were invited to stretch their minds wide by Poul Anderson's Tau Zero taking a spaceship and her crew to the very end of time and beyond. Isaac Asimov created the term "robot" to describe an artificial life form created by humans, and in so doing popularized the notion that life was not necessarily confined to biology.
The laws of physics certainly aren't always adhered to in science fiction, but even when Einstein is flouted he is often done so in a very intelligent way. Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek had no time for such limitations as slower-than-light travel or the integrity of the strong nuclear force, but even so this space opera has managed for decades to explore thoughtful and sometimes controversial questions about our human existence. And Star Trek even sometimes tries to offer explanations as to why the laws of physics have changed, grabbing hold of modern theories when they suggest a hint of how warp drive or transporters might actually exist.
In my novel, Virtues of War, I wanted to stay as close to the current laws of physics as I could, and I found a great ally in the theory of Dr. Lisa Randall from Harvard, who has proposed a fourth spatial dimension beyond the three-dimensional "brane" in which we exist as a solution to why gravity is so different and so much weaker than the other three fundamental forces of nature. I don't think that the concept of a fourth spatial dimension is going to be discussed on its own merits at coffee shops and soccer games too often, but with luck, having introduced "stealth ships" that can travel in this fourth dimension known as the Bulk and be battled by heroic young space pilots like Jack Mallory, I might have brought this esoteric concept of astro-physics slightly closer to the popular consciousness.
One of the most intriguing results of this thought-provoking genre called science fiction is that so many ideas that were imagined by authors have become reality. A modern nuclear-powered submarine really could travel around the world submerged for 20,000 leagues. Robots have become ubiquitous servants in our industrial society. Space stations orbit the Earth and probes have visited every planet in our solar system (sorry folks, Pluto doesn't count anymore…). True, we haven't invented transporters yet, but flip-phones sure look a lot like Captain Kirk's old communicator. And while we haven't travelled faster than light yet either, just a couple of weeks ago scientists think they discovered particles travelling faster than Einstein's 100-year-old intergalactic speed limit. So who knows…?
Science fiction isn't just about exploring the far reaches of our knowledge – it pushes past that and inspires us not only to think hard, but to think new. Science fiction writers are artists, inspired by scientific reality but driven by their imaginations, and it's their dreaming that in turn inspires scientists to ask questions, to take risks, and to create wondrous new things. And even for those of us who aren't scientists, science fiction forces us to keep our brains engaged, to stay curious and to think about things beyond the latest celebrity scandal or playoff game. Science fiction keeps us smart, and that's why it's great.
BRC
First published at Life as a Human
Part 4 - How Genius and Absurdity Make Something Truly Great
Date: 2011-11-02
So far we've talked about some big reasons why science fiction is great, and in every article I've made a point of asking readers to look past the absurdities of the science fiction fringe and focus on the strength of the core. But now I want to invite all that ridiculousness to the party – let's talk about the Klingon university courses, the sleeping outside movie theatres for days, the pointy ears, the little green men, the freakish ability to quote movie lines and the whole range of absurdities that are a huge part of sci-fi. Although purists may shudder and closet-geeks may cringe, all that wacky weirdness is one of the things that makes science fiction great. So let's get it out there.
Science fiction was always a bit quirky, even in what many consider to be its heyday in the 50's and 60's. There were no big conventions back then and no fictional languages being taught in community colleges, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't the guys on the high school football team who were picking up the latest copy of Analog or Amazing Stories. Right from the beginning, science fiction found its home away from the popular limelight, and as the size of the sci-fi subculture grew so diminished its likelihood of ever being cool.
In the late 60's a revolutionary TV show started to change that. Star Trek, undermined by its own network and unceremoniously dumped after three seasons, did something remarkable. It actually grew in popularity even after it was cancelled. People loved it so much they started to meet in groups to talk about it. Authors started writing new stories to keep the adventure alive. And then, in 1972, there was an event called a "Star Trek convention" where cast and crew from the show actually turned up to meet with fans and talk about this fictional universe that was supposed to be dead but was very much alive. Although hardly the first science fiction convention (the very first can be dated back all the way to the 30's), the sheer passion that fueled the Star Trek movement took the convention concept to a whole new level.
And then in 1977 another work of science fiction changed our culture forever. Star Wars exploded across our collective consciousness and, for a brief, glorious moment, made science fiction not only mainstream, but incredibly cool. I was 4 years old, and Star Wars was the first feature-length movie I ever saw. My parents say that my brother and I didn't blink for two hours, and I can state with conviction that my entire childhood was dominated by that galaxy far, far away.
