Science Fiction Authors Are Modern Prophets

[Ducky]

Everyone back away from this. L. Ron Hubbard was a science fiction writer.

 

[Darat]

Evidence?

 

[Ducky]

Evidence?

You're asserting he wasn't a true Scotsman sci-fi writer?

Ok you can check some of his publications here.

Quoted:

Novels

* Under the Black Ensign (1935)
* Buckskin Brigades (1937), ISBN 0-88404-280-4
* Slaves of Sleep (1939)
* Ultimate Adventure, the (1939)
* Final Blackout (1940), ISBN 0-88404-340-1
* Indigestible Triton, the (1940)
* The Automagic Horse (1940) published (1994)
* Death's Deputy (1948)
* Return to Tomorrow (1950)
* The Masters of Sleep (1948)
* The Kingslayer (1949)
* Fear (1951), ISBN 0-88404-599-4
* Typewriter in the Sky (1951), ISBN 0-88404-933-7
* Return to Tomorrow (1954)
* The Ultimate Adventure (1970)
* Ole Doc Methuselah (1953), ISBN 0-88404-653-2
* Seven Steps to the Arbiter (1975)
* Battlefield Earth (1982), ISBN 0-312-06978-2
* Mission Earth 1. The Invaders Plan (1985)
* Mission Earth 2. Black Genesis (1986)
* Mission Earth 3. The Enemy Within (1986)
* Mission Earth 4. An Alien Affair (1986)
* Mission Earth 5. Fortune of Fear (1986)
* Mission Earth 6. Death Quest (1986)
* Mission Earth 7. Voyage of Vengeance (1987)
* Mission Earth 8. Disaster (1987)
* Mission Earth 9. Villainy Victorious (1987)
* Mission Earth 10. The Doomed Planet (1987)
* Ai! Pedrito! When Intelligence Goes Wrong (1998)
* Very Strange Trip, a (1999)

Short fiction

* The Dangerous Dimension Astounding Science Fiction, July 1938,
* The Tramp (Part 1), Astounding Science Fiction, September 1938,
* The Tramp (Part 2), Astounding Science Fiction, October 1938,
* The Tramp (Part 3), Astounding Science Fiction, November 1938
* General Swamp, C.I.C. (Part 1), Astounding Science Fiction, Aug 1939 (as Frederick Engelhardt)
* General Swamp, C.I.C. (Part 2), Astounding Science Fiction, Sep 1939 (as Frederick Engelhardt)
* This Ship Kills! Astounding Science Fiction, November 1939 (as Frederick Engelhardt)
* Danger in the Dark Unknown, May 1939
* The Ghoul Unknown, August 1939
* Vanderdecken Unknown, December 1939 (as Frederick Engelhardt)
* The Professor Was a Thief, Astounding Science Fiction, February 1940
* Final Blackout (Part 1), Astounding Science Fiction, April 1940,
* Final Blackout (Part 2), Astounding Science Fiction, May 1940,
* Final Blackout (Part 3), Astounding Science Fiction, June 1940,
* The Kraken Unknown Fantasy Fiction, June 1940 (as Frederick Engelhardt)
* Fear Unknown Fantasy Fiction, July 1940
* The Idealist Astounding Science Fiction, July 1940 (as Kurt von Rachen)
* The Kilkenny Cats Astounding Science Fiction, September 1940 (as Kurt von Rachen)
* The Devil's Rescue Unknown Fantasy Fiction, October 1940,
* One Was Stubborn Unknown Fantasy Fiction, October 1940, (as Rene La Fayette)
* Typewriter in the Sky (Part 1), Unknown Fantasy Fiction, November 1940
* Typewriter in the Sky (Part 2), Unknown Fantasy Fiction, December 1940
* The Traitor Astounding Science Fiction, January 1941 (as Kurt von Rachen)
* History Class, 2133 A.D. Thrilling Wonder Stories, January 1941 (as Frederick Engelhardt)
* The Crossroads Unknown Fantasy Fiction, February 1941, (1941)
* The Mutineers Astounding Science Fiction, April 1941, (as Kurt von Rachen)
* The Case of the Friendly Corpse Unknown Fantasy Fiction, August 1941,
* Borrowed Glory, Unknown Worlds, October 1941, (1941)
* The Last Drop, Astonishing Stories, November 1941, (with L. Sprague de Camp)
* The Invaders,Astounding Science Fiction, January 1942,
* The Rebels Astounding Science Fiction, February 1942, (as Kurt von Rachen)
* He Didn't Like Cats Unknown Worlds, February 1942
* The Room, Unknown Worlds, April 1942,
* Strain, Astounding Science Fiction, April 1942,
* The Slaver, Astounding Science Fiction, June 1942,
* Space Can, Astounding Science Fiction, July 1942
* The Beast, Astounding Science Fiction, October 1942
* The Great Secret, Science Fiction Stories, April 1943,
* The End Is Not Yet (Part 1), Astounding Science Fiction, August 1947
* The End Is Not Yet (Part 2), Astounding Science Fiction, September1947
* The End Is Not Yet (Part 3), Astounding Science Fiction, October 1947
* Ole Doc Methuselah, Astounding Science Fiction, October 1947 (as René Lafayette)
* The Expensive Slaves Astounding Science Fiction, November 1947 (as René Lafayette)
* Her Majesty's Aberration, Astounding Science Fiction, March 1948 (as René Lafayette)
* The Obsolete Weapon, Astounding Science Fiction, May 1948
* The Great Air Monopoly Astounding Science Fiction, September 1948, (as René Lafayette)
* When Shadows Fall, Startling Stories, July 1948,
* 240,000 Miles Straight Up, Thrilling Wonder Stories, December 1948
* Forbidden Voyage, Startling Stories, January 1949, (as René Lafayette)
* The Magnificent Failure, Startling Stories, March 1949, (as René Lafayette)
* Plague! , Astounding Science Fiction, April 1949, (as René Lafayette)
* The Conroy Diary, Astounding Science Fiction, May 1949, (as René Lafayette)
* The Incredible Destination, Startling Stories, May 1949, (as René Lafayette)
* A Sound Investment, Astounding Science Fiction, June 1949, (as René Lafayette)
* The Unwilling Hero, Startling Stories, July 1949, (as René Lafayette)
* A Matter of Matter, Astounding Science Fiction, August 1949,
* Beyond the Black Nebula, Startling Stories, September 1949, (as Rene LaFayete)
* The Automagic Horse, Astounding Science Fiction, October 1949
* The Planet Makers, Thrilling Wonder Stories, October 1949,
* The Emperor of the Universe, Startling Stories, November 1949, (as René Lafayette)
* A Can of Vacuum, Astounding Science Fiction, December 1949
* The Last Admiral, Startling Stories, January 1950, (as René Lafayette)
* Beyond All Weapons, Super Science Stories, January 1950
* Ole Mother Methuselah, Astounding Science Fiction, January 1950, (as René Lafayette)
* Greed, Astounding Science Fiction, April 1950,
* Battling Bolto, Thrilling Wonder Stories, August 1950,
* The Final Enemy Super Science Stories, September 1950,
* Tough Old Man Startling Stories, November 1950,

