In space, no one is listening anyway
POSTED BY: SittingDuck
UPDATED: Wednesday, May 12, 2004 14:31
VIEWED: 8045
PAGE 4 of 4
I always liked the no sound in space but, on a similar note, at first I didn't really like the various 'holographic' items which cropped up throughout the show - the window in TTJ, the pool table in Shindig, the fence in Safe, the scanner in Ariel - because it messed with the theme of realism in the show. Then of course we have the various 'floating' things (chandelier, whole estates in Trash!) and River's psychic ability. But after thinking about it for a while, I started to wonder what they would do if they had to take all this window dressing out. Would the show be as good? Probably not, because all these little additions add colour, scientifically sound or not. True hard sci-fi will probably never make it to the small screen - Firefly is probably the closest we'll ever get 
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I am disappointed that so many sci-fi fans seem to misunderstand science.
1) Einstein and all other physicists, have never proved anything. They have created theories. Those theories have never been proven. There is in fact no mechanism (within science) by which they can be proven.
2) Just because they are 'only' theories does not diminish them in any way. What diminishes them is being shown not to match reality. Theories which seem to agree with reality are 'successful', ones which do not are less successful (though often very useful). Newtonian mechanics is still taught even though there are more successful theories which describe the same phenomena, because it is simpler.
3) Science isn't that only method for determining reality, just currently the most successful one.
4) FTL disagrees with most currently successful theories. The drive in Serenity disagrees with _all_ the theories that I am aware of. Please don't make Joss explain it, it will only make it worse.
5) Proclaiming that witches have never existed and never will exist seems a bit presumptuous. How do you know? How do you define a 'witch' anyway? Is someone who uses a potion of willow bark to cure pain, a witch or a doctor? What about one who uses a potion of mastadon hair? If witchcraft works, and science eventually 'figures out' how, does that mean it isn't witchcraft? There is no phenomenon which science considers to be outside its purview, so if witchcraft is 'defined' as those things which are outside of science, then you have 'defined' it out of existence. Doesn't make anything a witch does any less real.
6) my trouble with the holograms isn't scientific (most of that stuff is within current science, if not current technology), it is economic. Is it really cheaper to have holographic pool balls rather than real ones? If not cheaper is it a better experience for the players? I maintain the answer to these is likely to always remain 'no'. Is a holographic window in any way better than a glass one? maybe if people are thrown through it often enough, I guess. :-)
7) The floating chandelier is well within the established limits of gravity control shown in _serenity_. And seems just the sort of thing rich people would do. As to its plausibility, I doubt you will find anyone credible who will say they know how gravity works.
Thank You Kindly.
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Quote:
Originally posted by corwyn:
6) my trouble with the holograms isn't scientific (most of that stuff is within current science, if not current technology), it is economic. Is it really cheaper to have holographic pool balls rather than real ones? If not cheaper is it a better experience for the players? I maintain the answer to these is likely to always remain 'no'. Is a holographic window in any way better than a glass one? maybe if people are thrown through it often enough, I guess. :-)
"most of that stuff is within current science, if not current technology"
Really? We can see objects because light reflects off of them so how exactly would we see a 'hologram' projected into thin air? Everyone must have seen the high school science experiment where your teacher points a laser at the wall - you see a red dot on the wall but no beam until he scatters chalk dust in its path.
And yes, of course, you are right that most of these 'improvements' also make little economic sense.
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"In space, no one is listening anyway" hmmmn.. surely its a matter of perspective. When inside a spacecraft and the engines ignite I think one would hear them.
As for FTL.. all you have to do is "fold space" hasnt anyone read "Dune"? I know you think I am being facetious but I believe in the distant future this will be a reality and Steven Hawking agrees with me.
Jayne - "Nice move, dumbass"
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Quote:
Originally posted by Ghoulman:Quote:
Originally posted by SittingDuck:
I'm not a published writer. While I've written some RPG material that is posted on a couple of Internet pages, I'm not too good at fiction. I have trouble with dialogue. As to that line, it's a chapter title from a book by a certain British author who is quite popular.
Speaking of fiction, I've had an idea for a Reaver based fanfic. But as I've said, I'm not much good at writing fiction. If anyone wants to use it, just send me a private message. So far, I just have a very loose out line and the title, "Tastes Like Chicken".
Well ya gotta tell me who this writer is! Tastes like chicken... heh heh. I think I've heard an Argentine soccer player say that once.
The author in question is Terry Pratchett. One percent of ALL books sold in Britain are written by him. The book that chapter title came from is Only You Can Save Mankind, which had a lot of Alien jokes in it.
You have the right to the remains of a silent attorney. If you cannot afford one, tough noogies!
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