The Fermi Paradox and First Contact Science Fiction
In this 12-week course, we will explore proposed solutions to the Fermi Paradox and depictions of First Contact encounters with aliens in sci-fi literature, movies, and TV.
Dr. Matthew Hall
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:(34)
What's included
12 live meetings
9 in-class hoursHomework
1-2 hours per week. Reading will be assigned weekly. The reading load will vary from one or two articles per week to a novella. Generally, students can expect to read 10-20 pages per week. There will also be required viewings of TV shows and movies, especially in the second half of the course.Assessment
There will be two short in-class writing assignments and quizzes that will be graded. Learners will be provided a letter grade and one-page written report at the end of the course.Grading
includedClass Experience
US Grade 8 - 11
Get $20 off my class "The Fermi Paradox and First Contact Science Fiction" with coupon code MATTHKLXUK20 until Feb 18, 2022. Get started at https://outschool.com/classes/the-fermi-paradox-and-first-contact-science-fiction-O0LOAxI0 and enter the coupon code at checkout. Course Description This course is intended for home school students at the high school level. The following groups of students should find this course particularly useful: those interested in pursuing careers in astrobiology, specifically, or astronomy more generally; those interested in sci-fi, specifically, and literature more generally; and anyone more casually interested in the depiction of aliens in pop culture. We will be reading about the Fermi Paradox, the search for extraterrestrial life and civilizations, as well as ‘first-contact’ sci-fi literature. We will also be analyzing film and TV depictions of first contact with aliens. In addition to these assignments and attendance of and participation in my lectures, students will take two in-class quizzes, produce two short in-class writing assignments, and one final exam. The structure of the course is meant to leverage intellectual curiosity, promote discussion and critical thinking, and improve reading and writing skills. Here is our schedule (subject to change, with advance notification): Section 1: Introduction Week 1: Introduction to the course, myself, and critical thinking Week 2: Who was Fermi, what exactly is a ‘paradox’, and what is Fermi’s? Week 3: The Drake Equation, SETI, and results to date Week 4: The three categories of solution: the aliens are here, the aliens are out there somewhere, there are no aliens Section 2: Exploring the paradox Week 5: They’re here: A scientific response to UFO conspiracy theories Week 6: They’re out there: SETI and the 'mediocrity' principle in a very large and old universe Week 7: There are no aliens: The Great Silence and the Great Filter Section 3: Sci-fi and the paradox: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Weeks 8-10: Sci-fi literature Weeks 11-12: Pop Culture -- TV and movies
Learning Goals
Course Objectives:
To introduce, understand, and examine the Fermi Paradox and the search for extraterrestrial life and civilization.
To understand the different categories of proposed solutions to the paradox.
To develop and use analytical tools and critical thinking in comparing these solutions.
To discover, understand, and compare -- using analytical tools and critical thinking -- ‘first-contact’ depictions in sci-fi literature, films, and TV.
Other Details
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Sources
In addition to TV and movie clips, there will be some required readings. Some of those will be from internet sources. Those links will be provided in the course syllabus and online. We will also be reading from the following book, which is readily available on Amazon:
Stephen Webb, If the Universe Is Teeming with Aliens ... WHERE IS EVERYBODY?: Seventy-Five Solutions to the Fermi Paradox and the Problem of Extraterrestrial Life 2nd ed. 2015 Edition.
Students will also choose one of the following few short stories or novels to acquire and read:
Arthur C. Clarke, Childhood’s End
Ted Chang, The Story of Your Life
H.G. Wells, War of the Worlds
Joined January, 2022
5.0
34reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
About Me
I have a Ph.D. in International Studies and several years experience teaching undergraduate political science courses at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. I also have a lifelong obsession with the Fermi Paradox and am currently completing the final edits of the first novel in a comedic first-contact sci-fi trilogy. Additionally, as a social scientist, I will leverage the topic of pseudoscientific UFO conspiracy theories to demonstrate the need for critical thinking and a scientific approach to open questions.
Reviews
Live Group Class
$200
for 12 classes1x per week, 12 weeks
45 min
Completed by 5 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 13-17
3-18 learners per class
