Re: Evolution in science fiction

[tjshaw@ualberta.ca]

I have always been a fan of David Brin's Uplift Saga which utilizes  
the process of biological uplift. Essentially nature will allow for  
evolution to pre-sapient life but intelligence is always the result of  
uplift (ie tampering) of the species by other races. One of the major  
problems in the series is that humans do not seem to have a patron  
race (leading some humans to believe that we "uplifted" ie evolved  
intelligence out selves).
   -Tyler Shaw

Quoting "Jeff Hecht" <jeff@jeffhecht.com>:

> I'm going to be moderating a panel this weekend at a science fiction  
> convention called Readercon in suburban Boston. The title is "Is  
> Darwinism Too Good for SF?" and it's asking if evolutionary theory  
> "has been _too good_, too unassailable and too full of explanatory  
> power, to leave the wiggle room where speculative minds can play"  
> that science fiction writers need to write memorable stories. Are  
> there evolutionary counterparts of time travel and faster-than-light?
>
> I know a few science-fiction fans are on the list, and I'm curious  
> how you'd answer those questions. Stephen Jay Gould's idea that  
> trying to repeat evolution wouldn't produce the same results comes  
> to my mind. What comes to yours?
>
>
> --
> Jeff Hecht, science & technology writer
> jeff@jeffhecht.com or jhecht@nasw.org
> 525 Auburn St., Auburndale, MA 02466 USA
> tel. 617-965-3834  http://www.jeffhecht.com