Everything I Think I See -- Part 2: From Fiction's Watchtower
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"As opposed to the incoherent spectacle of the world, the real is what is expected, what is obtained and what is discovered by our own movement. It is what is sensed as being within our own power and always responsive to our action." —Alain in The Gods, bk. 1 ch.3 (Émile-Auguste Chartier [1868-1951])
In part one of "Everything I Think I See," we examined several scientific theories that describe how our world is shaped by our interaction with it. In part two, we will take a look at several examples of this real-world science as it has been applied to science fiction. For this section I have decided to focus on Star Trek because of its widespread popularity and its frequent use of modern scientific theories. Keep in mind that science fiction is just that—fiction—and so these applications are often loosely related to real science.
THE TRILL AND THE SPATIAL ANOMALY
If life really is a dream, you'd have no trouble convincing Captain Sisko
and the crew of station Deep Space Nine. In the episode "If
Wishes Were Horses," they experience first hand what would happen if
our imaginations came to life. In addition, their own expectations and observations
nearly destroyed the station. It's one example of how we may create our own
reality.
When thought became the real McCoy, the station came under siege by a famous fairy tale character named Rumpelstiltskin; a legendary baseball player for the London Kings named Buck Bokai; and a sultry Jadzia Dax fashioned from Bashir's fantasies. How embarrassing for the young doctor. Oh yes, and there was a snow storm on the Promenade, and more Dabo winners than you can shake a strip of gold-pressed latinum at.
Shortly after the arrival of these three apparitions, the crew detects something
