Message-ID: <604@topaz.ARPA>
Date: Wed, 13-Feb-85 02:33:08 EST
Article-I.D.: topaz.604
Posted: Wed Feb 13 02:33:08 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 14-Feb-85 01:24:00 EST
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Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.
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From: Patrick_Duff 

   
   This message discusses pseudo-science (what would "pseudo-science 
fiction" be like?  Or could Fantasy be considered "pseudo-SF"?) related 
to various topics commonly found in science fiction and the bonus 
questions at the end of college physics exams.  Consider yourself warned.

   Suppose an average science fiction reader or an average physics student
were to find himself back in, say, the time of the Renaissance (14th to
16th century).  He might try to communicate his knowledge of relativity, 
jet planes, radio & television, the structure of the universe, and other 
ideas from modern science & technology to the scientists and engineers of 
that day.  Unfortunately, while many people have some knowledge of 
relativitity's ramifications, they probably could not provide a rigorous 
argument supporting them.  While they might know something about how radio 
or a jet works, they probably could not construct a working model or 
adequately explain the theory behind them.  In other words, they would  
have something interesting to write about, but would not be able to 
convince anyone that it was correct.  (Could you, to that audience?)

   On the other hand, suppose someone from a thousand years in our future
were to find himself in our time.  He might try to communicate his 
knowledge of hyper-quantum translation (or whatever), faster than light 
star drives, interstellar communication techniques, the underlying nature 
of reality, and other ideas from his time.  If he were just an average 
non-scientist, his limited familiarity with these things might give him 
something interesting to write about, but leave him unable to prove or 
demonstrate any of it in a convincing way.

   When reading two recent books I had that kind of impression, i.e.,
that there might be something to the author's ideas, but while he came 
tantalizingly close to making sense at times, his supporting arguments 
fell short of convincing me they were valid.  Let's just say that they 
are the most *entertaining* pseudo-science I've come across in the last 
few years.  Science fiction readers and writers will enjoy them for the 
"plausible" discussions of flying saucer drives, faster than light travel,
time travel, hyperspace, higher dimensions, etc..  At the very least, 
there are some good pseudo-explanations to provide excuses for all those 
things that one wants to have in SF stories.  Those interested in physics 
should enjoy trying to figure out exactly where the problems lie in the 
author's arguments, or trying to reconcile some of what he says with the 
rest of physics.  Of course, those of you who are actually from the future
may not get much out of these books;  perhaps you can come up with some 
comments to clear up some of the more obscure points for the rest of us.

   The first book described below mainly covers various applications;
the second one gets more into the underlying "theories":

   \How to Build a Flying Saucer: And Other Proposals in Speculative
Engineering/ by T. B. Pawlicki (ISBN 0-13-402461-3, Prentice-Hall, Inc.,
copyright 1981, $5.95 in softcover).  Table of Contents:  (1) Megalithic
Engineering: How to Build Stonehenge and the Pyramids with Bronze Age
Technology;  (2) This Crystal Planet: How to Create a Worldwide 
Communications Network--Still Using Bronze Age Technology;  (3) Beyond 
Velikovsky:  Einstein's Relativity Demonstrated, Mining Energy from Empty
Space, and the Green Hills of Mars;  (4) How to Build a Flying Saucer:  
After So Many Amateurs Have Failed;  (5) The Philosophers' Stone:  How to
Transmute the Elements by Engineering the Geometry of Standing Waves;  
(6) Time Travel:  How to Navigate the Streams of Time Through Hyperspace;  
Index.

   \How you can Explore Higher Dimensions of Space and Time:  An 
Introduction to the New Science of Hyperspace for Trekkies of all Ages/ 
by T. B. Pawlicki (ISBN 0-13-444043-9, Prentice-Hall, Inc., copyright 
1984, $6.95 in softcover).  Table of Contents:  Introduction;  (1) The 
Dance of Life;  (2) The Scientific Koan;  (3) What is Dimension?;  (4) 
The Six Dimensions of the Universal Hologram;  (5) A Scale Model of the
Universe;  (6) The Fine Art of Science;  (7) Beyond Infinity: Where did 
Einstein go Wrong?;  (8) The Sonic Field:  How to Generate Gravity with 
Sound;  (9) Exploring the Velocity Gradient;  (10) Trinity;  Epilogue: 
Journey to the End of the Universe;  Index.

   Bookstores don't seem to know how to catagorize these books;  I found
the first one in the SF section and the other one with the Religion books!

   regards, Patrick

   Patrick S. Duff, ***CR 5621***          pduff.ti-eg@csnet-relay
   5049 Walker Dr. #91103                  214/480-1905 (work)
   The Colony, TX 75056-1120               214/370-5363 (home)
   (a suburb of Dallas, TX)

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