2001


 * Discussion Time:**
 * Friday****, January 20,** **7:55-9:25 (2B)**

Adam Kennedy Christian Henry Asa Slayton John O'Gorman Robi Borda Red DeSmith Steve Strand
 * Group Members:**

**__Pre-Discussion Info__ **

David Bowman: “Captain” of the Discovery One who is supposedly leading the entire mission, but is unaware of its true purpose. Hal: an omnipresent artificial intelligence designed for the mission with the purpose of aiding Bowman and Poole. Frank Poole: Bowman’s co-captain who is eventually murdered by Hal when he tries to reestablish contact with Earth. Dr. Heywood Floyd: Scientist charged with researching the Tycho Monolith on the moon who eventually discovers its purpose, leading to the redirection of the Discovery One mission. Moon-Watcher: Ancestor of the human race that came into contact with an alien monolith that taught him to use tools, which helped his tribe dominate over the other wildlife, saving them from extinction.
 * __Characters:__ **

Times: The dawn of man (c. 3 million BCE), 1999, 2001 Locations: Africa, the moon, Journey from Earth to Saturn, Wormhole to Alien Experimentation Point of View: Written from the past, speculating on the future
 * __Setting:__ **

-Moon Watcher comes in contact with the monolith -Moon Watcher and his tribe of ape men kill the leopard -Dr. Floyd goes to the moon to investigate TMA-1 -David Bowman and Frank Poole are sent on a mission to Saturn along with 3 hibernating passengers -Poole is murdered by Hal -Bowman manages to shut down Hal, sends hibernating crewmen into space -Bowman learns the true goal of his mission -Bowman heads to Saturn to complete the mission -Bowman discovers TMA-2 (The Star Gate) and goes inside it -Bowman becomes the Star Child, godlike figure -Moon Watcher’s tribe is starving and being hunted by the leopard -Researchers find a mysterious monument on the moon and have no idea what it is -Hal has a malfunction, kills the rest of the crew, and tries to kill Bowman - HAL has a dilemma in that he knows the real purpose of the mission and Bowman and Poole don’t -There is a possibility that the aliens who built the monolith might have hostile plans - the narrator is withdrawn from the actual story - he uses the characters mainly to prove a point, as a result no strong connections to the characters are made by the reader
 * __Important Plot Events:__ **
 * __Conflicts:__ **
 * __Narration:__ **

- The novel explores the dangers of advanced technology and how creating technology that we do not fully understand is like playing with fire -David Bowman journeys all the way to Saturn, and he literally changes his physical form from a human into a supernatural star god. - The journey is full of a sharp divide, from a few moments of absolute terror to days on end of boredom. - Man v. Nature conflicts: Moon-Watcher and Apemen v. Savannah and Leopard, Humans v. Hostile Environment of Space - Before Discussion Protocols (Passage Path, 10 Words or Less) - Discussion Questions - After Discussion Protocols (Three A’s, Whip) - If time, explore connections Choose one passage from the book that is either significant to the plot or particularly thought-provoking.
 * __Qualities of the Journey:__ **
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 32px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Agenda__ **
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Timeline: ** - Pre-Discussion Info, clarify characters, events, and plot
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Before Discussion Questions Protocol: **
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Passage Path: **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Describe in 10 words or less your immediate emotional reaction after reading the book.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">10 Words or Less: **

- Did you like the book? - What in the book did you not understand? - Did the book provoke any thoughts/emotions? - How did you respond to Frank Poole being killed?
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Questions: **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-Is the monolith that Moon-Watcher encounters TMA-1 on the moon? - Why did HAL attempt to kill Bowman and Poole? - What is the significance of the monolith (the one Moon-Watcher encounters), TMA-1, and the Star Gate (TMA-2)?
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Discussion Questions:__ **
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Factual:__ **

- What is humanity? Does HAL have some human characteristics? What separates humans from animals? - What would the implications be if we could transcend from human form to bio-mechanical form or even spiritual form? - If people were told that extraterrestrial life existed today, would there reaction be similar to what Dr. Heywood Floyd expected and therefore necessitate secrecy? <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- Does Bowman mistrust HAL even before the link with Earth becomes problematic? <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- Why did the aliens initiate the experiment to generate intelligent life and wait so patiently for a success? - Could the human race reach a point where we have technology as advanced as HAL, and could a similar problem occur? - Would you like to live in a space colony or go on a long space journey? Why or why not? - How far would you trust a computer? Would you trust one with your life like the three hibernating science? - If someone told you extraterrestrial life existed, what would your reaction be? ** <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">After Discussion Questions: ** <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Do you agree with Clarke’s theory of computers rebelling against humans? Do you agree with the idea of intelligent design? Do you agree with the search for extraterrestrial life?
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Interpretive:__ **<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Evaluative:__ ** <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Three A’s: How did the book AFFECT you? What do you AGREE or ARGUE with in the text: **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What new incites did you gain through this discussion? Is your opinion on the book changed at all? Any questions about either the actual book or the larger ideas brought up in discussion? **Questions:** - What parts of Clarke's message do you agree/disagree with? - What is your opinion of the US-Liberian relations, particularly from the period of 1950- February 1963? - Are your views on technology or human evolution changed at all by this discussion?
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Whip: **


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Connections:__ **
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/26/science/26robot.html?ref=robots__] **
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Do we need technology that we cannot control? How much control over our lives do we give computers and robots? **
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://www.humansfuture.org/origins_intelligent_design.php.htm__] **
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What is the probability that Earth would harbor intelligent life forms? Is it possible some outside force (like the monolith) influenced this probability? (lets do it in stats john! ;) haha) **
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://www.humansfuture.org/space_colonization_intro.php.htm__] **
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Should we look for intelligent extra-terrestrial life? What are pros and cons to space colonization? **


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">With all of these questions, what connections can we draw between the book and our modern lives today? **