Z Ted Chiang
“Peter Orullian: Let’s get underway by having you give us a snapshot of your work to set the stage for our conversation: genres you write in, recognitions, etc., publishing vitals, if you will. Ted Chiang: I write science fiction short stories. I have a collection of my stories, STORIES OF YOUR LIFE AND OTHERS, published [...]
Continue reading about Interview: The Lifecycle of Software Objects – Ted Chiang
“Dr. J. chats with Ted Chiang about his Hugo award winning novella “The Lifecycle of Software Objects,” the ethics of creating intelligent machine minds, and the state of science fiction. (Part 1 of 2)” 4 out of 5 http://www.archive.org/download/TheEthicsOfCreatingConsciousBeings/20110929chiang-a.mp3
Continue reading about The Ethics of Creating Conscious Beings – Ted Chiang
“Which is the greater tragedy: the fall of an empire, or the end of your marriage? Is it more important to make a major scientific discovery, or to be a good parent to your child? It’s a false dichotomy to say that fiction should only concern itself with one or the other; all of these [...]
Continue reading about Introduction To Particle Theory – Ted Chiang
Hugo Award winner, best novella, 2011. 4 out of 5 http://www.subterraneanpress.com/index.php/magazine/fall-2010/fiction-the-lifecycle-of-software-objects-by-ted-chiang/
Continue reading about The Lifecycle of Software Objects – Ted Chiang
Seiun award nomination, 2011. 5 out of 5 http://www.sfawardswatch.com/?p=4122
Hugo Award nomination, best novella, 2011. 4 out of 5
Continue reading about The Lifecycle of Software Objects – Ted Chiang
“In Lifecycle, Chiang does away with this tropes of the genre. Taking inspiration from the theories posited by Turing, the author constructs a narrative built around a model of artificial intelligence more akin to child rearing than computer programming. Over the course of years, the novella’s human characters go from owning clumsy, charming virtual pets [...]
“GB: Your novella seems to be about parenthood as much as it is about robots. What was the motivation behind that?Stories TC: I believe the process of training an artificial intelligence will almost inevitably resemble the raising of a child. The reason I believe this is that traditional approaches to AI have failed so badly; [...]
From LCRW magazine : “Contents of issue #26 (dated December 2010) include:” Nonfiction: “Reasoning about the Body” by Ted Chiang Unseen.
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People affected by this condition do not talk or move. 4 out of 5
Continue reading about Akinetic mutism : What’s Expected of Us – Ted Chiang
Of cosmic horror. 3 out of 5
Continue reading about Lovecraftian : What’s Expected of Us – Ted Chiang
A Melville novella. 3 out of 5
Continue reading about Bartleby the Scrivener : What’s Expected of Us – Ted Chiang
Contains a circuit with a negative time-delay. 4 out of 5
Continue reading about Predictor : What’s Expected of Us – Ted Chiang
Austrian logician, mathematician and philosopher. 3 out of 5
Continue reading about Godel : What’s Expected of Us – Ted Chiang
50 the 33 a 23 you 19 that 19 to 18 of 17 is 14 it 13 and 13 will 9 no 8 button 8 some 8 with 8 predictor 8 but 8 one 8 free 7 in 7 this 6 they 5 what 5 people 5 flash 5 an 5 now 5 for 5 [...]
717 the 438 i 377 of 358 to 350 a 274 my 249 and 154 in 152 that 148 is 124 for 118 it 108 me 104 with 92 he 91 but 89 his 89 on 74 as 74 have 73 can 73 be 72 this 68 an 63 i’m 59 from 59 will 58 [...]
875 the 273 of 250 and 244 to 215 a 168 they 145 he 133 was 133 it 112 that 104 in 88 were 86 had 74 tower 72 hillalum 71 with 69 for 66 as 66 from 65 would 61 at 61 their 61 his 59 not 53 be 52 but 52 when 50 [...]
