| Title | : | Sci Phi Journal Issue #5, May 2015: The Journal of Science Fiction and Philosophy |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0994175884 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780994175885 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 184 |
| Publication | : | First published April 1, 2015 |
Fiction
The Keresztury TVirs by Ivan Popov, his first English language publication and telling the story of a dark future when technology leads in new directions.
God Eaters by Joshua M. Young, a story about what it means to be human and the struggle to live up to it in us all
George the Second by Gregory L. Norris, a tale about an unexpected consequence of cloning
The Great Teacher by Scott Chaddon, can a deity learn from its mistakes?
HMS Mangled Treasure by L. Jagi Lamplighter, a story that explores a strange realm of faeries, pirates and souls.
Non-Fiction Essays
Civic Militarism and Heinlein’s “Starship Troopers” by Patrick S. Baker, that muses on the society of the future and miliatary service
On Emotion Drugs by Jeffrey A. Corkern, the second installment of an exploration of the soul
The Ring of Gyges and Cloaking Technology in Star Trek by Victor Grech, that looks at the what it means to be invisible
Why we are here? by Roy Gray, an exploration of the nature of the universe and our place in it
The Philosophy of Serenity by Anthony Marchetta, that explores that segment of the Whedonverse.
Beyond the Mist, a serial novel by Ben Zwycky, continues with Chapters 8 and 9, while Peter Sean Bradley presents 4 new book reviews.
Sci Phi Journal Issue #5, May 2015: The Journal of Science Fiction and Philosophy Reviews
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Reading the new issue of Sci Phi Journal has been a surprisingly stimulating experience.
At the end of each story, there's a section called "Food for thought" and highlighting some of the questions posed by the story. I'm adding here the questions that came to me while reading:
- "The Keresztury TVirs":
Given that Internet TV is gradually replacing the older types, shouldn't we have witnessed the advent of these insidious bugs earlier? How many TV-transmitted viruses have already been developed (if any) and what do people use them for? (Given that I work on Linux, how much am I missing? ;)
Oh ... and since there's already
smart television, when will we have smarter TVs that can switch the channel automatically whenever the next commercial break barrages us? :D
- "God Eaters":
How much can cyborgization change a human being?
Can a believer in love and compassion justify killing another creature? In what situations?
Can you smile when you see a comparison between Communion and cannibalism? Why?
- "George the Second":
Can cloned versions of deceased people fill "the gap" in their families? To what extent will their traits and temperaments correspond to the "originals"?
How often does facing an old trauma exorcise it? How often does it aggravate it?
- "The Great Teacher":
Can we understand the actions and thought processes of long-lived/immortal creatures? Can they conform to our own level and make communication possible?
Is there such a thing as a "failure" on the cosmic/divine scale? What does it look like?
- "Civic Militarism and Heinlein’s Starship Troopers":
Have I been sorely mistaken about Heinlein's creed? Should I, after all, give him a chance? :)
- "On Emotion Drugs":
Which emotion drug had the author used as he started writing this essay--and sprinkling it with so many ALL CAPS and "man"? (I'm kidding. :) But I do suppose it was originally aimed at a younger audience and therefore mimicked their speech.)
Can we really throw together marijuana, on the one hand, and cocaine, heroine, ecstasy, on the other? Do they dissociate people from one another in the same way? Are they addictive to the same extent?
To what extent have I become dissociated from others by playing video games? Reading books? Writing here (rather than talking about these things with friends)?
Can a soul become spoiled or sociopathic, just like a human being? Will other souls shun it, just like human beings? What changes, what stays the same after we shed our mortal shells?
- "The Ring of Gyges and Cloaking Technology in Star Trek":
What fair purposes can invisibility be used for?
- "Why We Are Here?":
We're gradually becoming aware that the observer plays an important role for the results of the observation--but how important exactly?
(And should I run to finish reading
The Holographic Universe?)
- "The Philosophy of Serenity":
Should I re-watch Serenity? Was I too quick to judge when it first came out?
How do my friends find purpose in a completely materialist universe? Is it ever completely materialist? What do I miss when I lose my purpose?
- "HMS Mangled Treasure":
Why do we have so many autistic people nowadays? Are we becoming fay? Or fey? Or magic? (Paraphrasing Arthur C. Clarke, any sufficiently advanced species is indistinguishable from fairies.)
... I'll stop here lest my brain asplodes. You go and read the rest. And come share your own questions or discoveries. ;) -
Another good issue
This is becoming a habit of mine. Good short stories of fiction, Faith, and science with some short philosophy on the side