From these two cultural colossi comes pretty much all the weirdness that sci-fi is so well-known for. By the 80's the idea of the sci-fi convention had grabbed hold, giving rise to vast venues where fans of everything from Voyage to the Centre of the Earth to V could meet, discuss, debate and buy collectibles, in total safety from muscle-bound bullies and beautiful women. (Okay, okay, perhaps an exaggeration: some very muscular guys are sci-fi fans too.) This sub-culture, for so long underground and in hiding, had been primed by Star Trek and liberated by Star Wars, and now it was free to go absolutely crazy. Costumes, action figures, comic-book adaptations, posters, china sets… A multi-billion dollar industry in collectibles was spawned, and sci-fi fanatics felt comfortable going loud and proud.
But …
But alongside all this fun and absurdity, despite science fiction moving in popular perception from being a mildly-nerdy but otherwise inoffensive genre to being a lunatic fringe of crazies who wanted to form a new society based on the United Federation of Planets, the core of what made science fiction great never changed. Science fiction continued to produce fascinating, intelligent and challenging works of literature that stand shoulder to shoulder with the best of human creativity. Science fiction is more diverse than any other genre. It is still grounded firmly in the real science that has created our modern world. It produces thought-provoking, allegorical commentary on fundamental issues of the human condition. Some of the finest novels, movies and TV shows of the past thirty years are within the realm of science fiction and no amount of silliness at the fringe has changed that. I challenge you to name me another genre of fiction that can simultaneously be so intelligent and so incredibly silly and pull off both with such conviction and panache.
And best of all, science fiction can even laugh at itself. One of the most-watched shows on TV today is The Big Bang Theory, which follows the hilarious misadventures of four uber-nerdy physicists. A half-dozen or more (often quite obscure) references to sci-fi culture are made in each episode and the main thrust of the show's humour is making fun of sci-fi geeks. But I don't know a single sci-fi fan who is offended – indeed most of us are huge fans of the show.
Science fiction is a diverse, established genre with a long pedigree of excellence coupled with a lighter side that allows for fun and even self-mockery. In other words, science fiction is well-travelled, mature, intelligent and has a great sense of humour – sounds to me like the very definition of cool. And that, my fellow X-wing pilots, students of Kolinahr, browncoats, dinosaur hunters and conspiracy theorists, is why science fiction is great.
BRC
First published at Life as a Human
Peacekeeping And The Search For Hope
Date: 2011-11-11
One of the greatest inventions of the 20th Century was the peacekeeper: a soldier whose entire purpose was to STOP wars from happening. Canada has a proud tradition of this and I had the honour of doing two tours as a UN military observer in the Middle East. Some might call it the dubious honour of standing between the Arabs and Israelis saying "Stop! Don't shoot or I'll tell!"
Armed with nothing but our blue berets, we had the chance to witness simmering conflict that occasionally erupted into violence. Usually the belligerents would target each other, but in South Lebanon in particular they had the nasty habit of using UN bases as cover from which to launch their attacks. I can't say the UN was doing a bang-up job of keeping the peace in South Lebanon, but at least I wasn't bored.
By comparison, my tour in the Golan Heights, where the UN maintains a "neutral zone" several kilometers across, peace more or less reigned. Many of my colleagues were bored by our quiet days in the observation posts, but I took heart in this simple realization: people weren't dying, because we were there.
I think what affected me most during my 13 months in the Middle East was my interaction with the local people. Part of our UN mandate was to stay engaged with the people, and on our daily patrols we'd often stop to chat with villagers. Many of the families worked as subsistence farmers and lived in single-room, concrete-box houses. They were generous and hospitable to us, but I could tell that their hard lives aged them quickly. With patchy electricity, poor roads and very few opportunities, these folks worked their land, raised their kids, and hoped that neither a foreign army nor their own government would harass them too much. The arrival of the Arab Spring in Syria this year has so far done little to improve the lives of the locals.
What the Arab Spring may have brought, though, is hope. During my time in Syria it pained me to see the smiling, happy children running through the dusty village streets, because I knew what they mercifully hadn't yet realized: there was no hope for a better life for them. Before long their childhood would end, they would take up their plows and they would toil to support their own children in a land where the government had taken all their rights and destroyed any hope for opportunity and building a better future. The Arab Spring has brought violence and fear to Syria, but just possibly, as they look to their neighbours in Egypt, Libya and Tunisia, the Syrians might realize that there is another way and they might, just possibly, rediscover hope.
