Social Science Talks Science Fiction » Podcasts

Today we’re discussing Neuromancer by William Gibson. Published in 1984, the novel follows the activities of the hacker Case and his associates as they work for a shell company run by a rogue AI. As one of the foundational works of cyberpunk and transhumanist fiction, the novel blends the real and virtual worlds, and questions if the distinction between the two is only a question of standpoint. Spoilers abound, so it’s highly recommended you read the book before you listen to the podcast.

https://ia902703.us.archive.org/29/items/socialsciencetalks/_001_%20Neuromancer%20Pilot.mp3

Contributors:

Alex Hoseason is your erstwhile host and agent provocateur. PhD student in International Politics at Aberystwyth University, he spends his time researching ideas of causation in critical philosophy, sociological theory and the effects of how we talk about history. You can see his academic profile here.

Andre Saramago is also a PhD student in International Politics at Aberystwyth, but joins us from Setubal, Portugal. His research interests involve the historical development of critical philosophy and how it should conceive of long-term patterns of social development. His profile can be found here.

Matthew Campbell is a PhD student in Global Health and looks at the way in which security actors respond to the threat of disease in the context of demands that they reduce spending. His office is under the bridge of the Department of International Politics at Aberystwyth, and his profile is here.

Matt Curtis is largely a mystery, but more will become apparent whenever we need a deus ex machina during an awkward silence.

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