Research Book - Post #3: 21-31

          Unlike what pop-culture likes to believe today, that science fiction literature was only a recent creation, the literary genre had actually been around since around 430 BC. Writings of that time collected more religious and fantasy elements into them than modern sci-fi. Today, they would seem to be fantasy works of literature. They were adventure-romances that integrated flight into the sky and space. Both were seen as the same thing. Space was an extension to the sky, and so it was thought possible for people to fly to the moon or sun. However, other objects in the sky were still thought of as perfect "heavenly bodies". One such example would be the stars, which you could not reach like the sun and moon. An early writer, Euripides was the first to creat stories of sci-fi, but he would never go farther than the sun and moon during his adventures into space. Restricting his stories to "arial exploration". The author Marcus Tullius on the other hand was the writer of the earliest surviving text of cosmic travel. He depicted seeing other stars that could to be seen from the Earth, and the Milky-way Galaxy as well. Moving further forward in time to around 120 AD, the author who was thought to be the first to write science fiction, Lucian, emerged. Said to be a father of science fiction, Lucian wrote stories of a more mystical sense than modern sci-fi. Ending the time of previous writers of romance-science fiction, he was the first to have famous works, such as the True History, and Ikaromennippos. From the very early beginning of science fiction until Lucian, not much changed. The science fiction of that time could be described more as mystical fiction, with some science added in. 

Research Book - Post #2: 10-20

          Science fiction is a genre that is well know for its involvement in the creative expression of thought. However, in most modern works of science fiction the focus is more Protestant. They take a situation derived from reality and change the technological aspects of that situation in their new world. This can also be called 'hard science fiction'. Mainly based on fact, and exploring physical advancements or differences from modern day. The less known side of science fiction that most non-science fiction fans don't know about, is the philosophical approach to the creation of ideas. This type of science fiction is focused on the idea of 'being', and what is right and wrong to do or believe. These claims would be primarily based on pondering by the author of what could be, and not so much of what could exist within the rules of reality. This is a more open ended form of science fiction called 'soft science fiction'. 

          There are many biases related to the sci-fi genre. Some relating to the characteristics of the fans. It is widely perceived that they are inactive, unsocial, and are apart of the 'occult' fan base of fiction. There are also biases relating to science fiction itself. However, science fiction should be perceived as a collection of creative ideas that are constantly criticized by their respective fandoms to further the development of the human mind. Not a group of fictional nonsense that seems too improbable to care for. 

The Enlightenment - A Brief Summary:

          The enlightenment is the belief that science and reasoning are able to change the current state of the world. Unfair social situations and oppressive governments are able to be overturned for new and betters ways to run the economy. People that believe in the enlightenment and support its ideas are sure that progress in current affairs can be made, and can better the world by doing so. 

The Influential Invention of the Telescope: Essay

The optical telescope, created by Hans Lippershey during the renaissance was one of the most influential inventions of history. For the first time, people were able to widen their senses, and observe into the heavens. Galileo Galilei, was the first to use this invention to observe celestial bodies. The telescope allowed Galileo to record his observations and learn more about the world beyond Earth. The telescope also transferred the authority of how to observe nature to an instrument instead of human hands.
This step forward in observation, if applied to today, would solve the problem facing current astronomers; not being able to see planets because of the existing light from nearby stars. Scientists are currently inventing better ways to see into deep space. One such invention is the external occulter, which is more commonly known as a starshade. This screen blocks the light of stars and creates a highly contrasted image so the the observer can only see the light reflected by rocky exoplanets. For many scientists this is a welcome innovation.  

          During the renaissance the telescope was the tool that furthered much understanding of space. The well known Galileo observed many new characteristics of heavenly bodies with this new instrument. The moon, he found to be different from what was inferred. It was thought to be a perfect object, smooth and spherical, but Galileo recorded it to be rough and covered in seas and valleys. He also deduced from his observations that Jupiter had orbiting moons. Galileo recorded four in all; Ganymede, Callisto, Io, and Europa. These were among many other discoveries Galileo found using the telescope. Starting in 1608, the telescope was available for general use, and would thus further studies of the unknown heavens. Currently, the instrument is being used to help observe other solar systems from our own. It has seen many changes as science and technology have advanced in the area, and has given people a great insight into the universe outside the Earth.