944 the 456 to 449 a 430 i 415 of 329 and 269 it 260 that 231 in 222 you 175 was 162 for 154 be 137 with 126 we 116 as 112 on 109 at 107 your 106 but 103 what 102 my 97 me 92 one 90 they 89 is 84 had 84 [...]
558 the 364 i 324 to 319 and 242 a 209 of 192 he 181 you 181 that 158 was 148 it 118 my 117 had 115 in 112 as 101 his 97 me 96 not 92 for 89 but 87 said 78 is 72 with 68 from 66 she 66 him 65 her 63 [...]
Continue reading about The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate – Ted Chiang
1448 the 976 to 831 a 630 s 625 of 595 and 589 that 472 it 406 he 353 for 351 you 347 is 339 t 326 digients 324 in 308 but 308 they 306 she 296 i 257 ana 229 with 224 be 207 as 192 them 182 on 180 says 179 have 178 [...]
Continue reading about The Lifecycle of Software Objects – Ted Chiang
1178 the 539 of 469 a 458 to 316 and 247 that 241 in 221 he 204 was 203 it 200 stratton 172 you 153 for 150 i 142 s 137 his 120 with 117 as 115 be 112 is 111 name 109 would 108 but 107 they 106 an 102 had 91 not 88 [...]
431 i 429 the 348 to 296 a 274 that 262 of 261 it 241 and 200 s 197 you 194 t 161 but 140 in 127 we 116 calli 116 is 115 was 112 for 103 people 95 with 94 be 94 like 92 they 91 he 78 can 77 about 75 as 74 [...]
Continue reading about Liking What You See A Documentary – Ted Chiang
444 the 315 to 274 of 253 a 249 was 247 and 246 he 210 that 172 in 168 his 151 her 146 it 133 had 132 she 130 for 97 neil 94 but 90 were 90 him 83 god 82 as 74 with 72 their 66 been 64 would 61 they 58 not 57 [...]
Continue reading about Hell Is the Absence of God – Ted Chiang
448 the 243 of 166 to 161 i 156 that 144 a 135 and 99 in 85 my 82 was 80 it 76 air 76 our 64 is 52 but 52 as 47 not 44 from 43 be 42 for 42 had 41 this 38 by 37 were 36 one 34 will 34 with 32 [...]
239 the 133 a 113 and 109 of 109 to 109 it 108 he 108 was 102 that 93 she 93 her 92 had 59 you 58 in 52 but 50 as 48 i 47 for 47 renee 43 on 43 carl 39 at 38 his 36 what 36 would 33 with 33 no 30 [...]
39 the 35 of 31 to 19 a 14 is 13 that 11 human 11 metahuman 9 research 8 in 8 and 7 by 7 their 7 were 7 metahumans 6 no 6 dnt 6 but 6 it 6 humans 6 not 6 for 5 whose 5 into 5 one 5 with 4 them 4 [...]
Continue reading about Catching Crumbs From the Table – Ted Chiang
Vignette Number of words : 880 Percent of complex words : 13.3 Average syllables per word : 1.6 Average words per sentence : 15.5 READABILITY INDICES Fog : 11.5 Flesch : 56.2 Flesch-Kincaid : 9.3 PEOPLE Godel Austrian logician, mathematician and philosopher. TECHNOLOGY Predictor Contains a circuit with a negative time-delay. MEDIA Bartleby the Scrivener [...]
Novelette Number of words : 13500 Percent of complex words : 15.9 Average syllables per word : 1.7 Average words per sentence : 14.3 READABILITY INDICES Fog : 12.1 Flesch : 51.1 Flesch-Kincaid : 9.7 PEOPLE Leon Greco A man who has a brain injury and undergoes treatment to repair it, which enhances his intelligence. [...]
