Abstract
The thesis seeks to explore the didactic application of French science-fiction during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries for the portrayal and dissemination of their respective philosophical theories. Studying science-fiction novels during these centuries will allow a comparison of seventeenth and eighteenth-century dissemination methods, to determine if the foundational seventeenth-century methods were retained or modified to more accurately represent the change in philosophical attitudes. Exploration of this topic will contribute to a greater understanding of French Enlightenment theory, analysis of relatively unstudied novels in the science-fiction genre, and a novel approach to “proto” science-fiction literature by connecting the previously separate genres of science-fiction and philosophy during the Enlightenment. The trends within the seventeenth century show dominant authoritative representations through analogical examples, authoritative ideological figures, and an emphasis on logically sustained arguments. The eighteenth-century trends focus on logical passionate attitudes, burlesque scenarios, and authoritative actions to exemplify the Enlightenment ideologies. Therefore, these five analyzed œuvres show conservation of didactic and authoritative dissemination methods during this philosophically evolutionary time period.
Thesis Completion
2016
Semester
Fall
Thesis Chair/Advisor
Trinquet du Lys, Charlotte
Degree
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
College
College of Arts and Humanities
Department
Modern Languages and Literatures
Degree Program
French
Location
Orlando (Main) Campus
Language
English
Access Status
Open Access
Release Date
December 2016
Recommended Citation
Gandy, Lauren A., "Reason is King and Science is his Crown: A Study of French Science-Fiction for the Dissemination of Philosophical Thought" (2016). Honors Undergraduate Theses. 125.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/honorstheses/125