Lecture 3: Imagining Other Worlds

What is the cultural history of our imaginings of other worlds and their possible inhabitants? I will draw examples from history, philosophy, literature, cinema, and popular culture. In the end, our imaginings about other worlds inform us more about ourselves, our hopes and our fears, than about extraterrestrial life. The scientific inquiry we are undertaking must therefore approach the problem from a different direction. Recorded live on 2009 Sep 25 in Room 1005 Smith Laboratory on the Columbus campus of The Ohio State University.

Om Podcasten

Astronomy 141, Life in the Universe, is a one-quarter introduction to Astrobiology for non-science majors taught at The Ohio State University. This podcast presents audio recordings of Professor Richard Pogge's lectures from his Autumn Quarter 2009 class. All of the lectures were recorded live in 1005 Smith Laboratory on the OSU Main Campus in Columbus, Ohio.