Science Fiction and the Two Cultures : Essays on Bridging the Gap Between the Sciences and the Humanities

Westfahl, Gary (EDT); Slusser, George Edgar (EDT)

ISBN 10: 0786442972 / ISBN 13: 9780786442973

Published by McFarland, 2009

About this Item

Seller Inventory # 6332603-n

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Science Fiction and the Two Cultures : Essays on Bridging the Gap Between the Sciences and the Humanities
• Publisher: McFarland
• Publication Date: 2009
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0786442972
• ISBN 13: 9780786442973
• Binding: Soft cover
• Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

Essays in this volume demonstrate how science fiction can serve as a bridge between the sciences and the humanities. The essays show how early writers like Dante and Mary Shelley revealed a gradual shift toward a genuine understanding of science; how H.G. Wells first showed the possibilities of combining scientific and humanistic perspectives; how writers influenced by Gernsback's ideas, like Isaac Asimov, illustrated the ways that literature could interact with science and assist in its progress; and how more recent writers offer critiques of science and its practitioners.

About the Authors

Gary Westfahl, a professor emeritus at the University of La Verne, California, has authored, edited, or co-edited 35 books about science fiction and fantasy, and has written hundreds of articles and reviews. In 2003, he received the Science Fiction Research Association's Pilgrim Award for his lifetime contributions to science fiction and fantasy scholarship.

The late George Slusser was a professor emeritus of comparative literature at the University of California, Riverside. The longtime curator of the famed Eaton Collection of Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature, he also earned the Pilgrim Award for his numerous scholarly books.

Donald E. Palumbo is a professor of English at East Carolina University. He lives in Greenville, North Carolina.