I Class Day One
A Introduction to the Class
1. presentation of the syllabus
2. reading list discussion
3. MITSFS (MIT Science Fiction Society)
B The Fields of Science Fiction
1. adventure
2. histories
3. minorities
4. socio-political/commentary
II Class Day Two
A Robert Heinlein
B Other Juveniles
1. Nowlan
2. Anderson
3. Tom Swifties
III Class Day Three – Future Histories
A The
Past Through Tomorrow
1. short stories
2. novels
B Known Space
1. short stories
2. novels
C Foundation Trilogy: Presentation of a culture
D Cities
in Flight
1. as a story
2. as a logue
IV Class Day Four
A Minorities as an Oppressed People
1. Slan
2. Anne McCaffrey
3. Methusalah’s
Children
4. Norstrilla
B Minorities as a Ruling Elite
1. Foundation
Trilogy
2. Telepath (The Whole Man)
3. Rite
of Passage
V Class Day Five
A The Changing Society
1. John Brunner
2. Robert Heinlein
3. Clifford Simak
a. A
Choice of Gods
b. City
B The Stagnant Society
1. Arthur C. Clarke
a. The City and the Stars
b. Imperial Earth
2. The
Dispossessed
VI Class Day Six
A Religion as a Positive Force
1. Lord
of Light
2. Stranger in a Strange Land
B Religion as a Destructive Force
VII Class Day Seven
A Technology the Destroyer
1. Shockwave
Rider
2. Rite
of Passage
B Technology the Creator
1. The
Long Result
2. When
Harlie was One
VIII Class Day Eight
A Man
1. as a machine
2. as an animal
3. as ‘something else”
4. as a divine inspiration
B Machine
1. as a sentient
2. as a tool
3. as a god
IX Class Day Nine – No Class Today (Beyond IQ)
X Class Day Ten
A The Year 2000/2100
B The Media – in and out of Science Fiction
C Fandom
D The Web