sphere technology
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Michael Crichton’s book Sphere is a great look at technology and human nature. He is a great author and is well qualified to right about these subjects. He not only writes novels but has also written Psychology textbooks used by many people. He also received his Bachelor’s degree with highest honors and med. Degree from Harvard (Hudson, Lange, Douglas, 167-168). With a background that supports the subjects that he wrights about, the book contains valuable information on the subjects of Technology and Human Nature. Crichton tends to right in a very detailed style. He tries to paint a complete picture and gives the people character. He has the ability to express complicated information in easy to understand terms. A good example of this was a description in the book about space-time using an orange, a ball bearing, a bowl, and a table. In Sphere, he sets up the scenario very well. A group of civilians joins a group of Military personnel to investigate a spacecraft found one thousand feet below the Pacific Ocean. It seems it had crashed three hundred years ago, but they still put together a first contact team just incase. This team consisted of a Psychologist, a Biologist, a Mathematician, and an Astrophysicist. These four where to go down and make first contact, with help from the navy. The first problem the come up too is that the ship is not alien but American, the second is a huge Sphere. This book combines a variety of people with an Isolated and exotic environment. Exposing these people to a higher Technology proves how mankind in general misuses technology. The Critics of this book had little to say against Sphere or Crichton. Michael Collins’ Article on Sphere expresses that Crichton makes the story believable with detail. He also comments on how he makes complicated knowledge easy to grasp (74). James M. Kahn comments on the mystery and fast pace of the book. He also notes the Psychology and philosophy that is gives this book true meaning (74). In his Novel, Sphere, Michael Crichton again reiterates the theme that man is inherently flawed; he misuses technology. Technology is very powerful. The rate of technological growth increases mathematically with out respect to geographical limits or political systems. Because of this technology is usually conceived as both creative and destructive. In the book, the characters gain the power to manifest creatures and objects. They have the power to create any thing, but in there subconsous they think of the terrors of the deep, a giant squid, poisonous snakes, and fire to name a few. When it comes down too it humans have a bad side and a good side, and the bad side tends to win. “The most profound technologies are those that become embedded in peoples lives” (Wall). Technology is actually the process by which we control and understand the material environment. Moreover, the fact that technology is becoming increasingly integrated into our lives leads us to considered restrictions and observations. The government created the U.S. Assessment; they evaluate social, economic, environmental, and other effects of products and devices (Woodson). The government tends to try to control people and technology. “Government is the great Fiction, through which everybody endeavors to live at the expense of everybody else” (Bastiat). In the book, a man named Barnes is the voice of the government. He is always trying to control the actions of the other characters and bog down everything with regulations, but in the end, he really can not control the situation. However, do not think that he was doing this to help anyone, he like the real government does nothing without it benefiting them. He was actually looking for a new weapon out of the deal. “It is often said that men are ruled by their imagination; but it would be true to say they are governed by the weakness of their imaginations”(Pagehot). “Science Fiction writers foresee the inevitable, and although problems and catastrophes may be inevitable, solutions are not”(Asimov). A common theme in science fiction, like Sphere, is crisis created by technology. Science Fiction Influences society more than anyone realizes. However, it was realized after two events, the first Atomic Bomb and the moon landing in 1969. These events related directly to science fiction. People began to realize how Science Fiction wrighting is a window into our future. “ Space or science fiction has become a dialect for our time” (Lessing). Since 1962, Colleges and Universities in the US teach at least one course in science fiction (Bookshelf). Therefore, in this book we can see that our species, as of now, really cannot handle the power of complete control. This book should be considered a warning of things to come. This book is a great experiment. When looked at, Crichton has put many different types of people together and given them a series of problems to solve and abilities to use. This book is a scenario with all genders, Military and Civilian, and of coarse many differences between them. This allows the author to show how these different people react and how they due on this test. The characters receive the greatest technology, the ability to alter reality. At first, they do not know they have this power, but even when they do, their minds hold them back. The dark side containing fears and skepticism is there undoing. “When you see something that is technically sweet, you go ahead and do it and you argue about what to do with it only after you have had your technical success, that is the way it was with the Atomic bomb”(Oppenhiemer). As shown in this book humans fail this test, and it brings up the question do we deserve power? The first cities man built where in actuality war machines, built within walls for defense and organized for battle and conquest. The first tools where weapons to kill animals and to fight other human beings for food (Wiesel). It is obvious that our most powerful technologies where developed either for war or during war. Our race is violent and tends to use power for the wrong reasons. “If we had a reliable way to label our toys good and bad, it would be easy to regulate technology wisely. Nevertheless, we can rarely see far enough ahead to know which road leads to damnation. Who ever concerns himself with big technology, either to push it forward or to stop it, is gambling in human lives (Dyson).” Man is flawed in that he is made up of both good and evil. He has two sides constantly tearing at his soul. Whether he creates or destroys is up to that person, but deep inside that person there is always that urge to destroy. Therefore, that is why over the coarse of history man has created things to destroy. This book has proven that no matter how good or noble we think we are, we are flawed. When the moment comes and the scales are weighed, it either will be even or tipped on the side of evil. The research in this paper show how man creates, destroys, and creates to destroy. When you read science fiction like sphere or a paper like mine, remember that it is a portal to the future, a future doomed by our own nature. Works Cited “Crichton, Michael.” Contemporary Authors. Vol.25-28. “Crichton, Michael.” Contemporary literary Criticism. Vol.54. Crichton, Michael. Sphere. New York: Ballantine books, 1987. Sphere. Videotape. Dir. Barry Larinson. Warner bros., 1998. Microsoft Bookshelf, 1996-97 edition. HYPERLINK http://www.sanspot.net/our_town/film/data/sphere.html http://www.sanspot.net/our_town/film/data/sphere.html 12/20/98. HYPERLINK http://www.mike-d.com/movies/sphere.html http://www.mike-d.com/movies/sphere.html Mike-D’s sphere review, 12/20/98. HYPERLINK http://www.mnsinc.com/woodson/winchester/tech.htm http://www.mnsinc.com/woodson/winchester/tech.htm Dangerous Technology, Charles H Woodson.