Would you destroy the first, most advanced, new iPhone to exist for decades if Siri killed all of your friends? Arthur C. Clarke was an English science fiction author and astronomy enthusiast who wrote in the 20th century. The Space Odyssey series by Arthur C. Clarke tells the fictional stories of spacemen as they try to find out the truth about life away from Earth. Arthur Clarke writes the way he does because he has been interested in science all his life, he writes about things that he believes will be the reality of the future, and he writes about his experiences in life. Arthur Clarke has shown interest in science and astronomy since very early in his life. Clarke was born on 12/16/1917. Though he was a farmer's son, he liked to look Examples of human evolution are shown early in 2001 when Monolith first landed on earth and started to evolve the brains of the early ancestor of the humans, specifically one called Moonwatcher. “Moonwatcher felt the first faint twinges of a new and potent emotion.” [Clarke, Arthur C., and Stanley Kubrick. 2001; a Space Odyssey. New York: New American Library, 1968. Print.] this new and potent emotion was lust, envy, wanting more. Moonwatcher began to evolve, he and his species began to use tools to expand their range of hunting and to protect themselves. Clarke had a knack for predicting future technologies way ahead of time. In 2001 we see HAL, which is the first example of artificial intelligence in the series. Hal is also an example of a prediction of future technologies. Hal is a machine with the mind of a human, designed to carry out requests placed by humans, just like Apple’s Siri, Microsoft’s Cortana, Google’s Google Now, or Amazon’s Alexa. Clarke also writes about his predictions about the failure of technology. “Hal is given two conflicting messages by Mission Control and at the same time has never been programmed to lie. The resulting conflict, a sort of giant short circuit, drives him crazy.” Clarke puts many of his ideas in his writing and turns them Clarke was born into poverty and you could say he “Evolved” into knighthood. Clarke claimed himself that one of his novels, “Glade Path” was based off his own personal experiences directly.You see an evolution of the human spirit and intelligence. A human can get smarter in their own lifetime or over a course of thousands or millions of years evolve into a smarter creature that is born with the intellect of today's geniuses. Clarke used his experiences in the Air Force to write about futuristic air and spacecrafts. When you stare up at the stars on a clear night, you wonder how something so majestic could have been created. Clarke turned that wonder into the idea of an all knowing Monolith that created humans and is responsible for all of mankind’s achievements. Clarke had always wanted to see proof of some sort of non-earthican species exist somewhere in
B. Separated from her husband in their prime years, and hardened from the frauds of men, Penelope, unlike her son, does not welcome Odysseus back with open arms. She refuses to acknowledge him as her Lord until she tests his knowledge of their secret sign. Uncertain whether he is true, she tries him by ordering to her maid to make up a bed for him and move it back to the bedchamber Odysseus had built with his own hands, therefore stating that she had moved their pact and pledge, even though it was mortally impossible. At this, Odysseus, stung and outraged at his wife for moving his handicraft and their secret sign, describes their special bed, an old trunk of an olive tree as a pillar for the building plot, a stump he carved and used as their bedpost, inlaid them all with silver, gold and ivory, and the stretched bed in between, which was a pliant web of oxide thong dyed crimson. Penelope runs to him, throwing her arms around his neck, kisses him, and immediately apologizes for her mistrust and suspicion, and promises that her heart is his. Through this, she rejoices her husband’s return, and that she no longer had to arm herself from suitors who seek to replace her husband, whom she faithfully waited for. She was finally reunited with her husband, and could love again.
The Odyssey is a tale that has changed literature and storytelling. In this tale Odysseus is a Soldier from the battle of Troy trying to get home to his island of Ithaca, where he is king. His wife and son must wait ten years while he is trying to make his way home. In Odysseus’s absence wooer’s, or better known as suitors, learn of his absence and travel to Ithaca to win his wife’s hand in marriage. These men come every day feasting on Odysseus’s food and wine, and give his servant’s orders. His son Telemachus, does his best to keep the suitors from ruining his fathers house but he is only a boy, and doesn’t receive the respect of an adult. Telemachus then has a visit from the god Athena, whom Odysseus is friends with, who advises him to travel to find out about his father. In his travels he hears that Odysseus may still be alive. Meanwhile Odysseus goes through a series of adventures and hardships that prove his wisdom. It is interesting in contrast of the Iliad, even though Achilles was much stronger and a better warrior, Odysseus was portrayed as a greater hero due to his wisdom. He uses this wisdom to escape from the Cyclops.
