Welcome to Litsy!

Where I find Discworld has lots of actual science. Many thanks to Terry Pratchett, Jack Cohen and Ian Stewart for their explanations.
https://www.suzs-space.com/the-science-of-discworld-by-terry-pratchett-ian-stewa...

I am not going to fact check the science from 1999/2002, and I've documented some of the ecology examples that struck me as odd, but I think this is a pretty good book for -how- to think about science, both as a study and as a name for all the processes that create our universe. I think the fiction is fun, too.

Damn, the very next nonfiction chapter opens defending Rincewind from the reader who may think he's being overly dramatic! Thank you, someone, for supporting the boy.

You want to talk about giving a speech to people who don't care, Rincewind gives a banger of one about the nature of "failure" on a cosmic time scale and how the future always, always belongs to someone else.
(I'm proud of him. If The Last Continent was the culmination of his character, this is his coda. His kindness and empathy are wedded to his cynicism - if nothing survives, let it try anyway.)

Continuing my slow way through this, and blinking in confusion over the offhand, semi-snide remark about the difficulty of practicing conservation with both cheetahs AND their prey, as if conservation means no animal dies ever. That's... not it? That's not what that is??
(Rincewind Update: he tries to help mud skippers, he sticks up for dinosaurs, and he only really gets unhappy when other wizards show up. A low key delight!)

Weird that the example the book is using for predator/prey relations to explain natural selection is one of cats and birds, when cats are almost always an incredibly destructive invasive species. Weird!

It's me, the fool who reads The Science of Discworld for Rincewind. (I think he's really good in it.)

This was a little disappointing, since I hoped to learn more about Discworld, but actually it's all about our world. Normally, I like science books that tell me about our planet snd the universe, but here it felt forced and lacked spirit. But as you see I still learned a lot and marked some facts.

Still, not what I was hoping for...

“Science is not about building a body of known ‘facts‘. It is a method for asking #awkward questions and subjecting them to a reality-check, thus avoiding the human tendency to believe whatever makes us feel good.” #QuotsyMar19

I loved how this weaved the world of Discworld and science together. It‘s both science and science fiction, to great effect. It‘s absolutely wonderful. I will definitely be exploring more of Discworld after this.
#terrypratchett #thescienceofdiscworld #discworld

This book is so awesome!!! I‘m hoping the library has The Science of Discworld 2.
#terrypratchett #thescienceofdiscworld #thescienceofdiscworld2

💙🤣😂🤣💙
#terrypratchett #thescienceofdiscworld #thefuture

It‘s truly amazing how poignant science fiction can be.
#terryprachett #thescienceofdiscworld #takenote

Suddenly, I want every anti-use-of-the-word-evolution-in-any-circumstance people to read this book.
#thescienceofdiscworld #terrypratchett #evolution #naturalevolution #areyouthesameasyouwerewhenyouwerefive

The social and historical commentary that is going on here is simply brilliant. It gets slipped in and you could miss it if you weren‘t paying attention. This is just bloody brilliant!!! Terry Pratchett, I love you.
#thescienceofdiscworld #terrypratchett #blobs #holywar #lessenlightenedblobs #lecturerinrecentrooms #brilliant

This is a GOOD question. Sober is the lack of drunkenness, but drunk is the lack of sobriety. Hm. Must ponder this further.
#thescienceofdiscworld #terrypratchett #privatives #drunk #sober #thingsthatexist #drinkingproblems

Ignorance is the absence of knowledge, and therefore isn‘t an existent thing, it‘s the absence of an existent thing. This suddenly got REALLY philosophical...but it makes total sense.
#thescienceofdiscworld #terrypratchett #privatives #knowledge #thingsthatexist

🤣😂🤣
#terrypratchett #thescienceofdiscworld #humans #oops #figures

This just sounds fun. Where can I get a post like this? I also like the idea of “room, board, and all your laundry done.”
#terrypratchett #thescienceofdiscworld #professorposts

What on Earth is with space and bananas? Is this a British thing?
#terrypratchett #thescienceofdiscworld #doctorwho #10thdoctor #mydoctor #davidtennant #banana #bananadaiquiri #alwaysbringabanana

Oh, when Pluto was still a planet. Those were the days. #thescienceofdiscworld #terrypratchett #pluto #demoted #notcool

I have this thought everyday.
#terrypratchett #thescienceofdiscworld #philosophy
(Okay, I promise this is my last one today. 😐)

True in Discworld, true in round world.
#terrypratchet #thescienceofdiscworld #science

Holy crap, he‘s just made Rosencrantz and Guildenstern twins. #lifecomplete #hamlet #rosencrantzandguildenstern #terrypratchett #thescienceofdiscworld
I love you, Terry Pratchett.

Herring and banana pizza. I had to go back a few times to make sure I got that right. Wow. Just wow.
#terrypratchet #thescienceofdiscworld #herringandbananapizza #badpizzaflavors #newworlds

Love that Terry Pratchett has taken this ancient Turtle and Elephant Myth and stuck it in the middle of his science fiction novel.
#terrypratchet #thescienceofdiscworld #turtleandelephantmyth

🤣😂🤣

Proud Liar to Children!!! (can‘t stop laughing at this)
#thescienceofdiscworld #discworld #terrypratchett #teachersoflitsy

Good for science fiction AND academia.

At the introduction and loving this already.
#thescienceofdiscworld #discworld #terrypratchett

I‘ve never read anything by Terry Pratchett beyond Good Omens, and this is the only thing my library had available at the moment. So, here goes nothing. Hopefully I‘ll like it and simultaneously it won‘t totally ruin Discworld should I ever get to read it.
#thescienceofdiscworld #discworld #terrypratchett

Right now, I'm carrying a large purple tote to fit my books.

Saturday night plans. 🙌🏻📚👍🏻