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skepticism in fiction

Danniel

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Which are the best fictions (not necessarely Sci-F) in literature (including comics), movies and tv, which managed to succeed in creating an entertaining story, yet escaping from the cliché that the supernatural is blatantly true, and skeptics are in denial?


A few ones that I barely remember:

I think some seasons of Scooby Doo fit in that category for children; although I've always found it somewhat boring and pretictable ("let's split; me, Daphne and Velma will go that way, and you and Scooby go the other way", I think that something like that happened in all episodes), and to get worse, in the following seasons the supernatural became real. Fortunately it did not became significantly less boring.

I barely remember of a movie, probably from the late 80s, that was somewhat Scooby-Dooian in the good sense, although I think that the explanations were not the more scientifical possible (although natural). I remember of a holographic ring that was made to someone think that him or herself were a ghost or that it was a ghost ring, and that's all I remember. It was somehow made by mirrors with the real ring hidden under a glass and being "holographed" right above itself.

More recently, I've also watched one episode of another Scooby-Dooian series (live action, not animated) whose name I do not remember, but there was a somewhat cute girl in a motorcycle who was giving all the natural explanations, which seemed to be the real explanation, and that was what everybody concluded. But at the very end, part of the phenomena happened in a way that did not quite fit her explanations. I first interpreted it as something just to left an remnant mystery, but without deeply implying that the supernatural explanation was right. But some people told me that that series is in fact in a middle point between the "skepticals are in denial" and "the skepticals are right"; the skepticals seem to be right, but just because the real supernatural does not give any clue.



...
 
Encyclopedia Brown? I always liked those as a kid. :)

Hardy Boys were usually pretty good as well.
 
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I think some seasons of Scooby Doo fit in that category for children; although I've always found it somewhat boring and pretictable ("let's split; me, Daphne and Velma will go that way, and you and Scooby go the other way", I think that something like that happened in all episodes)
An episode of Johnny Bravo gave the real explanation for why Freddie and Daphne almost always went off on their own. ;)
 
I read Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco - ironically immediately after reading The DaVinci Code. Same subject (Knights Templar), two entirely different takes. Eco's book is decidedly more skeptical than Brown's.

It's more difficult to read, though.
 
The Intuitionist, by Colson Whitehead. It's a novel about a big city elevator inspection department with 2 schools of thought in elevator inspection technique: The Empiricists and the Intuitionists. The hero is an Intuitionist, but the ultimate thrust of this book takes quite an interesting turn. This is of special interest to avocational skeptics. I very highly recommend this book. As a matter of fact, I wish that Randi would read it and offer his thoughts.
 
Gee, Sherlock Holmes is too obvious. What about Sagan's Contact?

Clan of the Cave Bear went woo, but still showed us the best shamans trip their brains out....
 
I read Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco - ironically immediately after reading The DaVinci Code. Same subject (Knights Templar), two entirely different takes. Eco's book is decidedly more skeptical than Brown's.

It's more difficult to read, though.

Morrigan said:
The Name of the Rose.

I agree on both accounts. The only Umberton Eco book that hasn't been skeptical, that I've read, was Baudolino. There was a health dose of fantasy in that one.
 
I agree on both accounts. The only Umberton Eco book that hasn't been skeptical, that I've read, was Baudolino. There was a health dose of fantasy in that one.

I only got to read the first eighty pages or so before I was stupid enough to leave my copy at my parents', but wasn't part of the concept that Baudolino has a rather loose relationship with truth?

And on another note, I'm tempted to suggest Pratchett's "On Clay Feet" since, even though gods actually exist (and happily throw around lightning bolts) on Discworld, Dorfl's choice of atheism still makes a lot of sense.
 
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I'd have to say pretty much everything by Asimov.

Leif Roar - Does "Feet of Clay" have a different name in foriegn land? I've never understood why people do that.
 
I'd have to say pretty much everything by Asimov.

Leif Roar - Does "Feet of Clay" have a different name in foriegn land? I've never understood why people do that.

Nah, it's just just my memory that's going. Alas, I hardly knew it. Thename of the book is "Feet of Clay", of course.
 
I only got to read the first eighty pages or so before I was stupid enough to leave my copy at my parents', but wasn't part of the concept that Baudolino has a rather loose relationship with truth?
Yes, I'm certain it was intentionally written that way and it is still a great book. However, I didn't enjoy it quite as much as his other novels.
 
I only got to read the first eighty pages or so before I was stupid enough to leave my copy at my parents', but wasn't part of the concept that Baudolino has a rather loose relationship with truth?

And on another note, I'm tempted to suggest Pratchett's "On Clay Feet" since, even though gods actually exist (and happily throw around lightning bolts) on Discworld, Dorfl's choice of atheism still makes a lot of sense.

I recently started on the Discworld novels. I have a penchant for reading them in order, although I understand that it is rarely necessary. All of the books I've read so far have a skeptical/cynical edge to them. I thought Equal Rites was particularly amusing along those lines, with Headology as a form of magic.
 
I recently started on the Discworld novels. I have a penchant for reading them in order, although I understand that it is rarely necessary. All of the books I've read so far have a skeptical/cynical edge to them. I thought Equal Rites was particularly amusing along those lines, with Headology as a form of magic.

Small Gods is a corker for pointing out the absurdities of organised religion.
 
Small Gods is a corker for pointing out the absurdities of organised religion.

Also "Monstrous Regiment."

"Up to date? What do you mean, up to date?" said Vimes, looking puzzled. "Holy writs get ... written. Do this, don't do that, no coveting your neighbour's ox..."

"Um... Nuggan doesn't just leave it at that, sir. He, er ... updates things. Mostly the abominations, to be frank."

Vimes took a look at the new copy. It was noticeably thicker than the one he'd brought with him.

"It's what they call a Living Testament," Chinny explained. "They -- well, I suppose you can say they 'die' if they're taken out of Borogravia. They no longer ... get added to. The latest Abominations are at the end , sir," he said helpfully.

"This is a holy book with an appendix?"

"Exactly, sir."

"In a
ring binder?"

[...]

[Vimes] leafed through the pages and stopped.

"
The color blue?"

"Correct, sir."

"What's abominable about the color blue? It's just a color. The
sky is blue!"

"Yes, sir. Devote Nugganites try not to look at it these days. Um..." Chinny had been trained as a diplomat. Some things he didn't like to say directly.

"Nuggan sir ... um ... is rather ... tetchy," he managed.

"Tetchy?" said Vimes, "A
tetchy god? What, he complains about the noise their kids make? Objects to loud music after nine P.M.?"

"Um... we get the
Ankh-Morpork Times here, sir, eventually, and, er, I'd say, er, that Nuggan is very much like, er, the kind of people who write to its letter columns. You know, sir. The kind who sign their letters 'Disgusted with Ankh-Morpork'..."
 

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