The first article the really seemed to stand out to me was on DNA and how eugenics have affected the film industry. It is called "The Devil in Our DNA: A Brief History of Eugenics in Science Fiction Films" by David A. Kirby. It is interesting to me because goes through the different eras over the last 100 years and describes how the history of eugenics has affected a specific genre of movies (as film is a type of storytelling). More specifically it discussed its affect on science fiction films such as Life Without a Soul (1916) or even the more popular X-men films. In the former of the two films (as an adaptation of the novel "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelly, the main character uses alchemy to create the perfect human. This shows a very rudimentary understanding of genetics and what makes humans the way that we are. In the latter of the two, the producers chose to take some time in the films and show how it is sections of DNA that have mutated to allow certain people to have so-called "superpowers". This film franchise has taken our much greater understanding of DNA and used it to make the story more plausible. This leads me to wonder how much advances in the field of science have added to the film industry (Kirby 83-108).
The second article I found was a vastly different type of problem. It is about some papers written during the Middle Ages by an Islamic man about treating sicknesses of the poor. It was of a genre that was popular during this time period called "medicine for the poor". This physician (who has a ridiculously long and complicated name) wrote a number of medical texts including one called "Medicine for the Poor and Destitute" which covered treatments for diseases from headaches to podagra (or gout). While it discussed the treatments for various ailments, it said little about the causes or the symptoms of them. The recipes for these remedies are considered somewhat "magical" in nature and contain ingredients such as urine or animal excrement. While this seems disgusting and unhealthy to us (because of the modern medicine and a better understanding of diseases, it helps to show what life must have been like in this time period. It is a glimpse into the story of a people that might otherwise have not been known to us (Bos 365-375).
Bos, Gerrit. "Ibn Al-Jazzār on Medicine for the Poor and Destitute." Journal of the American Oriental Society. 118.3 (1998): 365-375. Web. 5 Oct. 2013.
Kirby, David A. "The Devil in Our DNA: A Brief History of Eugenics in Science Fiction Films." Literature and Medicine. 26.1 (2007): 83-108. Web. 4 Oct. 2013.
I haven't even thought about going down that path, sometimes I forget that there are many different types of storytelling. I think your topics are very interesting and would be a great research project. I like the Devil In Our DNA idea, but not just because I like most of the X-men movies.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting how movies seem to change in regards to the scientific explanations in movies as the movie industry changes with time. We as consumers are more demanding in the story we want to hear. For example in older movies (although they are classics and are not to be taken for granted) do not satisfy my mind as well as newer movies do, simply because now days there are somewhat reasonable (even if they're still theoretical) scientific explanations to super human phenomena.
ReplyDeletePertaining to english and biology I cant help but keep thinking about vaccinations. I learned over the summer how the ancient chinese would crush up scabs of people infected with some sort of pox then have the patient inhale it- this was the first cases of inoculation. The way we still know about them is from the ancient Chinese scrips. I just keep seeing the image of the scrips in my head. English and Biology absolute integrate- without the former, how would the knowledge be passed down?
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ReplyDeleteIt seems the idea of advanced science fiction could apply to literature as well as science fiction films. this doesn't apply to biology, but when I heard Tom Clancy died, I was thinking about how his spy/military thrillers became popular and how he discussed all of the technical equipment used in modern military actions. I would imagine there is a lot of literature that has been influenced by the newest advances in biology.
ReplyDeleteIt's crazy that we can apply and better almost any field with the application of story telling. You have also shown that there are many types of story telling. Also how it changes with advances as you mentioned biology but it could apply to a whole ton of other subjects as well.
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