Sigma - The Science Fiction Think Tank

[semillama]

http://www.sigmaforum.org/index.html

Pretty cool concept. I think it's a great idea.

[DavidDvorkin]

1. Odd collection of names on the membership list

Some are very appropriate, while others are strange choices.

[moggie]

2. A couple I knew would be there without looking

Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. Haven't they done enough damage already? At least Michael Crichton isn't a member (yet).

Dunno about this. Speculative fiction writer = scientific/technological knowledge + writing ability (not necessarily a great deal of either). It's good for public policy to be influenced by individuals with some science smarts, but there are scientists, doctors and engineers for that. I don't see how writing ability adds much value, other than that it means that the think tank's reports may be Hugo award material.

[DavidDvorkin]

3. Some on the list have demonstrated only writing ability

And no particular technical knowledge.

[moggie]

4. And here's the quality of the "thinking" we can expect

From wikipedia on Larry Niven:

In 2007, Niven, in conjunction with a group of science fiction writers known as SIGMA, led by Pournelle, began advising the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as to future trends affecting terror policy and other topics. In March of 2008 at a DHS science and technology conference, Niven suggested that "a good way to help hospitals stem financial losses is to spread rumors in Spanish within the Latino community that emergency rooms are killing patients in order to harvest their organs for transplants....The problem [of hospitals going broke] is hugely exaggerated by illegal aliens who aren't going to pay for anything anyway".

Aren't you glad he's willing to share his "knowledge of this unknown territory for the good of the nation", as Sigma says?

[semillama]

5. Well, Niven's a dick

But David Brin is a member as well, and that more than counters Niven in my book.

[TZ]

6. Oh barf...

I've never been a Niven fan..but I didn't know he was such a jackass..:o

[YankeyMCC]

7. The need to get Kim Stanley Robinson

Alistair Reynolds, Ken MacLeod and Paolo Bacigalupi involved :)

Yeah I know not all are US citizens but what the heck does it matter given the nature of the group :)