Ok I just noticed someone snuck books into the wiki article published after he died. What the **** is up with that? Stupid Scientologist propaganda machine.

However, there are plenty of works before he died, and those seem to be accurate based on what I've read into him.

 

[Ducky]

To be clear: I'm not asserting he was good or that he should be taken seriously in any regard. He was a sci-fi writer, though. Be careful what you paint with a broad brush. I'd say it's better to say *certain* sci-fi writers got many things right before their time, lest you lend credence to Scientology, for instance.

 

[Foster Zygote]

Oh yeah... The narrator in A Logic Named Joe: Ducky. Prophetic indeed.

 

[Foster Zygote]

Futurama

I thought of it the other day when the episode "Where No Fan Has Gone Before" was on and they had the "Church of Star Trek".

They had a great Scientology joke in there too. The sign outside the Christine Chapel reads "First Church of Trek: The Science Fiction Religion That Doesn't Take All Your Money".

 

[Pope130]

In "Lost Legacy" Heinlein not only predicted the cell phone, he also predicted leaving it behind so the bloody thing wouldn't bother you during lunch.

 

[linusrichard]

Anyone else excited to get their hands on the new Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy United States?

 

[TraneWreck]

Any of you ever read about current events and think "Why the hell are they doing that, didn't they see ________ (fill in science fiction movie)?"

I thought that when I read about the attempts to clone a wooly mammoth. (Jurassic Park)

I can see the main thrust of your argument, and I don't disagree. You could add to your list any science fiction story from the first half to middle part of the 20th century that focused on the danger nuclear weapons posed to human existence. I think it's necessary that non-scientists continually evalute the broad ramifications of sceintific inquiry, and Sci-Fi is a wonderful medium for society to think through such issues.

That being said, they are still fiction writers. Jurrasic Park is a pretty stupid book when you move beyond the exciting ideas about cloning and genetic modification. Chrichton wanted to use chaos theory to create a morality tale about man's inability to control nature.

Now, I would never argue that we have complete dominance over genetic modification and the adaptive power of natural selection, the current Swine-flu hysteria, over-blown as it is, shows our limitations, but the book becomes pretty silly in its attempt to humble mankind. You really think we can't make a cage strong enough to hold a T-rex or sophisticated enough to keep a raptor from escaping? Badass as they are, I will place my money on the hairless ape if the two groups should ever meet as adversaries.

Certainly genetic modification and the resuscitation of ancient, extinct species could present a host of unforseen issues, but to say, as you did in the OP, that it would be ridiculous to clone a mammoth because of Jurassic Park treats these writers as divine prophets instead of the men that they are.

To sum up my point, the issues raised by sci-fi writers are important and necessary in this modern, scientific age, but you can't take their work as holding more power than it really does. In a sense, that's reducting sci-fi to a psuedoscience: if I write a book about a country that has its autism rates shoot through the roof because they are over-vaccinating their children, should I be considered a prophet? Ultimately decisions to move forward will have to be based on actual science, though writers and philosophers should have an important role in making sure we progress thoughtfully.

