BS: Voice of the Dolphins (Szilard)

Subject: BS: Voice of the Dolphins (Szilard)
From: keberoxu
Date: 17 Mar 20 - 08:18 PM

In some ways, this collection of novellas/short stories in the science-fiction genre
calls to mind A Canticle for Leibowitz, which has a thread of its own in the BS section.

"Leibowitz" presumes a post-apocalypse, post-nuclear-bomb scenario.

"Voice" is different, in that the civilized world is on the brink of a nuclear war, and by the most curious agency, is manipulated to negotiate disarmament instead.

Whereas "Leibowitz" has religious orders and scholars preserving what little knowledge and learning has survived the apocalypse,
"Voice" contrasts science -- molecular biologists in particular -- with international politics.

Both authors, however, are clearly opposed to the nuclear arms race and in their different ways
make eloquent cases for how mankind is -- or ought to be -- more than war-mongering aggressors.

Anybody familiar with Sell's liver paste?
It was a US product during the Second World War if I read right.
And it is with Sell's liver paste, according to this fiction,
that an institute peopled with distinguished scientists from all over the world,
entices dolphins to communicate with human scientists and to assist them with an agenda of nuclear disarmament.
Give the dolphins enough Sell's liver paste, the premise goes,
and they will do just about anything.

Subject: RE: BS: Voice of the Dolphins (Szilard)
From: Donuel
Date: 18 Mar 20 - 05:16 AM

John Lilly would have given an arm and leg for that paste !

Subject: RE: BS: Voice of the Dolphins (Szilard)
From: Joe_F
Date: 18 Mar 20 - 09:11 PM

I read it a long time ago (I used to hang out with scientific peaceniks). My recollection is that the dolphins weren't actually involved -- they were a fiction within the fiction.

Subject: RE: BS: Voice of the Dolphins (Szilard)
From: Mrrzy
Date: 19 Mar 20 - 08:35 AM

A vague cousin on the Hungarian side, Szilárd. But I have not read it.

Subject: RE: BS: Voice of the Dolphins (Szilard)
From: keberoxu
Date: 19 Mar 20 - 10:09 AM

Yes, Donuel,
Dr. John C. Lilly and his work with dolphins
are name-checked in Szilard's "Voice of the Dolphins."

My recollection, Joe F., is that
the historian writing the summary of the scientific institute
reports that:
the fictitious institute came to a sudden and somewhat murky end;
little evidence was preserved regarding dolphins;
it became public opinion, after the fact,
that the departed scientists made it all up about the dolphins --

leading it to the reader to speculate what is rumor and what is truth
in the end.

Subject: RE: BS: Voice of the Dolphins (Szilard)
From: Donuel
Date: 19 Mar 20 - 10:22 AM

There was a real institute complete with an aquatic/land apartment shared by a human female and a dolphin. amazing story

Subject: RE: BS: Voice of the Dolphins (Szilard)
From: Donuel
Date: 19 Mar 20 - 11:04 PM

It even involved sex if you're interested.

Subject: RE: BS: Voice of the Dolphins (Szilard)
From: keberoxu
Date: 20 Mar 20 - 11:02 AM

From liver paste to algae.

"By your fruits, ye shall know them."

Indeed, in The Voice of the Dolphins, the dolphins themselves are never depicted nor shown in the narrative. Everything the reader is told about the dolphins, is in the form of reports or abstracts from the institute scientists.

One premise in this work of fiction, is that the scientists deliberately take advantage
of the dolphins' extraordinary sophisticated brains;
once two-way communication is in place and a [classified] dialogue started,
the dolphins are let in on the various crises besetting the planet,
the dolphins are given information to which, under the surface of the ocean,
they would not otherwise have access.
Then, the dolphins come back to the scientists and make suggestions for alternative ways of dealing with problems.

It is by the actions implemented through the scientists of the institute,
the unprecedented projects and directions taken,
that the dolphins make themselves known to mankind.

Subject: RE: BS: Voice of the Dolphins (Szilard)
From: keberoxu
Date: 22 Mar 20 - 02:36 PM

Algae, continued.

After conferring with the dolphins,
the scientists of the Institute
begin to harvest a form of algae,
and having harvested it, they take out a patent for
an algae-derived product and start producing it for public consumption.
Long story short:
the algae consumption by humans results in slowing down
human overpopulation of the planet.

Subject: RE: BS: Voice of the Dolphins (Szilard)
From: keberoxu
Date: 21 May 21 - 03:04 PM

Scientist and author Leo Szilard
is mentioned in a recent thread where the topic
is the science fiction of Heinlein.

How many people know about Szilard's published fiction?
I suspect relatively few.
Such a dry, wry sense of humor that Szilard writes with,
and behind the humor, one can sense
a heart, and a genuine empathy for all sentient beings.
Szilard, however, led with his head,
and did not wear his heart on his sleeve.

I may have to go back and reread that short story.