Homer’s poem The Odyssey depicts the tendency of people to ignore the consequences of their actions. Odysseus punished Penelope’s suitors without thinking of consequences that he would have to endure. He did not acknowledge the consequences because that would prevent him from doing what he wants to do. Odysseus wanted to kill the suitors; they ate away at his fortune. Finding consequences for murdering the suitors would force Odysseus to realize what he is about to do is not a good idea. Odysseus chose to ignore the consequences and killed the suitors anyway. Odysseus had absolutely no reason to kill the suitors; they had the right to stay in his home because Penelope made them feel welcome, Penelope and Telemachus both told them that Odysseus was dead, and although Telemachus told them to leave, he did not have the right to do so.
In book eight of Homer’s The Odyssey, Odysseus is on the island of the Phaeacians and is waiting to return home to Ithaca. Meanwhile, Alcinous, the Phaeacian king, has arranged for a feast and celebration of games in honor of Odysseus, who has not yet revealed his true identity. During the feast, a blind bard named Demodocus sings about the quarrel between Odysseus and Achilles at Troy. The song causes Odysseus to start weeping, so Alcinous ends the feast and orders the games to begin. During dinner after the games, Odysseus asks Demodocus to sing about the Trojan horse and the sack of Troy. This song too causes Odysseus to break down and cry. Homer uses a dramatic simile to describe the pain and sorrow that Odysseus feels as he recalls the story of Troy.
In the short story “The Fun They Had” by Issac Asimov, the author uses thoughtful reflections to indirectly express Margie’s unenthusiasm towards the school in 2157. During school, Margie’s feelings towards the school was revealed when she “…was thinking about how the kids must have loved it (school) in the old days” and was also “…thinking about the fun they had” (Asimov 2). Reflection is employed here to portray Margie’s comparison with her current school and the old school. Her thought of how kids in the past must have loved school suggests that Margie is not loving her school much as these kids, but really it is the opposite of them. In addition, Margie’s prediction of kids in the past having fun in their school stimulates readers to conclude
Keith Henson a writer in evolutionary psychology once said that “Evolution acts slowly. Our psychological characteristics today are those that promoted reproductive success in the ancestral environment.” Evolution was first introduced by a naturalist by the name of Charles Darwin. Darwin had written an autobiography, at the age of 50, On the Origin of Species (1859) explaining how species evolve through time by natural selection; this theory became known as Darwinism. “Verlyn Klinkenborg, who writes editorials and vignettes on science and nature for the “New York Times”” (Muller 706) questions Darwin’s theory in one of his essays he wrote called Darwin at 200: The Ongoing Force of His Unconventional Idea. Both articles talk about the theory of Darwinism, but the authors’ use different writing techniques and were written in different time periods. Darwin himself writes to inform us on what the theory is, where as Klinkenborg goes on to explain why Darwinism is just a theory. Today, evolution is still a very controversial topic among many. It comes up in several topics that are discussed everyday such as in politics, religion and education.
C.S Lewis is the author of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Warrdrobe. Lewis was born on November 29, 1898, in Belfast, Ireland. He was born Clive Staples Lewis to Flora August Hamilton Lewis and Albert J. Lewis. Lewis’s mother passed away when he was on ten years old. After his mother died he went on to get his pre-college education at boarding schools and he also received help from a tutor. Lewis served in World War I with the English Army, but unfortunately was sent home when he was wounded. Lewis was a graduate of Oxford University with a focus on classic philosophy and literature. As a child, he was disappointed with the Christian faith, but when he became older he found himself embracing Christianity. During World War II, he gave popular radio broadcasts on Christianity and they won many converts. Lewis’ speeches were collected in Mere Christianity. In the year of 1954, C.S. Lewis joined the staff of Cambridge University as a literature professor. He met an English teacher by the name of Joy Gresham and in 1956 they married each other and became a happily married family. The two were joyful during their marriage; unfortunately in 1960, the wife became ill with cancer died. Lewis began publishing his works in the mid- 1920s. Lewis started to publish The Chronicles of Narnia during the 1950s. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was the first in the seven book series to be released. This was the story of four siblings who discovered a wardrobe with a magical land in the back of it (“Clives…”). In The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Lewis describes Aslan, Edmund, and Lucy.