David, Leonard. "Innovative 'Starshade' Tech Could Illuminate Rocky Alien Planets." Space.com. N.p., 14 Nov. 2014. Web. 16 Nov. 2014. <http://www.space.com/27765-starshade-tech-alien-planet-search.html>.

"Galileo and the Telescope." Australia Telescope National Facility. CSIRO, n.d. Web. 16 Nov. 2014. <http://www.atnf.csiro.au/outreach/education/senior/astrophysics/galileo.html>.

The Start and Spread of Coffee - with Bob the bean

Link to the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6S297qVT8g&feature=youtu.be

Research Book - Post #1 - Beginnings:

          Science fiction is a very broad subject of literature. In itself, science fiction can encapsulate ideas of what could be, or things that could be created. This, all the while has to be relating to science. Science is the study and recording of observations that by themselves can not ever be proven true. They can only be falsified by other data. Science fiction has been defined differently by people throughout history. Some people claim that science fiction is like the intuitive, suggestive, and imaginative characteristics of the arts. But others relate science fiction to logic and deductive reasoning. Between both of these views however, science fiction has always been connected to experimentation. In asking the question; "what if?", science fiction is exploring what could come to be when using some scientific knowledge to back up its claim. A common example would be faster-than-light travel. What if it were possible to go faster than the speed of light? This has been pondered in many works of literature that have different scientific theories to support their claims. Some works have more evidence than others, but at the same time can be called science fiction. With so manny different views of its definition, science fiction has continued to influence arguments throughout history.   

Medici Presentation Part 3

 

Summery of Chapter 7 - The Great Soberer:

Starting in the seventeenth century, there was one drink that was capable of supporting commerce and global economies. The great soberer; coffee. Originating in Arabia, the drink started to gain attention with its ability to quench thirst while not being possible contaminated. This made it an intimidating rival to beer. Many new commercial ideals about how to appear during business were consequentially created. One being the promotion of awareness instead of being slightly intoxicated for work. This idea was more associated to the business and scientific fields. Thus giving rise to those types of innovative jobs in the economy. By the eighteenth century, coffee had found its way from the hands of the Arabic, to the Dutch, and French. During its travel, coffee met many who opposed its arrival. One such example would be in Europe. Religion at the time was opposed to coffee, thinking it evil, and those who drank it to be dammed to do so. However, that view on the consumer item changed when Pope Julius VIII tried the drink before his passing. His reaction to its splendid taste was so vibrant, that he changed the christian's view on the beverage forever. This commodity, has had one of the greatest impacts on society that has shaped the world until common day. 

Raphael - The Expulsion of Heliodorus from the Temple: essay

Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, more commonly known as Raphael was considered a master of the Renaissance. He was famous for his grace, emotion, and spacial geometry shown in his works. He contributed to the movement of Mannerism and Classicism in the Renaissance. Mannerism being excessive incongruity or stretching of human figures, and Classicism being rational, strict, and restrained forms of art. During his time as an artist, Raphael moved from using more of a Classicism and controlled art form to a dynamic form starting from his fresco painting, "The Expulsion of Heliodorus from the Temple" in 1512, onward. 

This work was commissioned by Julius II. It depicts a scene of Heliodorus stealing treasure in a Jewish temple, and bystanders, including Pope Julius, watching the commotion. The fresco can be described as chaotic, desperate, authoritarian, and aghast. The painting shows these qualities because of the emotion showed by the crowd of onlookers in the scene. Most of them seem to be struck with terror and astonished at what is taking place. During this however, Julius the second is sitting in a chair representing the power of the church.