Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

[james_davis_nicoll]

A writer documents a brilliant scientist's final gift to the world.

Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

Comments

[brooksmoses]

I think you missed that I was proposing a different definition than carbonel -- I was
referring to fictional science, and the "if this is physically plausible" is an exploration of a specifically-chosen counterfactual.

[patrick_morris_miller]

Ook. I have no problem with a story having FTL in it - it's necessary if your hero is going to go to Tau Ceti and be back while her girlfriend is still a girl - and it can be fun to explore the consequences of the particular rubber science an author sprinkles over their FTL to disguise the taste of fantasy. It's the guys who go into tor.com threads and blather about wOrMhOlEs and AlCuBiErRrE that make me ralph.

[dwight_benjamin_thieme]

No, I did not miss it. Any handwave that results in ftl is highly implausible. Now, I know what you're going to say: that no, you're wrong, it is plausible. So where does that leave us? Do we get into an argument now, or do we simply let each other enjoy their brand of fictionication in peace?

[brooksmoses]

I find it fascinating that you believe I'm going to say that it is plausible, when I just said that a claim that it's plausible was counterfactual -- i.e., not true in our reality -- but whatever. I was answering a question from glaurung.

[dwight_benjamin_thieme]

I find it fascinating that you don't know what a modus ponens argument is. Do you want to keep going or are we done?

[brooksmoses]

Wow.

[dwight_benjamin_thieme]

"if this is physically plausible, what are the logical ramifications that it would cause, and how would that affect what's also possible?" explorations that are generally part of making it more believable.

Those are your words, are they not?

Wow yourself. And shrug. Enjoy reading what you like reading. I'll enjoy what I like reading. That is all.