HNRS 31
Poets and Prophets: Back to Future with Ray Bradbury and Rod Serling
Description
Seminar, three hours. Exploration of various aspects of human condition and how they are portrayed through genre of science fiction. Examination of authors as both poets reflecting on social issues of their time, as well as prophets of future dystopia of human making. Reading texts of Ray Bradbury and viewing original screen episodes of Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone to see that these artists forecast some of pressing issues facing humanity today: climate change and threat of ecological and planetary devastation; impact of artificial intelligence on human relationships; racism, exploitation and marginalization of peoples; censorship; social alienation and loneliness; theory and science of time travel; space exploration and colonization as means for human survival; medical technology in service of beautification, eradication of disease, and immortality. Appreciation that using their keen insight into nature of human behavior, artists' works are as much cautionary tale as fantasy. Letter grading.
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