Posted by Nick on June 30, 1999 at 02:22:50:
On Vance and science in the Demon Princes
We don't read Jack Vance for the science I suppose, (I would not classify him as a science fiction writer - science fantasy perhaps, but then what does that mean? Is it an oxymoron?)
However two things have struck me about his science. First of all Vance wrote those books before plate-tectonics made the theory of continental drift scientific orthodoxy. I was surprised to find that this did not occur until the late 1960's and early 70's (see Gould, Ever since Darwin, 1978). Up until then the idea of continental drift was considered absurd, and it is no reflection on Vance that he ignores it when talking about planetary geography.
Secondly I am constantly impressed by his understanding of evolution, and in this he was ahead of his time. I suppose that this was an instinctive grasp, rather than derived from study, especially as his interpretation (rejection of convergence and group selection, support for punctuated equilibrium) have only become scientific orthodoxy since the seventies, and in the 60's (when he wrote the Demon Princes) group selection and steady progression were orthodox beliefs.
anyone else have any thoughts on this?
(I'm not gonna mention politics ever again, heehee)