The monsters of Homer’s The Odyssey as written by Robert Fitzgerald all share traits in common, but there is always the small differences which make each close encounter more gripping than the last. When the not-so-glorious Odysseus, son of Laertes just manages to elude the cannibalistic clutches of the blinded Kyklops (IX) and takes to the high seas, he becomes arrogant and taunts his nemesis. He does not realize this, but the very words he uttered then sets the holy executioner upon the necks of his crew. Every island he passes or makes port at, his men become feasts for native monsters; however upon the beautiful island of Aiolia his men are not eaten, nor do they die at the hands of any mortal or immortal foe. What is so significant about Kirke and what does she represent? Is there any value in dominance? The hidden truths that lie within her are things only the Muse of Minstrels could tell until now.
In 2001: A Space Odyssey, the betterment of mankind ultimately is his undoing. The first true AI, HAL. Considered to be 100% error proof fails and murders several humans whose lives he was entrusted with. 2001: A Space Odyssey continues to demonstrate the theme of man vs. nature through the scientists interaction with the obelisk, and Bowman's travel through the solar system. It is considered to be a classic because of the very stylistic camera shots and odd yet entirely working film score.
The evolution of humans was (and is) a very important time. The first being of evolution was Australopithecus Afarensis or “Lucy”. Then we moved on to Homo erectus and Homo Neanderthal. When the weather got hotter, we were Homo Sapiens Sapiens and finally, the modern man. This evolution did not happen overnight. It took millions of years. The past is hardly forgotten, but the imminent is next.
When most people think of artificial intelligence they might think of a scene from I, Robot or from 2001: A Space Odyssey. They might think of robots that highly resemble humans start a revolution against humanity and suddenly, because of man’s creation, man is no longer the pinnacle of earth’s hierarchy of creatures. For this reason, it might scare people when I say that we already utilize artificial intelligence in every day society. While it might not be robots fighting to win their freedom to live, or a defense system that decides humanity is the greatest threat to the world, artificial intelligence already plays a big role in how business is conducted today.
H.G Wells once said; “Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe”. Wells was named “The man who invented tomorrow” for he was an influential scientific member of society throughout his life and still today. Wells was intrigued by the evolution of the world and how he could perfect its flaws. This led to the contribution of his science fiction works. All of Wells works were written due to his dedication and interests in science, politics, and loss of faith and religion throughout his life.
In the 1950s, Norbert Wiener made an observation on feedback theory, that all intelligent behavior is the result of feedback machines. The best example of a feedback machine would be a thermostat, which records the temperature in the room and compares it to the wanted temperature, and then changes the heat based on the difference between the two. Also in 1950, Alan Turing developed the Turing Test. A person asks another human, called the foil, and a computer questions via keyboard and screen, then try to tell which one is the computer. This is repeated with different foils and questioners, if many people cannot tell the difference between the two, then the computer can be considered intelligent. In 1955 Herbert Simon and Alan Newell developed The Logic Theorist, which is considered the first AI program. It would visualise the problem given as a tree diagram, then choose the branch that is most likely to solve the problem. In 1956, John Mccarthy organized a conference he called “The Dartmouth summer research project on Artificial Intelligence.” Though the conference was not successful, the topics discussed there led to more research later on. From then on, this fiel...
Arthur C. Clarke was born in 1917 in Minehead, Somerset. His mother was Nora Clarke and his father was Charles Wright Clarke. He had two brothers, Frederick and Michael and one sister, Mary. There were many events that helped to shape him and his writing style. The first major event in his early life was his first plane ride. He went on a Avro 504 biplane with his mother in 1927, this ride remained in his mind forever, and as he progressed as a writer it fueled his science fiction from jet-planes to space travel. Soon thereafter in 1928 Arthur read his first science fiction magazine. At the young age of twelve he began to develop his almost fanatic obsession with Science Fiction. This forever curved his path towards writing Science Fiction. Also in early 1930 Olaf Stapledon's Last and First Men was published, this beautifully written piece of science fiction was to have a profound effect on Clarke's writing. The last major event in Clarke's early life is on a sadder note. His father died in 1931 when Clarke was only 14 years old. As a result most of the major characters in his novels perish. (www.acclarke)
I wonder why sometimes people are afraid of their intelligence. Don’t imagine your life without technology because the progression of technology will never stop, and it will continue to benefit us. As technology advances, our society is able to advance also. Instead of tangle with how technology causes laziness or distracts us from what is important, it would better to think about how to use technology to make our life better.