As an author I support War Child Canada, a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting children in war zones. This is a noble and worthwhile cause, for while those who take up arms choose their fate, war is no place for a child. A portion of every sale of my novel Virtues of War is donated to War Child in support of their efforts. I had the opportunity to don a blue beret and stand between the guns with my best "I'm watching you" stare to try and save lives. Not everyone has the chance to do that, but I encourage you all to find a charity or organization that is providing hope for humanity, like War Child, and give them your support.
BRC
First published at Life as a Human
The Finale - Imagination is an amazing gift
Date: 2011-12-14
Let's face it. Science fiction is great. Oh sure, there are those who think it's a fringe phenomenon that is best ignored until it goes away, but it's already been going strong for a hundred and twenty-five years and shows no sign of fading. It covers a vast canvas of human thought, inspires some of our brightest minds to invent new technologies, and has the unique ability to laugh at itself. But who are the artists that shape this genre? Who are the folks that create these fantastic visions of other worlds for us? There are dozens of brilliant sci-fi authors and movie-makers – far too many to list here – but in this final instalment, and figuring some of you are looking for Christmas gift ideas, I wanted to introduce you to just a few of Canada's science fiction best:
Margaret Atwood is a pillar of Canadian literature. She's among the most-honoured authors of fiction in recent history, and while she might not be the first author who comes to mind when you're thinking science fiction, and she herself has certainly distanced herself from the "talking squids in outer space" sort of sci-fi, some of her books, led by the brilliant but chilling Handmaid's Tale, represent some of the finest works in the genre.
Robert J. Sawyer is a highly accomplished sci-fi author who has been heavily involved with supporting and developing Canadian science fiction. In addition to his 20 novels and a wide range of short fiction which have earned him more than 40 awards, he has contributed tremendously to Canada's literary future through his work as a professor and writer-in-residence. I personally am a huge fan of his Quintaglio Ascension trilogy, which depicts a highly-evolved dinosaur culture.
William Shatner is perhaps THE icon of science fiction, portraying Star Trek's Captain James T. Kirk for nearly forty years. In addition to his success as an author and his many film and TV roles, the Shat has created an entire industry around making fun of himself and the larger-than-life caricature we've all come to love and/or hate. I struggle to recommend one single item of his repertoire as the best, but I think my personal favourite would have to be the movie Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.
James Cameron is one of the most successful movie-makers in history, and his recent film Avatar shattered box-office records and wowed audiences worldwide with his fantastic vision of another world. Although most of his movies would rate high on my recommendation list, since we're talking sci-fi here, Avatar is the clear must-see. It's a stunning portrayal of humans on another world, with some clear messages about life on Earth today.
Kenneth Tam is a home-grown Canadian success story and a prolific writer with no less than 20 novels published, including his Equation series and the Defence Command series. He is actively involved with small publishing and the science fiction convention scene. I recommend his series His Majesty's New World for a fun escape.This is just a short list of science fiction notables, and just from my home country of Canada. No matter what your taste, no matter what your interests, I bet there is a sci-fi book, movie or TV show out there that you will love. So if you've never been interested in science fiction before, I challenge you to give it a try. Ask your friends, browse the bookstore or movie guide, and take a chance. I'll wager you won't be disappointed. Science fiction is great, and it's waiting there for you to discover. Enjoy the ride.
BRC
First published at Life as a Human
The Philosophy of Physics - Revisited
Date: 2012-02-12
So I've had a crisis of faith, recently. And ironically, the person who unwittingly challenged my faith would probably be horrified to know that I have any kind of faith at all, even if it was in him and what he stood for. I refer to my recent article The Danger Facing Modern Physics, where I expressed my disappointment at Dr. Stephen Hawking's assertion that philosophy is dead. The good thing is, his certainly is not the final word on the subject...
To read more, please see the full article at Life as a Human.
Does Canada Really Need the F-35?
Date: 2012-03-09
Does Canada need the F-35? This is a question that's been asked by many over past year and a half, ever since the government announced a single-source contract to purchase 65 of the still-under-development "fifth generation" advanced fighter aircraft. In the fall of 2010 I wrote in favour of this decision; although aghast at the nine billion dollar price tag for so few planes, I concluded that our air force needed the very best technology to make up for our ever-dwindling numbers. Having been watching this debate with great interest for the past 18 months, I'm afraid I have to reconsider my opinion...
To read more, please visit Life as a Human