A philosophy. 3 out of 5
All Points Bulletin. US police alert system. 3 out of 5
““Sarah,” the ghoul said behind her. She whirled around and was in for a mild shock. It wasn’t a ghoul, it was a lich. Its energy told her that much. And the corpse it had been eating—well, her special senses told her that it hadn’t been alive for quite a while. Her actual eyes told [...]
Continue reading about Monster Planet 2 05 – David Wellington
A movie. 3 out of 5
A monologue in verse. 4 out of 5
A USA city. 3.5 out of 5
Continue reading about Philadelphia : Understand – Ted Chiang
A USA city. 3.5 out of 5
A USA city. 3.5 out of 5
A USA city. 3.5 out of 5
A theatre. 3.5 out of 5
Continue reading about Hanning Playhouse : Understand – Ted Chiang
The company that sells handprint locks to Pennsylvania Courier. 3 out of 5
Continue reading about Lucas Security Systems : Understand – Ted Chiang
Department of Motor Vehicles in the USA. 3 out of 5
Central Intelligence Agency. USA external spy group. 4 out of 5
American Food and Drug Authority. 3 out of 5
A company researching synthetic hormones that encourage neuron regeneration in the central nervous system. Came up with hormone K. 3.5 out of 5
Continue reading about Sorensen Pharmaceutical : Understand – Ted Chiang
Leon’s business. 4 out of 5
Continue reading about Greco Holographics : Understand – Ted Chiang
Positron emission tomography. A nuclear medicine imaging technique which produces a three-dimensional image. Brain scan. 3.5 out of 5
Treats brain injuries. 4 out of 5
Austrian logician, mathematician and philosopher. 3 out of 5
A drug experimenter in the sixties. 3 out of 5
A mathematician. 3 out of 5
Leon’s old girlfriend. 3 out of 5
Continue reading about Connie Perritt : Understand – Ted Chiang
A visiting doctor. Likely a spook. 3 out of 5
The Neurologist-in-Chief where Leon is treated.. 3 out of 5
Other friends. 3 out of 5
Continue reading about Sue and Tori : Understand – Ted Chiang
A friend of Leon’s. 3 out of 5
The man who treats Leon. 3.5 out of 5
Another patient from Phoenix who has undergone hormone K treatment. 3.5 out of 5
A man who has a brain injury and undergoes treatment to repair it, which enhances his intelligence. 4 out of 5
Novelette Number of words : 9800 Percent of complex words : 7.4 Average syllables per word : 1.4 Average words per sentence : 14.7 READABILITY INDICES Fog : 8.9 Flesch : 72.6 Flesch-Kincaid : 6.8 PEOPLE Hillalum A miner of Elam. Nanni Hillalum’s friend. Lugatum A fellow worker. Kudda A cart puller. Alitum Kudda’s wife. [...]
A big tower. 4 out of 5
Continue reading about Ziggurat : Tower of Babylon – Ted Chiang
A bricklaying tool. 4 out of 5
Continue reading about Trowel : Tower of Babylon – Ted Chiang
““You can see in the dark, right?” she asked Ptolemy. my more vision was like yours was is vision more than yours it was, the soapstone told her.” 3 out of 5 http://www.davidwellington.net/serials/monster-planet/monster-planet-part-1/chapter-twenty-4/
A city in Shinar. 3 out of 5
Continue reading about Erech : Tower of Babylon – Ted Chiang
A city in Elam. 4 out of 5
Continue reading about Babylon : Tower of Babylon – Ted Chiang
A river. 3 out of 5
Continue reading about Euphrates : Tower of Babylon – Ted Chiang
A country. 4 out of 5
A country. 4 out of 5
Continue reading about Shinar : Tower of Babylon – Ted Chiang
A miner. 3 out of 5
Continue reading about Ahuni : Tower of Babylon – Ted Chiang
A miner. 3 out of 5
Continue reading about Damqiya : Tower of Babylon – Ted Chiang
The Elamitest foreman. 3 out of 5
The Egyptian foreman. 3 out of 5
Continue reading about Senmut : Tower of Babylon – Ted Chiang
Kudda’s wife. 3 out of 5
Continue reading about Alitum : Tower of Babylon – Ted Chiang
A cart puller. 3 out of 5
Continue reading about Kudda : Tower of Babylon – Ted Chiang
A fellow worker. 3.5 out of 5
Continue reading about Lugatum : Tower of Babylon – Ted Chiang
Hillalum’s friend. 3.5 out of 5
Continue reading about Nanni : Tower of Babylon – Ted Chiang
A miner of Elam. 4 out of 5
Continue reading about Hillalum : Tower of Babylon – Ted Chiang
Novella Number of words : 17400 Percent of complex words : 13.2 Average syllables per word : 1.6 Average words per sentence : 13.6 READABILITY INDICES Fog : 10.7 Flesch : 60.8 Flesch-Kincaid : 8.2 PEOPLE Louise Banks A linguist asked by the US military to help communicate with aliens. Daughter By Gary. She died. [...]