 

[godless dave]

Or, if you prefer, thanks to his warnings, the dangers were prevented.

I thought of that when you were writing that. While I don't think his stories specifically played a part, it is true that the organ donation system in the US has very stringent controls to prevent some of the things he was writing about.

He also underestimated how big a problem tissue rejection would be.

1984 was a warning.

UK Home Secretary Jaqui Smith seems to think it was an instruction manual.

 

[westprog]

I thought of that when you were writing that. While I don't think his stories specifically played a part, it is true that the organ donation system in the US has very stringent controls to prevent some of the things he was writing about.

He also underestimated how big a problem tissue rejection would be.

There have been cases of people murdered for their kidneys, or having body parts bought for a pittance, but it's still rare enough. It's just too complicated a procedure still, and by the time they sort out the bugs we'll have cloned organs anyway.

UK Home Secretary Jaqui Smith seems to think it was an instruction manual.

In order to preserve our fundamental freedoms, it is necessary to repress the exercise of them.

 

[badnewsBH]

I think Jules Verne and H. G. Wells are often credited with doing exactly what is described here.

 

[westprog]

I think Jules Verne and H. G. Wells are often credited with doing exactly what is described here.

Verne was much better at making predictions, but Wells was the better writer. Indeed, he's still the most important SF writer, having invented several of the most important themes from scratch.

It's notable that when Spielberg wants to make a film about alien invasion, he makes War Of The Worlds. That's because after a hundred years it's still the best as well as the first. Did it have any predictive value whatsoever? No, not really, apart from the mere possibility of space travel, which Wells and Verne both covered elsewhere. Doesn't matter though. SF does more than guess what's going to happen.

 

[Harpyja]

I thought that when I read about the attempts to clone a wooly mammoth. (Jurassic Park)

The real problem with Jurassic Park was that they had to fill in the genes by using genes of modern-day animals. Their attempts to render the animals sterile didn't work. I can't remember specifically why - perhaps either because they used hermaphroditic reptiles/amphibians or that some mutation allowed them to reproduce. Besides, in my opinion I don't see any real danger in cloning a large herbivore species - and if they try to clone Velociraptors, Jurassic Park buffs are going to be very disappointed.

 

[Earthborn]

Their attempts to render the animals sterile didn't work. I can't remember specifically why - perhaps either because they used hermaphroditic reptiles/amphibians or that some mutation allowed them to reproduce.

The film mentions that they tried to produce only females but used frog DNA to fill in the gaps (one wonders whether bird DNA would have been more appropriate) and that some frogs can change sex.

Besides, in my opinion I don't see any real danger in cloning a large herbivore species

I think that was another big mistake in the science of Jurassic Park: the assumption that large herbivores would have been as docile as "big cows". In reality non-domesticated large herbivores tend to be highly aggressive and dangerous: hippos, rhinos, wildebeest, African elephants... Just because an animal has no interest in eating you does not make it harmless; especially not if it is an animal that has to be aggressive to fight off predators.

 

[Darth Rotor]

Orson Scott Card did a nice job, back in 1970 something, predicting and describing the internet/www as a political discourse medium in his book Ender's Game.

 

[slingblade]

Along with laptop computers ("desks") for schoolkids.

 

[six7s]

Better than science fiction writers were Firesign Theater.

I'm not familiar with them... Are you sure you're not merely counting the hits and overlooking the misses?

They predicted such things as a moneyless society (everybody just had a charge card).

Was this post-1950 (when Diners Card launched)?

They envisioned e-vacations where you just sit back and view images from your room as well as ordering everything on-line. They predicted a series of "oil wars". They foresaw lots of interaction with voice-recognition machines and deceptively pseudo-intelligent robots.

I'd be more surprised if fiction writers hadn't thought of this kind of stuff before something similar eventuated

 

[westprog]

Orson Scott Card did a nice job, back in 1970 something, predicting and describing the internet/www as a political discourse medium in his book Ender's Game.

He had his main characters blogging, which was certainly quite prescient. But he hugely overestimates their influence - but that's due more to his fondness for the concept of the super-child who changes the whole world.

 

[Foster Zygote]

Verne was much better at making predictions, but Wells was the better writer. Indeed, he's still the most important SF writer, having invented several of the most important themes from scratch.

It's notable that when Spielberg wants to make a film about alien invasion, he makes War Of The Worlds. That's because after a hundred years it's still the best as well as the first. Did it have any predictive value whatsoever? No, not really, apart from the mere possibility of space travel, which Wells and Verne both covered elsewhere. Doesn't matter though. SF does more than guess what's going to happen.

One thing that struck me about War of the Worlds was Wells' description of the war machines. These weren't clunky, clumsy mechanical monstrosities lumbering along. They were graceful and swift, made of aluminum (an expensive, high tech material in the late 19th century), and articulated by artificial muscles rather than gears and shafts.

And yet, they communicated by sound. This still strikes me as an over-site given that radio (or "wireless" to Wells) was cutting edge technology at the time of writing.