4 ms·

If you like reading about minds that are fundamentally different from our own, you might also enjoy the science fiction novel "Blindsight" by Peter Watts. Explo

by gcr 10y ago

If you like reading about minds that are fundamentally different from our own, you might also enjoy the science fiction novel "Blindsight" by Peter Watts. Exploring the space of possible minds in the universe is a fundamental theme of that work.

eduren 10y ago
To give a bit more context for others, the novel is a really well done first contact story. I'd highly recommend it, especially because Watts makes it available online for free. http://www.rifters.com/real/Blindsight.htm http://www.rifters.com/real/Blindsight.htm
- __jal 10y ago
  Just to run down this alley, highly seconded. It is a great, if somewhat depressing, novel. _Echopraxia_ is a continuation of the themes/story, and is just as good (and also depressing). I personally put Watts near the top of the list of first-rate, active science fiction authors.
  - eduren 10y ago
    His eye for hard science is very keen. I love that he has notes at the end of Blindsight that try to dig deeper into the approaches he had taken in the writing and add background. I couldn't put Echophraxia down. I might hazard that I like it more than Blindsight but it'd be hard to put in words. Which do you enjoy more?
- bamurphymac1 10y ago
  I just read the whole thing. Wow! Thanks for the recommendation.
Analemma_ 10y ago
Solaris is another good novel about this.
- jacobush 10y ago
  Yes - I was young when I read, but here goes, it is REALLY alien life.
majewsky 10y ago
Also, the recent movie "Arrival" (or the short story it's based on).
signa11 10y ago
> ... reading about minds that are fundamentally different from our own... so is 'a fire upon the deep' by vernor vinge. where you have 'tines', iirc, a race of canids comprising 4-10 (or thereabouts) members sharing a group mind (new members can be added when old ones die etc.)
- rosser 10y ago
  Tine culture is explored in much greater depth in "Children of the Sky", the sequel to "A Fire upon the Deep".

by gcr 10y ago

eduren 10y ago

To give a bit more context for others, the novel is a really well done first contact story. I'd highly recommend it, especially because Watts makes it available online for free. http://www.rifters.com/real/Blindsight.htm http://www.rifters.com/real/Blindsight.htm

__jal 10y ago
Just to run down this alley, highly seconded. It is a great, if somewhat depressing, novel. _Echopraxia_ is a continuation of the themes/story, and is just as good (and also depressing). I personally put Watts near the top of the list of first-rate, active science fiction authors.
- eduren 10y ago
  His eye for hard science is very keen. I love that he has notes at the end of Blindsight that try to dig deeper into the approaches he had taken in the writing and add background. I couldn't put Echophraxia down. I might hazard that I like it more than Blindsight but it'd be hard to put in words. Which do you enjoy more?
bamurphymac1 10y ago
I just read the whole thing. Wow! Thanks for the recommendation.

Analemma_ 10y ago

Solaris is another good novel about this.

jacobush 10y ago
Yes - I was young when I read, but here goes, it is REALLY alien life.

majewsky 10y ago

Also, the recent movie "Arrival" (or the short story it's based on).

signa11 10y ago

> ... reading about minds that are fundamentally different from our own... so is 'a fire upon the deep' by vernor vinge. where you have 'tines', iirc, a race of canids comprising 4-10 (or thereabouts) members sharing a group mind (new members can be added when old ones die etc.)

rosser 10y ago
Tine culture is explored in much greater depth in "Children of the Sky", the sequel to "A Fire upon the Deep".