Fictional chronicle that records every event, past and future. 3 out of 5
Continue reading about Borgesian Book of Ages : Story of Your Life – Ted Chiang
Least time path of a ray of light. 4 out of 5
Continue reading about Fermat’s Principle : Story of Your Life – Ted Chiang
A hated vegetable. 3 out of 5
Continue reading about Brussels sprouts : Story of Your Life – Ted Chiang
Hepatod food. 4 out of 5
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Hepatod food. 4 out of 5
Continue reading about Gourd : Story of Your Life – Ted Chiang
Captain Cook’s ship. 3 out of 5
Continue reading about The Endeavour : Story of Your Life – Ted Chiang
The study of alien life. 3 out of 5
Continue reading about Xenobiology : Story of Your Life – Ted Chiang
American Sign Language. 3 out of 5
Continue reading about ASL : Story of Your Life – Ted Chiang
A process for the sake of an end. 3 out of 5
Continue reading about Teleological : Story of Your Life – Ted Chiang
Smallest component of a word. 3 out of 5
Continue reading about Morpheme : Story of Your Life – Ted Chiang
An excited hydrogen atom will have an electron change back to the lower energy configuration eventually. 3 out of 5
Continue reading about Spin-flip of atomic hydrogen : Story of Your Life – Ted Chiang
2.17644(11)×10−8 kg 3 out of 5
Continue reading about Planck mass : Story of Your Life – Ted Chiang
Least time path of a ray of light. 4 out of 5
Continue reading about Fermat’s Principle : Story of Your Life – Ted Chiang
Reminiscent of the optical illusory art of M. C. Escher. 3 out of 5
Continue reading about Escheresque : Story of Your Life – Ted Chiang
A word coined to describe a unit of the written heptapod language. 4 out of 5
Continue reading about Semagram : Story of Your Life – Ted Chiang
Writing that represents speech. 4 out of 5
Continue reading about Glottographic : Story of Your Life – Ted Chiang
Writing without reference to speech. 4 out of 5
Continue reading about Semasiographic : Story of Your Life – Ted Chiang
Language written via pictures. 4 out of 5
Continue reading about Logographic : Story of Your Life – Ted Chiang
Study of language sounds and writing. 3 out of 5
Continue reading about Phonemics/graphemics : Story of Your Life – Ted Chiang
The alien written language. 4 out of 5
Continue reading about Heptapod B : Story of Your Life – Ted Chiang
The alien spoken language. 4 out of 5
Continue reading about Heptapod A : Story of Your Life – Ted Chiang
Alien visitors to Earth. 4 out of 5
Continue reading about Heptapods : Story of Your Life – Ted Chiang
Child’s drawing toy. 3 out of 5
Continue reading about Etch-a-Sketch : Story of Your Life – Ted Chiang
Alien communications device. 4 out of 5
Continue reading about Looking glasses : Story of Your Life – Ted Chiang
